ISP: File swappers pay extra

[Adam L. Beberg]

Brilliant precident. This allows them to work out the firewall filers and
rules, then crank up the difference in the pricing to an economicly viable
point :)

- Adam L. "Duncan" Beberg
  http://www.mithral.com/~beberg/
  beberg@mithral.com

-------------

ISP: File swappers pay extra
By Graeme Wearden
ZDNet (UK)
May 17, 2002, 10:00 AM PT
URL: http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105-916640.html
U.K. Internet service provider PlusNet announced on Friday that is launching
a lower-priced broadband product.

Customers will only be charged 20.99 (US$31) (including VAT) per month for
PlusNet's ADSL Home Surf product -- 2 (US$3) per month less than PlusNet's
existing consumer broadband package, and 9 (US$13) cheaper than many
competing broadband services.

The downside with ADSL Home Surf is that subscribers will not be able to use
peer-to-peer file-swapping services. This rules out popular but
bandwidth-hungry applications such as Kazaa and Morpheus, which allow users
to share MP3 files.

PlusNet claims that ADSL Home Surf is the best-value broadband product on
the market, and suitable for people who want fast Internet access and
gaming. "By focusing on the requirements of the majority of Internet users,
we have been able to bring a new price point to the U.K. market," said Phil
Sheard, marketing manager at PlusNet, in a statement.

As well as being able to surf the Internet at speeds of up to 512kbps, ADSL
Home Surf customers will also get unlimited email addresses and 25MB of Web
space. ADSL Home Surf comes with a 12-month contract, although for an extra
11.75 (US$17) customers can get a monthly contract instead. There is a 58.75
(US$86) installation fee, and customers will need an ADSL modem--which can
cost around 90 (US$131).

PlusNet's existing consumer broadband package, which does allow
file-swapping, costs 23 (US$34) per month. Both Freeserve and
BTopenworld--the two largest ISPs offering ADSL broadband in the
U.K.--charge 29.99 (US$44) per month.

BT Retail is close to launching a no-frills broadband package that will
provide a high-speed Internet connection without services such as e-mail.
However, it is expected to cost 27 (US$39) per month--a price which some
observers believe will not be low enough to compete.