America Online is entering the low-priced ISP market with a service under the Netscape name that will be priced at about $10 monthly. Customers can get the Netscape unlimited Internet access service for just $1 per month until March 1, according to a registration page on the Web site of AOL, a division of New York-based Time Warner. After that, the price will go up to $10 monthly. The service includes nationwide access, personalized e-mail addresses for customers, and a search service powered by Google, according to the site.
AOL today offers unlimited dial-up access for $20 monthly or $199 per year under the CompuServe brand. It also sells a $23.90-per-month unlimited dial-up service that comes with AOL 9.0 Optimized, a collection of enhancements such as e-mail, instant messaging, and exclusive content. Those enhancements are also available for $15, along with 5 hours of dial-up access, for customers who buy their own broadband connections. A package with a broadband connection, called the AOL for Broadband-Cable/DSL Plan, costs $55, according to AOL"s Web site.