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THE INTERNET 'THE WAY IT WAS MEANT TO BE' TOUCHES DOWN IN THE UK
From today, UK consumers can experience the internet as it was meant to be, with the launch of BT Yahoo! Broadband. BT and Yahoo! have joined forces to create one of the UK's most advanced broadband internet services, combining high-quality access with some of the most compelling content and services yet to be seen on the net.
BT Yahoo! Broadband offers a much wider and richer range of services for the same price as the existing BT Openworld Broadband offering. These services will include intelligent personalisation - understanding what customers want and tailoring content accordingly, LAUNCHcast - a radio service which intelligently anticipates user's music preferences, plus a whole host of advanced security services including anti-spam, anti-virus, a free firewall, and the best the net can offer with news, sport and entertainment services. As of today, existing BT Openworld broadband customers can upgrade for free to the new service.
New customers can sign up by registering at www.btyahoo.com or calling 0800 800 050. Its narrowband customer base (comprising Anytime, Surftime and PAYG), will be able to upgrade later this year.
Over £10 million will be spent on an above the line advertising campaign to promote the BT Yahoo! internet services. This will break on September 9 and run until the end of March 2004. The campaign, based on the theme of 'the way the internet was meant to be', aims to show how BT Yahoo! Broadband delivers the content and services we always wanted from the internet by transporting us to a time when it was merely an ambitious idea envisaged by two fictional West-Coast US characters.
BT Yahoo! Broadband helps strengthen BT Openworld's position as a leading UK ISP by offering customers the best value package for a service of this kind.
Duncan Ingram, managing director of BT Openworld said: "For broadband to be as pervasive and life-changing as it promises, three things are crucial: widespread availability, quality of service, and compelling content and services. Until now, no single provider or partnership has managed to fulfil these aims in the UK market. Through the launch of BT Yahoo! Broadband, we are not only stealing a march on our competitors but elevating the whole online experience to a completely new level."
Mark Opzoomer, Managing Director and Regional Vice President of Yahoo! Europe, said: "Broadband isn't just about speed and constant connectivity, it is the key to richer and more advanced services than most internet users have ever experienced before. In order to deliver this, content and access must go hand in hand, and there are no two bigger, more trusted and more dynamic names in this market than BT and Yahoo!"
NOTES TO EDITORS
Specifics on the BT Yahoo offering:
Personalisation
· Everything available in one easy to use place - on the homepage
· Comprehensive built for broadband service
· Organise your own page layout, change colours and customise the toolbar and sidebar to reflect your interests
· Defaults saved for individual members of family (10 personalisable subaccounts)
· Personalise your content
Content
· Intelligent homepage: learns customers preferences and recommends appropriate content
· Content modules can be moved, deleted and added
· Active personalistion, eg select favourite football team for relevant news
· Content tailored to individual user based on previous consumption and location
· LAUNCH and LAUNCHcast will deliver latest music videos and songs
Security
· Integrated parental controls - one of the most extensive parental controls offerings available, including:
· Settings for kids, teens, mature teens and full access, and are customisable for each sub-account.
· Controls extend beyond Web browsing to also include instant messaging
· Parents can manage settings, view usage reports and act upon requests for exceptions from any Web-connected computer
· Free integrated firewall & anti-virus essential to protecting customers internet connection
· Anti-spam helps protect customers from the masses of junk & unwanted email
· Pop Up blocker helps eliminate unwanted pop up adverts from appearing.
Communication
· Integrated Instant Messenger, including video webcam and IM environments
· Integrated email, including quick compose and inbox summary on homepage
· 50mb of email storage
· 100Mb of online storage (photos, documents, mp3s etc)
Pricing information
· BT Yahoo! broadband is priced at £29.99 per month (the same as BT Openworld)
· BT Broadband remains priced at £27.00 per month
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