AOL to launch flat-rate Internet access service

AOL UK has announced the roll-out of its flat-rate pricing plan, which will provide its members with unmetered access for &£14.99 per month, inclusive of all costs and technical support.

AOL is promising a “ground-breaking” service that comes without “hidden charges, unwieldy contracts or the need to change telephone provider”.

The roll-out will give priority to longstanding AOL members, who will be invited to sign up from this week. They will be followed in subsequent weeks by others who have joined the service prior to September 19.

AOL won’t commit itself to an exact timetable but says the unmetered access will be available to new members “as soon as possible” after its roll-out to existing members. It will be largely dependent on the speed at which telecoms providers develop the necessary infrastructure.

In the meantime, AOL is offering a “completely free” trial of its service to consumers who join after September 19. This promotion will waive the first-month’s subscription fee and give up to 24 hours of usage with no subscription or Internet telephone charges. After the free trial month, new members will be offered the “AOL Off-Peak, All the Time” rate of &£9.99 a month plus 1p per minute, at any time of day.

AOL UK managing director Karen Thomson, says the service “will transform the interactive medium into a true mass-market phenomenon in the UK.”