UK Web access cheaper than US and Europe

 

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Posted on 14 Jun 2001 at 16:55

We have finally got the Internet charges we deserve, say the Campaign for Unmetered Telecoms (CUT) and regulator Oftel.

CUT, a pressure group that worked to bring down Web access fees, is to disband after achieving its goal of cheap, flat-rate access for consumers, the group said. Before CUT formed in 1998 the UK wasn't even talking about flat-rate access let alone offering it as an alternative to per-minute charges. "It is sad that CUT has come to an end, but it is as a result of our success. When we started 'unmetered' was not even on the agenda and we helped force a change in attitude," said Erol Ziya, founder of CUT.

Now we've got a smorgasbord of unmetered deals from different ISPs, from around £10 a month. Previously you had to pay that just to get on to the Net. Then you had to pay phone charges on top.

CUT was vocal in the press and constantly pressurised Oftel to make it easier for ISPs to offer unmetered deals. This resulted in BT's FRIACO deal, where BT charged ISPs a flat rate, allowing them in turn to pass on savings to their customers. Along the way, there were many casualties. AltaVista brought out a so-called totally free access deal, only to withdraw it in disgrace months later. Other smaller ISPs have folded or been put up for sale, unable to make a living from the meagre returns the ISP business brings in. Many blamed BT for their failure.

But the result of the shake up in the ISP market has been what everyone wanted in the first place: cheap, unmetered access. Oftel today said that unmetered access in the UK is cheaper than in California, France and Germany. In the UK, heavy users can expect to pay around £18 a month for access, while in California that rises to £19 a month while in Germany it is around £39 a month, said Oftel. Some European countries, such as Sweden and France, don't have unmetered access at all.

Of course, this is all down to Oftel. "Oftel's work to promote competition and choice has helped deliver lower prices for dial up Internet access, fixed line telephony and mobile phone services," said David Edmonds, director general of telecommunications at Oftel.

What do you think? Are we really getting our money's worth now or is this all just hype? Use our comment button on the right.

Author: Caroline Gilmour