http://www.starhub.com.sg/newsroom/newsrm_item.asp?id=4137&category=Starhub%20NewsSingapore, 5 October 2006 – To encourage dial-up Internet users to discover the benefits of unlimited broadband access, StarHub announces its latest enhancements to its pre-paid MaxOnline 4000 FlexiSurf service.
From today, anyone who purchases a StarHub cable modem will have free high-speed broadband access to selected popular websites and web-based services. These websites are run by partners of StarHub's Velocity programme, including those with their online content and services hosted locally through StarHub's IP network. The usual price for this service will be S$10.50 per month. However, StarHub is running a one-year promotion, offering the broadband service for free.
To enjoy this new exciting enhancement, users simply need to purchase and connect a StarHub cable modem to their home computer which allows access to the Internet at download speeds of up to 4000 Kbps. They will then be able to have access the following selected websites that are available to access for free, for example:
- Web-based instant messaging services – Windows Live Messenger (formerly known as MSN Messenger);
- Web-based SMS services – StarHub’s WebSMS service;
- Web-based mail – StarHub’s i.Mail, Hotmail and Yahoo! Mail;
- Entertainment – Maple Story (Southeast Asia), StarHub’s Games-on-Demand and Play Music portals, and more;
- Education – ASKnLearn’s free e-Learning portal and all ‘edu.sg’ sites including the Ministry of Education website; and
- eCitizens – web portals operated by various government agencies, that is, 'gov.sg' sites.
At any point of time when he/she wants to surf beyond the "free access" sites, access to the rest of the public Internet is achieved by simply paying for FlexiSurf access for the number of days desired. This secure payment can be made on the StarHub site with a credit card or StarHub's pre-paid FlexiCard. FlexiSurf is available at a daily rate of only S$2.50 per day, at a minimum of three and a maximum of 25 consecutive days per transaction.
The complete list of the "free access" websites can be found on the designated homepage. StarHub will continually build on the current list of selected websites that are available to access for free by working with online content providers hosted through our Velocity programme.
These websites are also accessible by our post-paid MaxOnline users on MaxOnline 4000, MaxOnline 6500 or MaxOnline Ultimate. As content partners of our Velocity programme are directly connected to StarHub's IP network, this means that our post-paid MaxOline subscribers will also benefit with direct network access to such content and services.
Said Mr Thomas Ee, Senior Vice President, IP Services, StarHub: “By providing free access to selected popular web-based services, we believe this will allow dial-up and occasional broadband users to easily and conveniently discover the benefits of broadband in a very flexible manner, as and when they need to surf. In particular, we hope that with free access to educational web services via ‘edu.sg’ sites we can support students in their learning, enabling them to be digitally connected to their schools from home, anytime of the day!”
To cater to the evolving usage needs of FlexiSurf users, StarHub will continue to provide a seamless service upgrade options. For example, FlexiSurf users who have higher usage over time can easily upgrade to a subscription-based MaxOnline 4000, MaxOnline 6500 or MaxOnline Ultimate plan and retain the use of their existing cable modems.
From now till 31 October 2006, to get started with FlexiSurf, consumers just need to connect the cable modem to their computer at home. Customers can purchase a cable modem at a special price of S$78.75 (Usual price: S$99.23) from any StarHub Shop.
For more information on FlexiSurf and this latest enhancement, go to www.starhub.com/online.
