By Elaine Larkin
BT has unveiled unlimited WAP access and text messaging for users of its Genie mobile portal in the UK, but its Irish subsidiary Esat Digifone has no immediate plans to follow suit. British customers will be able to make unlimited use of text messaging and WAP services through Genie, BT's mobile portal, for a flat rate of £20 sterling a month. Genie customers will also have the option to pay £10 monthly for unlimited text messages, excluding WAP services.
Esat Digifone has no immediate plans to offer something similar. But Brian Noble, Esat Digifone Marketing Analysis Manager, said that the company is "constantly reviewing customer offerings". Although a flat Internet service rate is one of a number of things Esat Digifone is looking into, he indicated that the mobile phone company would wait for the introduction of GPRS before introducing such an arrangement. He describes GPRS as "conceptually more appropriate" for a flat rate offering. He said it would be suitable for the high-end user.
Digifone has also announced its revised prices for WAP or Internet access using 1-891 numbers. Digifone customers could cut the cost of WAP access to less than a penny a minute by altering the settings on their phones and dialling a 1-891 number instead of an 086 number. This shortcut took advantage of a loophole, which has now been closed: Digifone will now charge 15p a minute to anyone using WAP or Internet services by dialling 1-891. An Eircell spokeswoman said that the mobile phone company did not plan to introduce a deal similar to BT's, but she added Eircell "will always be competitive."
