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Over the last year, the industry witnessed a significant
shift of customers towards $10 ISPs, away from $20 ISP category.
But the price pressures continue to increase, and the shift
continues to lower-priced ISPs. As a result, a new market
of $5-$6 ISPs is emerging and companies are striving to
provide value within this category of “budget ISPs”.
550 Access is leading this shift in the trend and endeavors
to empower and educate consumers on cheaper alternatives
for dialup internet service
550
Access (www.550access.com), a Houston-based dialup internet
service provider, stands against the internet service giants
such as AOL, MSN etc. and continues to gain ground. With
its highly aggressive price structure and optimized operations,
550 Access is challenging leading ISPs (Internet Service
Providers) to rethink their value proposition.
At the
start of the Internet boom, ISP customers tended to have
higher-than-average household incomes. But according to
market research firm IDC, approximately 61% of households
with annual income of under $35,000 will be online by 2007,
up from 21% as of the end of 2002. With such growth in the
segment of highly price-sensitive customers, there's a vibrant
dial-up market blossoming as computer-users flock to cheaper
ISPs priced at $5-$6 per month.
550
Access has developed its strategy to cater to this growing
segment of price-conscious consumers. With internet service
at $5.50 for nationwide connectivity, the company is definitely
redefining the ISP business. The recent coverage by PC World
(July 2003, November 2003) and Newsweek (August 2003) has
recognized the company as one of the leaders in the new
and emerging $5-$6 ISP market.
The
company is also fighting the popular misconceptions against
low-price ISPs. “Our biggest hurdle in reaching out
to customers has been the preset notions of people which
undermine our message”, says Vivek Dave, President
at 550 Access.
Most
people associate a cheap dialup service with incessant pop-ups,
banner ads, time-outs, low usage time, and so on. However,
550 Access service is just the opposite of that. No banner
ads or pop-ups, excellent reliability, 150 hours usage and
free technical support.
Unlike
any other company in this price category, 550 Access also
offers a free browser that integrates simplicity with efficiency
and incorporates useful tools such as privacy controls,
pop-up blocking, and shortcuts besides a good looking interface.
550
Access, striving to become the de facto leader in offering
a quality no frills internet service in the new and emerging
$5 - $6 dollar ISP market, is inducing consumers all over
US to ask the pertinent question; as Dave puts it, “The
question is not why we are so cheap, but why are they so
expensive?”
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