BT targets SMEs with unmetered Net access package

BT has added three packages to its Click for Business portfolio - including what it claims is the first business ISP to offer unmetered access - in an attempt to get more small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) online.

BT's unmetered service will cost £19.99 per month, with users having to pay a further £10 per month for their Click for Business account.

BT is also offering a subscription-free metered option, and a third service that gives unmetered access at evenings and weekends for £5.99 per month. The latter is being targetted at small office/home office (SOHO) workers.

Grant Broster, head of BT's Internet for business division, said: "These offerings are about giving our customers what they've been asking for, and combine the best aspects of the pay-as-you-go and unmetered models."

The giant telco reckons that only 50 per cent of SMEs are currently online.

However, BT's tariffs compare unfavourably to unmetered consumer ISP offerings which could be used by the smallest businesses. Telewest's SurfUnlimited and NTL's ntlworld cost £10 in total per month, while AltaVista is to launch an unmetered service later this month.

Broster admitted that alternate packages might be more attractive for companies with very few staff. He said: "Our unmetered service is aimed at businesses with maybe 20 or 30 people, and perhaps an ISDN connection, who are typically spending upwards of £100 a month on call charges. This will make a real difference to them."

Sarah Skinner, European Internet analyst at Durlacher Research, said BT was in a strong position to offer services to SMEs. She said: "Many people have benefited from the reductions in telecoms costs over the last few years, but really the SME space has been missed out. There really is a big gap in that area."

Daniel Bieler, Internet analyst at investment bank Nomura, was sceptical as to whether the new deals would shake up the SME world. "BT is not widely respected in this space, it is not trusted and doesn't provide good solutions," he said.

Bieler added that he saw no reasons why small businesses wouldn't be tempted by BT's "cheap consumer offerings".

The services announced today do not include BT's planned ADSL roll-out and are available from 14 June.

For more information, see http://www.btclickforbusiness.com