Ray --
I like your approach. Here's some news that validates which direction the carriers are headed. Ameritech was one of the first to initiate ADSL trials and Amati's modems were there from Day One.
newsalert.com
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Ameritech Changes Prices for Internet Access Service
PR Newswire - May 01, 1998 09:02
Company to Increase Investment to Maintain Industry-Leading Quality
CHICAGO, May 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Ameritech.net(SM) (NYSE: AIT) is changing some of its prices, effective June 1, to maintain the level of service availability, reliability and support that its Internet access customers have come to expect.
Ameritech offers a range of pricing options to its Internet access service customers, including a basic rate of $8.95 for 10 hours of use per month, which remains unchanged. Beginning June 1, the monthly price for unlimited usage will change from $19.95 to $21.95, and the annual price for unlimited usage from $189 to $213, which is the equivalent of $17.75 per month.
"This year we will increase our network investment by 66% over 1997, so we can upgrade our infrastructure to meet our customers' needs," said Valeri Marks, president of Ameritech Interactive Media Services. "These changes will enable us to keep up with our members' increased usage as we continue to lead the industry in providing reliable dial-up Internet access with premier customer service."
The number of Ameritech.net(SM) subscribers has doubled in the past six months, and the average session length per customer has grown by 30 percent over that time, Marks said.
Ameritech.net(SM) was recently rated among the most reliable Internet service providers in the country for getting customers online, by independent Internet measurement company Inverse Network Technology.
Ameritech's dial-up Internet access service received A+ grades for 24-hour call success rate and evening-hour call success rate, according to the study.
Ameritech.net(SM) also has continually exceeded the industry average for Internet service providers in other key categories including initial modem connection speed and average time to log in.
"Consumers want an Internet service that they can count on and that is easy to use -- especially in 'prime time' evening hours -- and these grades show we offer just that," Marks said. "We engineered our system for maximum reliability, so our customers -- whether they're new or experienced users -- can enjoy all the benefits of the Internet."
In addition, Ameritech has invested in around-the-clock customer service and technical support for its Internet access customers. The company has increased its service center staff by approximately 50 percent over the past six months to meet the needs of a growing customer base.
"Our technical support representatives know their business: they receive several weeks of training before they answer a single call, and they undergo continuous refresher training," Marks said.
Other changes include a redesigned website making Ameritech.net(SM) easier to navigate and customize. Among the new features are a personalized start page for every member including the customer's top 10 e-mail and web addresses, and a customized web interface based on personal preferences and location.
Also, Ameritech.net(SM) recently began supporting K56 flex modems and still offers ISDN access throughout its service area, along with a variety of speeds for its dial-up customers.
In addition, the company recently introduced Ameritech.net(SM) High Speed Internet Access using ADSL technology, which provides speeds up to 50 times faster than today's modems. The service is available in Royal Oak and Ann Arbor, Mich., and may be ordered by calling 800-910-4369. It will be offered in the Chicago area beginning this summer.
Prices for Ameritech.net(SM) High Speed Internet Access and ISDN unlimited access each remain unchanged at $49.95 per month.
Interested consumers and small businesses can call 800-NET-8775 for more information or to order the service, or they can download the software directly from the service's website, www.ameritech.net.
The Ameritech.net(SM) service is available in the Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Indianapolis and Milwaukee metropolitan areas.
Inverse Network Technology is an Internet measurement company that regularly evaluates the performance and reliability of the Internet, including the dial-up infrastructure. The company conducted the testing during February 1998, using the following providers to calculate industry averages: AOL, AT&T, CompuServe, Concentric, Earthlink, IBM, MCI, Microsoft Network, MindSpring, NETCOM, Prodigy, Sprint, and UUNET.
Ameritech serves millions of customers in 50 states and 40 countries. Ameritech provides a full range of communications services, including local and long distance telephone, cellular, paging, security services, cable TV, Internet services and more. One of the world's 100 largest companies, Ameritech (www.ameritech.com) has 73,000 employees, 1 million shareowners and nearly $28 billion in assets.
SOURCE Ameritech
/CONTACT: Geoff Potter of Ameritech, 312-526-8223/
/Web site: ameritech.com or ameritech.net
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