Freeserve Celebrates 1st Birthday

This time last year Dixons had only just launched free internet access through the Internet Service Provider (ISP-yes, those initials do mean something) Freeserve. Many thought it couldn't last, but the service with no monthly charge for as many e-mail addresses as you like and 5Mb personal space is still going. Whether it is going strong or not is open to question.

After a good start when partially floated earlier this year the stock market price tumbled as the 1st quarterly figures were announced. Although the company, which had lost millions prior to flotation, announced a loss, the customer base had increased and the turnover in customers had reduced (all good things). No reason for stock to fall you may think, but many investors are speculating, Freeserve claim.

The company expects to make their money through a variety of means including taking a cut of local call charges taking a share of any e-mail order purchases and that old favourite, advertising.

Freeserve are no longer alone in this market, with, amongst others, the BBC (non-profit making yes, loss incurring?), BT and WH Smith joining in with different versions of 'free' internet access.

See them on:
http://www.freeserve.co.uk
http://www.btclick.com
http://www.whsmithonline.co.uk