INTERNET PROVIDER PULLS INTO FAST LANE
By Adnews Staff
NETCOM Canada introduced U.S. Robotics x2 Technology to its access points yesterday, allowing customers to achieve download speeds of up to 56 Kbps. The company claims to be the first Internet service provider to make the 56 Kbps service available across Canada. According to a recent survey, almost 50% of NETCOM's customers plan to upgrade to the faster service, the company says. NETCOM is promoting the new service with a national print campaign that rolled out last week. Running in Canadian computer publications, the campaign features an ad covering two half-pages, depicting a stylized mouse that looks like a race car. The ad carries the tag line, "Are we going too fast for you?" The 56 Kbps service is also backed by point-of-sale material and may be touted on the Internet. In addition, NETCOM may run the print ad in the technology section of some dailies, said Mike Kologinski, NETCOM's sales and marketing vice-president. Two Door Communications of Toronto handled the creative for the ads, while Peggy Gross & Associates, also of Toronto, handled the media buy. Fleishman-Hillard of Toronto handles NETCOM's Canadian PR. NETCOM Canada of Toronto is a subsidiary of U.S.-based NETCOM On-Line Communications Services, Inc.