Excite joins unmetered bandwagon

Internet portal Excite UK has finally launched its unmetered internet access service, with no monthly subscription or call charges.

Excite UK told vnunet at the start of March that it planned to launch such a service, following rival AltaVista's announcement that it would offer free monthly internet access to customers after a initial sign on fee.

Excite's service, in conjunction with the Free Internet Group, will be available 24 x 7 via a free 0800 access number. Users will need to pay a £50 initial membership fee for the first year of service, and then a £20 annual renewal fee.

The initial fee will be returned to members as a voucher and benefit scheme to use on the Excite UK shopping channel. All members will also receive 500 beenz, the internet currency.

Evan Rudowski, managing director at Excite Europe, said: "Excite and the Free Internet Group have finally taken the lid off the internet by providing an internet access service with no monthly subscription fees and no metered call charges. This is the moment that UK internet users have been waiting for."

Service provider Tiny Online also announced this week that it will launch an unmetered service, TinyConnect. It will be available from 9 May.