The cost of connecting

Internet access in the UK is being shaken up by cut-price offers. But how do the figures add up? Telephone line rental must be added on and some service providers charge premium rates for helplines. Here BBC News Online gives a basic breakdown of how various schemes work and what they offer.

Several service providers have cancelled unlimited free access plans in recent months. They include: Altavista, CallNet0800 and Line One. Virgin has delayed its proposed service.

ISP	Subscription costs	Call charges
BT SurfTime	£5.99 a month off peak or £19.99 a month round the clock	Free access evenings and weekends or Unlimited free access
NTL	£10 one-off fee; must spend £10 a month on voice calls	Unlimited free access
Demon	£11.75 a month	Local rate calls
AOL	£14.99 a month	unmetered access, first month free
Freeserve	£5.99 a month off-peak or £10 a month round the clock	Free access evenings and weekends or Unlimited free access but heavy users face restrictions
Telewest	£10 a month; must spend £10 a month on voice calls	Unlimited free access
Totalise	£235 for two years	100 hours a month, unlimited free access from January 2001, plus shares in the company
strayduck	No charge	Local rate calls - every third week free based on usage
World Online	Service withdrawn
Breathe	£50 one-off fee but heavy users face restrictions	Unlimited free access
RedHotAnt	£30 one-off plus £10 a year or £50 one-off plus £20 a year or £60 one-off plus £30 a year	Free access evenings and weekends or Unlimited free access or Unlimited access plus unlimited web space
The Free Internet Group	£50 a year	Unlimited free access, some usage restrictions

Prices correct at 08 November 2000.