Would-be free broadband provider Jinx net has closed up shop, quoting insufficient interest from online advertisers which were to support the service.
The start-up’s twenty-something general manager, Joel Grant said he would pursue other opportunities, but free broadband Internet access would not be on the cards. “At this stage there just aren’t enough advertising dollars in Australia to support the service that we proposed,” he said.
“We have remained true to our promise that we wouldn’t set up the service unless we could guarantee users 12 months of broadband internet access. As it turns out we cannot fund the supply of broadband internet access supported by advertising revenue, therefore we are unable to offer the service.”
Jinx received around 5,000 expressions of interest in the service, which it claims have been destroyed according to the company’s privacy policy.
“Jinx net is grateful to the users who signed up initially, but unfortunately our plans have not come to fruition,” read a statement on the Jinx Web site. “Jinx net remains committed to opening up the broadband internet market in Australia, it is just that we cannot achieve this through advertising supported free broadband internet access