OzEmail lifts customer numbers amid broadband discount war

Trevor Duff, OzEmail managing director, anounced the takeup boost today, 12 days after OzEmail waived its line activation fee and offered a free modem to customers who signed up for broadband for a 12-month period.

OzEmail also previously announced that customers who already have a broadband modem can sign a six-month contract and be eligible for free line activation. Customers are also given a choice to pay for their modem and line activation and not be tied to any contract.

OzEmail also waived the AU$99 line activation fee for its new high speed wireless service --Metrowide Wireless. The AU$215 modem cost remains, but customers are free from signing any lengthy fixed-term contracts.

Duff said aside from attracting new people, OzEmail has seen a large number of dial-up customers who have switched over to broadband plans.

In the first weekend after the announcement, Duff said they recorded a "five-fold increase" in the number of the company's existing dial-up customers who signed up for broadband.

"The upfront costs have long been a major barrier to the widespread adoption of high-speed Internet in Australia. While we were obviously confident this new offer would provide a marked increase in broadband uptake, the response we've received even after only a few days has been nothing short of amazing. This, in a year that has already seen us treble our broadband sales over last year," Duff said.