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Spry launches new dial-up Net service

CompuServe's Spry access service is launching a new service to get corporate employees on the Net through dial-up connections.

CNET News staff
Spry, CompuServe's Internet access service division, is arming itself against encroachment from the big telecommunications companies with a new service to get corporate employees on the Net through dial-up connections.

Sprynet Group Connect allows companies to provide employees, partners, and customers with dial-up Internet access through any of the company's international points of presence, allowing them to dial a local number instead of calling long distance from remote locations.

In addition, instead of having to maintain separate accounts for each individual, the service centralizes billing for all accounts. The service also features a cost-sharing option so that certain accounts can be subsidized by the company while others are not.

For companies with 25 or more accounts, Sprynet Group Connect is priced at $19.95 per month for 25 hours plus $1.50 for each additional hour. Companies can also order seven hours per month for $9.95, plus $1.95 for each additional hour. Companies with fewer than 25 accounts must pay an additional registration fee.

Sprynet Group Connect customers with 25 to 250 accounts will receive free hosting services for home pages, including 5MB of server disk space for each user. A Group Connect customer with more than 250 accounts also gets to pick its own domain name for no additional fee.

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