h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Just stumbled across a website ( www.freedomi.com ) offering unlimited free (0800) internet access in return for having adverts. It will (hopefully) launch in 2 weeks. Lets pray that its not a scam.

Looks interesting ! Suprised I hadn't heard about it, thanks for posting the link, could certainly do with it, My phone bill has shot up since I got into H2G2! I see they already do some free local phone calls service where you have to listen to ads for 5 mins free call time.Did you sign up , Did you notice on the Gender question there was an extra little radio button added under "male/ female" saying "other'!!!??(Bet they don't do the service for Mac though)

I "pre-registered" for the freedomi thing, but didnt dare tick other

Over here in Holland there's a thing like that too now.
It's called SuperWeb (http://www.superweb.nl). I don't know about ads, but they charge something about 12 pounds a month, which is rather cheap for Dutch standards, and then you get to call a free (0800) number for your access.

Anyway, some friends of mine applied, and most of them recieved notice that they were having problems working through all the applications. (They were going to start on last october 2nd, but they started advertising two months ago, I believe).

I think (and the experiences of one of my friends seem to prove it), it'll be VERY hard to get in, once you have your access-information.
Such companies have a tendancy for underestimating the power they need to handle all the calls.

I'll stick to my (not too fancy) cable-connection.

yes

we had that here (UK) with http://www.screaming.net the idea was that you change to their telephone company, they,ve had way to many replies that and the service is really unuseable.

I REALLY hope the same thing doesnt happen with Freedomi

Hi all,
There's yet another start-up 'free' ISP advertising itself at http://www.myisp.com although they don't seem to be talking about free phonecalls, they are offering free 'shares' in the company.
Hmmm I wonder how free 'free' actually is

I hope so with you, Olli.

SuperWeb doesn't have their own phone-company, but I guess they will make a tidy profit in another way. I've heard of services where they fill a border ALL around your screen with ads. On a 15" screen, I estimate you won't have 12" of useable space left. I *know* i wouldn't want anything like that either.

In this time of booming Internet business, I guess there's always a catch. Nothing, but NOTHING, is free. "Free" is just another new fashion-word, losing its original meaning at the hand of some vultures.

I think the most annoying thing with free isps is the slow connection, but then when you don't have to even think about the phone bill, it's not that bad.

Screaming.net were not responsible for the slow hook up for the people that applied. They had sort of arranged with BT about customer transfers at a rate of 1,000 to 2,000 a week and when the time came BT said they could only handle 250. A bit of a difference. I believe it's currently going through monopolies and mergers at the moment.

Hi Festival

The idea of adverts all round the screen is really disturbing
lets not be too pessimistic though

HI

Thats true but theres also been all these stories about Localtel (telco behind Screaming.net) charging customers for internet time that should have been "free"

>>lets not be too pessimistic though<<

Huh??? Olli, is that really you?

Ah, I've been waiting for that reply so long... I was starting to become very pessimistic all of a sudden

Dont let me get you down

But o dear: The launch of Freedomi has been postponed till "sometime next year" *sigh*

Bummer! That really gets me down...
Now WHERE's my towel... I *need* to suck the anti-depressive corner immediately!!!

wow I wish I had one

Hi there, lost Hiker!

I see you're in need of a towel? How could you have left your planet without one in the first place? Doesn't matter now... I always have a spare right where I can get at it. Take this one, and suck the pink part, which not only holds an anti-depressive stimulant, but also makes you feel loved (ordinary chocolate flavor ).

*Ahhh*

Thank you Festival O great towel bearer