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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