Internet access in the UK is being shaken up by cut-price offers. But how do the figures add up? Telephone line rental must be added on and some service providers charge premium rates for helplines. Here BBC News Online gives a basic breakdown of how various schemes work and what they offer. Several service providers have cancelled unlimited free access plans in recent months. They include: Altavista, CallNet0800 and Line One. Virgin has delayed its proposed service.
| ISP | Subscription costs | Call charges |
BT SurfTime | �5.99 a month off peak
or
�19.99 a month round the clock | Free access evenings and weekends
or
Unlimited free access | NTL | �10 one-off fee; must spend �10 a month on voice calls | Unlimited free access | Demon | �11.75 a month | Local rate calls | AOL | �14.99 a month | unmetered access, first month free | Freeserve | �5.99 a month off-peak or �10 a month round the clock | Free access evenings and weekends
or
Unlimited free access
but
heavy users face restrictions | Telewest | �10 a month; must spend �10 a month on voice calls | Unlimited free access | Totalise | �235 for two years | 100 hours a month, unlimited free access from January 2001, plus shares in the company | strayduck | No charge | Local rate calls - every third week free based on usage | World Online | Service withdrawn | | Breathe | �50 one-off fee
but
heavy users face restrictions | Unlimited free access | RedHotAnt | �30 one-off plus �10 a year
or
�50 one-off plus �20 a year
or
�60 one-off plus �30 a year | Free access evenings and weekends
or
Unlimited free access
or
Unlimited access plus unlimited web space | The Free Internet Group | �50 a year | Unlimited free access, some usage restrictions |
Prices correct at 08 November 2000.
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