AAPT brings Internet by the minute

AAPT today begins offering its new per-minute price structure for Internet access.

Aimed at casual Internet users, the pricing structure is called SmartSurf and is expected to reduce Internet access costs by 50 per cent, AAPT officials said.

John Matic, from AAPT's SmartChat service, said SmartSurf users will pay a flat rate of 2.5 cents a minute for Internet access, equivalent to $1.50 an hour.

Average Internet costs are around $3.00 an hour, he said.

Although AAPT expects the new pricing structure to stir some change in the industry, Matic said competing carriers and Internet service providers will take some time to respond to AAPT.

According to Matic, the pricing structure will let the company consolidate its long distance and Internet charges on the one bill which will soon be sent electronically to the customer.

The company announced the new pricing structure last Friday.