Telewest to offer fixed fee surfing

Telewest said today it will next year launch a service offering residential unmetered Internet access for £10 per month.nThe service, dubbed Surfunlimited, will be launched on 14 February - Valentine's Day - 2000.

According to Telewest, the £10 flat rate fee covers unlimited access to its Cable Internet ISP, which will be relaunched via a new portal co-developed with Microsoft Networks(MSN).

Included in Surfunlimited is up to 5Mb of free Web space, up to 15 email addresses, technical customer support from 9am to 9pm seven days a week and a parental control feature.

Customers will need a Telewest telephone line to access the service and must agree to spend at least £10 a month with Telewest on other telephone call charges - in addition to time spent online.

Tony Illsley, Telewest chief executive, commented: "Surfunlimited will be an unbeatable Internet service. It will remove the cost concern that stops many people from surfing the Net whenever they want and for as long as they want."

The company also plans to launch an unlimited Internet access service for the business market in the first three months of 2000.