Internet Access Prices Vary

October 1996 / International Features / Europe's Internet Infrastructure / Internet Access Prices Vary

ISP rates for PPP connections (dial-up connections) differ dramatically. For example, an ISP in the U.K. offers unlimited time and data volumes for about $15 a month. This is one of the lowest rates in the U.K. The rates in Germa ny are in general the highest in the European Union. In Switzerland, an ISP offers unlimited use for $10 a month.
One ISP in Switzerland has apparently decided it doesn't want to attract dial-up users and has made its monthly fee about $40 (plus usage charges). But because this provider has such a good reputation for service and response times, Swiss subscribers who know the importance of perfor mance are willing to dig deeper to pay.
More demanding needs of the corporate Internet subscriber have resulted in the development of value-added services. Prices vary and are, in fact, negotiable. Fees in general are much higher for Internet access when offered by the international and global providers, many of whom manage bigger networks that tend to be more reliable and available -- thus the higher price. Basically, say industry insiders, the old unwritten rule applies to the Infobahn: "You get what you pay for."

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Matthew Wilson
My approach to software engineering is far more pragmatic than it is theoretical--and no language better exemplifies this than C++.

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