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Freei.Net Goes Nationwide October 12, 1999
By Patricia Fusco
InternetNews.com Assistant Editor ISP News Archives
Freei.Net this week expanded its free Internet access service to more than than 1,200 cities in all 50 states. The expansion brings Freei.Net's subscriber base to more than 500,000 members.
Bob McCausland, Freei.Net president and chief executive officer, said the increasing demand for free Internet access has made Freei.Net the nation's eighth-largest Internet service provider.
"Who doesn't want to get something for free?" McCausland said. "It's an idea whose time has come. More than half a million Freei.Net subscribers give us a great track record and proof that people don't just want free access, they want quality free access."
McCausland added that Freei.Net is popular because it provides anonymous Internet access for consumers. Because there is no bill to pay, Freei.Net does not ask members for name, address or phone information.
"We know that consumers are bombarded with advertising in today's multimedia world," McCausland said. "Freei.Net doesn't add to the confusion. In fact, we lessen it by serving ad banners that pertain to each consumer's individual interests. In addition, Freei.Net subscribers will be pleased to find out that we are far less commercial than the largest providers in the country; so it really is a win-win for all parties involved."
By establishing service in over 1,200 cities nationwide, Freei.Net plans to challenge conventional Internet service providers for membership. Sequoia Capitol recently invested $10 million in the free ISP to fuel their national access plans.
Freei.Net is based on a business model similar to the broadcast industry whereby revenue earned through local and national advertising sales. It's one of the few free ISPs that is building its own network across the U.S., rather than buying access from established backbone providers. |
