Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Compaq -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Elwood P. Dowd who wrote (61102)	5/11/1999 1:17:00 PM
From: rupert1	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 97611

The latest twist in the free internet access story in the UK is that AOL has been forced to cut its fee today for unlimited use by 45%. It now charges £9 or about $14 per month. It says it is not going the free route because it offers added value, it believes that a lot of the free services will go out of business because they are not making money. But the free services need about 200,000 subscribers to make money. They get a percentage of the telephone connection charge from British Telecom and other telephone providers. The free services also charge about 75 cents per minute for any customer support or services. The free service I told you about when it started - the computer retailer Dixon's - who offer it with computers over a certain price -is doing so well since it started in Ocotber, 1998 that it will become an IPO this year. MSN (Microsoft) is still charging $29 per month but I understand it is losing customers to free access and I expect this announcement from AOL will cause them to cut their price too. I think the writing is on the wall - universal free access as well as big reductions in telecom connections charges. There was a commentary on UK TV today that free computers are coming to the UK.