TELECOMS & MOBILE
Esat BT overhauls Wi-Fi pricing
28-07-2004
by Deirdre McArdle
Esat BT has introduced new and reduced flexible rates for its BT Openzone Wi-Fi service in Ireland.
The company said on Tuesday that it will be consolidating its existing BT Openzone subscription packages into one monthly package, selling at a price of EUR40 per month. This move will reduce costs to consumers by up to 70 percent, the firm claimed. Esat BT is also introducing a range of new usage options which are targeted at business people travelling in Ireland and the casual Wi-Fi user.
The BT Openzone service allows anyone with a Wi-Fi-enabled laptop or PDA to send and receive data at broadband speeds in places like hotel lobbies, cafes and public transport hubs. The firm's new consolidated packages will provide users with access to 4,000 inclusive minutes per month of wireless broadband (Wi-Fi) at any of the BT's Openzone location in the UK and Ireland on a 12-month contract.
Other options being introduced by Esat BT are a 30-day Wi-Fi voucher which is aimed at the travelling business person. The voucher provides the user with 4,000 minutes of Wi-Fi at a cost of EUR60. A day voucher which is aimed at people who are occasionally on the move with their jobs will cost EUR15 per day is also being launched and the Pay-As-You-Go option which is aimed at the casual Wi-Fi user has been re-branded as Openzone Per Minute.
"Today's changes build on the learning we've developed to date to give our customers affordable options that reflect their different needs," commented Bill Murphy, CEO of Esat BT and BT Northern Ireland. "In response to changing user requirements, our new tariffs are very competitive and are designed to make life simpler for our customers, building loyalty within our existing customer base and giving simple options for new customers to realise the benefits of wireless broadband,"
These changes are in line with a move made by Esat BT in January of this year when it offered one week's free wireless broadband to consumers in the UK and Ireland in an attempt to boost the uptake of the service. There are currently over 120 BT Openzone sites across the island of Ireland.
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