The transition from dial-up to to broadband services like WiFi and DSL has hit a speed bump now that a recession has taken hold of the U.S., and in some cases, demand for dial-up is growing again.
EarthLink and NetZero have rekindled their marketing and promotional efforts around dial-up services to target consumers who are either trading down from broadband to save money or delaying their move to high-speed services.
Last month, EarthLink began pitching "Connect for Less," an offering that pushes dial-up service for $7.95 a month, or about 25 cents a day. In December, NetZero introduced a $9.95-a-month plan. Both providers are marketing the offerings as a way to save money.
However, the market for dial-up services is still declining. EarthLink's dial-up business lost 173,000 subscribers in the fourth quarter, while NetZero lost 86,000 subscribers.
For more:
- take a look at the WSJ [1] (sub. req.)
Related article:
Some Americans say they'll never leave dial-up [2]
Links:
[1] http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123561717378378657.html
[2] http://www.fiercebroadbandwireless.com/story/some-americans-say-theyll-never-leave-dial/2008-07-05