Re: UKNM: Freeserve / FREE ISP's

[Mark Ramskill - T2K North]

>

From: Sajid Mohammed <g23rocketmail [dot] com>

> Subject:       UKNM: Freeserve to charge per e-mail?


> I have heard a wild unconfirmed rumour that Freeserve are allegedly

> going to microcharge for e-mails. Personally I don't believe it as

> surely one of the virtues of the Internet is that e-mail is a highly

> cost effective communications medium. Also, savvy people would surely

> switch to free web-based e-mail?

 

Charging for emails would be a highly dangerous thing to do.  The 

majority of net users, including the new, know about free 

alternatives such as Hotmail.  A rumour i've heard is that Freeserve 

is nearing capacity for users.  I have already heard from 2 or 3 

people that they have not been able to get hold of the software from 

Dixons etc, and have been instead told to wait a month and try again 

when more accounts are made available.  FREENET(.co.uk) 

stopped offering new user accounts for a while, and now are only 

giving away a limited new number.  Will x-stream and connectfree 

follow suit soon?


> In terms of competetive disadvantage, X-Stream Network (free ISP with

> 120,000+ subscriber base) has just started offering free POP3 mail to

> it's users - a good starting point for a marketing campaign to get

> users to switch.


Nearly all the free ISP's are offering pop3's and those that are not 

will soon be according to their site propoganda. Shame only FREESERVE

offers the email software to go with it...new users would have a lot 

of trouble setting up their email software to use the isp's pop3 

mail. 


X-Stream has the 

disadvantage of a whopping great ad bar on top of the main browser 

window which is hugely annoying, and according to the size of your 

monitor can make a big difference in how much you can view without 

scrolling.  'Spose its too late for them to change to the system that 

the other free isp's are using.  Bad luck fellas!


> Has anyone heard anything similar?

> 

> Sajid


More rumours please...


mark


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