BT unveils plan for unmetered access to internet

British Telecom upped the ante in the internet access market yesterday when it unveiled plans to launch unmetered Web surfing from January for £14.99 per month.

British Telecom upped the ante in the internet access market yesterday when it unveiled plans to launch unmetered Web surfing from January for £14.99 per month.

The telecoms giant also reinforced its overall Web strategy with the announcement of a further plan to launch Britain's first multi-access portal early next year. To be called POP - personalised Openworld portal - the service will allow users to create and access a personalised Web page from multiple devices, including PCs, WAP mobile phones and hand-held devices.

The company's internet division, BTopenworld, reported that total registrations for its online access services stands at 800,000 and is growing at 20,000 customers per week. NTL and Telewest launched unmetered access schemes earlier this year and have attracted more than 500,000 customers.

Ben Andradi, chief operating officer of BTopenworld, said: "Our leadership in fixed and mobile unmetered internet access supports our strategy to lead the second wave of internet growth, marked by the coming of mobile and broadband services and adoption of the internet by the mass market."

POP thrusts BT into battle with Vizzavi, the mobile internet service co-owned by Vivendi Universal and Vodafone. This could further sour BT's partnership with Vivendi in the French phone group Cegetel.

The unmetered internet service is to be called BTinternet Anytime.

The move did not help BT stock, down 33p at 631p.