Freeserve vows to fix dial-up problems

Freeserve has vowed that problems with its service will be resolved by the end of the week after the ISP was deluged with complaints of excess connection times and poor access speeds.

The ISP has been regularly criticised by users who have complained of difficulties logging on and the frequent need to make multiple attempts to connect to the service. Other users have experienced decreased download speeds.

One user who contacted vnunet.com questioned why it took more than 60 seconds to connect to Freeserve. He also complained about long download times as well as poor email connection. "Things seem to be getting worse, not better," he said.

A spokesman for Freeserve conceded that poor service had been an issue, but claimed that the company is working hard with its networking partner Energis to improve levels of accessibility. He insisted that a number of modems had been added and that capability had improved by more than 20 per cent. Freeserve is expected to complete its upgrade of its service by the end of the week (29 September).

The moves comes as Freeserve claimed that it has more than two million active customers and is the market leader in unmetered access with some 250,000 active registered accounts on its two unmetered services. According to Fletcher Research, Freeserve has a 37 per cent marketshare in the internet market, including metered and unmetered services.

Freeserve has also secured an exclusive supply deal with Bush to sell Bush Internet TV and set-top boxes through Dixons and Currys from 16 October, with Freeserve being the ISP. It has also secured a deal where iCircle and FSAuctions will be available on set-top boxes for ONdigital.

The ISP also announced a pre-tax loss of £17.8m with an increased turnover figure of £14.6m. The figures were in line with what analysts were expecting the company to achieve.

John Pluthero, chief executive of Freeserve, said: "As we extend the availability of unmetered access we will drive more users to our portals, reduce our churn, increase time online, and generate higher ecommerce and advertising revenues."