Freeserve suspends unmetered sign-up

Freeserve has suspended sign-up to its unmetered internet service, after admitting users have experienced difficulties logging on to the service.

The ISP, which is to be ejected from the FTSE 100 index on Monday, said it has temporarily stopped accepting new customers to its Unlimited Freeserve Time service while it invests in further capacity.

Freeserve has admitted that users have experienced difficulties logging on to the service. Some customers have complained that they need to make multiple attempts to connect to the service, while others have experienced decreased download speeds.

In a service status update on its website, Freeserve said it is "aware that some members in certain parts of the country have experienced some busy tones when trying to get online". It said it has taken a number of steps, including adding further capacity to the network, to restore the service to its "usual high quality".

At the end of last month, Freeserve told vnunet.com that it has been working hard with its networking partner Energis to improve levels of accessibility, including adding a number of modems. It said it is now adding further interconnect ports and diverting traffic on to a new dedicated network.

The ISP has also blamed heavy users for the poor service, claiming they have placed "abnormal demands on the network". Early this month Freeserve said it will kick off 700 users who are have been logging on to the network for an average of 16 hours a day.

It is not clear how long sign-up will be suspended, but the ISP has already been limiting new sign-ups to a few thousand per week, compared with 10,000 a week when Unlimited Freeserve Time launched in April.