Message-ID: <353E8051.75DE@mcmail.com> Date: Thu, 23 Apr 1998 02:42:09 +0300 From: Shiv Satchit <mailto:sshiv@mcmail.com> Subject: BT's Publicity's Stunt To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
British Telecom abruptly suspended its newly announced free internet access offer to its telephone subscribers only days after it enclosed in the customers' telephone bills a brochure making an offer of free subscription to access the Internet, free email addresses and webspace.Telephone subscribers, who called to inquire to join the service after receiving the brochures were told that BT has decided to suspend the offer until further notice.
A BT supervisor told me it was put on ice due to a marketing strategy but could not elaborate further. One sales assistant told me she was instructed by her seniors not to mention the offer at all. Other sales assistants on the advertised freephone number of 0800 893 9999 even denied the service was on offer while others admitted no knowledge of it
After the brochures were posted to thousands of households throughout the country the switchboard was jammed with calls from potential subscribers.
BT's competitors dismissed it as a BT's latest publicity stunt which they said might backfire in the light of Dixons', a high street retailer, decision to offer free Internet access. Others including Virgin are contemplating offering cost-free dial-up account. Recently, a new UK-based Delaware-registered company, X-Stream, advertised its free Internet access.
British Telecom, the first privatised national telecom operator in Britain, entered the ISP market of late, prompted (or most probably tempted) by brisk business in the provision of access to the Internet.
I did not get a chance to speak to our watchdog, Oftel. I wonder what reaction it might have?
Regards Shiv Satchit Journalist.