Irish ISP and telco Esat Clear and IBM have launched Surf PC, which the companies
claim is the first computer and free Internet access bundle to be offered in
Ireland.
Surf PC intends to woo customers with a monthly fee of £32 per month.
IBM will supply the PCs for the offering. The package also includes 10 hours
of free off-peak Internet use time per month, following up on recent U.K.
trends which not only offer free access but a discount on the high phone
connection fees in the region.
Unlimited e-mail addresses and 10 MB of home page space are included in Surf
PC, as well as free home delivery.
Esat expects the offering to significantly boost the level of home Internet
usage in Ireland, which lags behind other European countries, and intends to
take advantage of what it sees as significant growth potential, according to
Lucy Gaffney, Esat Clear’s managing director.
“Research carried out by Amarach Consulting has consistently highlighted
that the absence of a computer in the home is the single largest obstacle to
Internet usage. The objective of Surf PC is to make the process of accessing
the Internet cheaper and hassle free,” said Lucy Gaffney. “Esat Clear
believes Surf PC will serve to not only remove this major barrier, but help
significantly grow Internet usage and develop e-commerce in Ireland.”
In August, Esat Clear rolled out Surf Free, a free Net access plan, and Surf
NoLimits, a flat rate phone fee for unlimited use during restricted hours.
Surf PC is the third arm of Esat’s tactical offense to boost Internet use in
the country, the company said.
Amarach surveys findings released last week showed that Ireland’s online
population has increased by 50 percent in the past year.
Esat Clear is a division of Esat Telecommunications Ltd, which in turn is a
subsidiary of major Irish telecom player Esat Telecom Group plc (ESAT).
