WebProNews

Let's face it. Human nature is such that if people can get something for nothing, most of them will take that route. This is not good news for the traditional charge-for-service ISP.

Will users agree to be subjected to advertising in exchange for free Internet access? Absolutely, and some very popular portals, including Excite and Yahoo! are banking on it!

Without the typical $20 a month, these services need other revenue sources. Most free ISPs turn to advertisers. Many will ask you for information about your buying lifestyle and buying habits so advertisers can target their messages to the right audience.

How does this affect your surfing experience? In most cases, you'll content with a mandatory banner bar. Close the bar and you'll lose your connection.

The success of broadcast TV certainly suggests that the scheme is viable. On the other hand, in light of the fact that ISPs-especially nationwide, publicly traded ISPs-by and large have not made a profit, many feel that the Free ISP business model cannot work.

Case in point is FreeInternet.com, which filed for Chapter 11 this month shows that this business model is still in the proving stages.

How about service levels? When I first heard about the Free ISP model, the old saying "You get what you pay for" popped into my head. So I downloaded the software, dialed up, and tried it. I quickly realized that the service provider used a bulk dial-up; connection speed and throughput were essentially the same.

So what does all this mean to traditional ISPs? In my view, at the very least it means-sooner or later-they will have to compete seriously with the free ISPs. And the basis of that competition will be service: There will always be users who dislike ads-and those who want home pages (which NetZero does not offer)-and others who are willing to pay for personalized service.

In the end, the rule on Free ISPs is: Don't be afraid of them, but take them seriously. They're a genuine threat, but no more so than your friendly national ISP.

For more information or to register with a free ISP, visit the free ISP locator at www.1st-Free-ISP.com!

James Martell is the Sr. Editor and Webmaster for Desktop-Publishers.com, a free stuff site featuring free ISPs, free voicemail and free long distance, click here!