BusinessEurope to charge SMEs for access

BusinessEurope, the pan-European website aimed at small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs), is planning to charge customers for access to its online content. Currently, the site offers a range of free news and business information services.

In an interview with ManageIT's sister website uk.internet.com, Paul Ayres, BusinessEurope's executive vice president, said: "Long term, we will have a subscription-based model. Content is fundamental to this business. We've got Jonathan Fenby - former editor of Reuters' World Service, The Observer and The South China Morning Post - as editor."

"We've got a full-time editorial team in London, and we're aiming for a pan-European team," he added. "We're about providing quality content and charging for it."

The website had planned for revenue streams from banner advertising and carrying the product/service directories of business partners.

Content delivery could prove expensive, however, especially if the market moves to broadband content. BT Openworld has already made broadband content available to its SME customers through its portal.

"Today, revenue models are finite - it's just specialisation of core revenue models. Internet2, with the strong emergence of broadband, will be a whole new cool thing," said Ayres.

To read the full interview, click here.