NETCOM MOVES INTO LONG DISTANCE MARKET
By Adnews Staff
Netcom Canada got into the long distance calling game this week. The Internet service provider is now offering its business and consumer customers long distance telephone service for 10 cents-per-minute any time, any day, anywhere in Canada. Calls to the U.S. are 12.5 cents-per-minute any time, any day. Netcom will bundle the service with many of its business Internet services. For example, customers using a Netcom dedicated ISDN will get 500 minutes of free Canadian long distance calling for 12 months. Customers using the company's individual dial-up Internet service will get their first $10 of long distance calling for free. All customers will be able to keep track of their phone usage by using the Internet. They will be able to view their call detail every day through a secure Web page on the Internet. Their monthly invoice can be downloaded as a spreadsheet for analysis. Although the long distance service is available to businesses and consumers, Netcom is targeting businesses in its promotion of the service because they're the ones who would use the service during the day. Most major phone companies now offer 10 cents-per-minute calling on evenings and weekends to their consumers. To promote the long distance service, Netcom will incorporate it in current ads running for Netcom's Internet services. Advertising for the company is handled by Two Door Communications of Toronto.