You get Net for nowt

The price of online access has hit rock-bottom as Internet Service Providers begin the long-awaited fight to kill off the cost of surfing.

AltaVista delivered the knockout blow for phone charges as it announced boldly that it would offer completely free Net access (using an 0800 number) for a one-off setup charge of around £30, and a nominal annual maintenance fee of £10.

But the search engine's spotlight soon faded as communications giant NTL waded in with a costless deal of its own. Anyone committing to spend at least £10 on voice calls using NTL's network will receive round-the-clock free Net access in return. The offer applies to anyone with a phone line - NTL will supply a special box to route voice calls through its lines.

BT Internet's deal looks a little tame by comparison: free access during evenings and all weekend for a monthly subscription of £9.99 per month - and even then, only for people able to pay by credit card.

Just as we were going to press, LineOne entered the fray with its own deal. Spend £5 a month on voice calls with its partner company, Quip, and LineOne will give you 0800 access.