MilesBuzz! - WebFlyerNet free ISP to end.....

As many of you know, the market has been tough on thousands of dot.coms and unfortunately it has taken the legs from under the provider of our WebFlyerNet.com free ISP. While this was an extremely popular program and the highest rated free ISP on epinions and other quality rating Web sites, we no longer have a company providing the service. While we will probably re-launch it after finding another provider, the current version will cease to be up after December 6th. We have struck a deal with American Express to take on our WebFlyerNet customers with the same free ISP program and the following letter helps with that transition. It's really too bad because we loved the company that was providing us with the service and happy with the results....

WEBFLYERNET - AMERICAN EXPRESS ONLINE

Thank you for using WebFlyerNet Free Internet Access. The pilot program for WebFlyerNet is now ending and we sincerely hope you have enjoyed using this service.

WebFlyer would like to suggest an alternative service: American Express® Online, a free service for all American Express Cardmembers. If you are not a Cardmember go to www.americanexpress.com (http://www.americanexpress.com) to sign up now for an American Express Card and start enjoying the benefits of membership!

WebFlyerNet will no longer be available after December 6, 2000. We encourage you to enroll in American Express Online right away and you’ll soon see that American Express Online offers similar navigation capabilities to WebFlyerNet with the services, quality and privacy that you expect from American Express. From fast, high quality access to a private, Web-based e-mail account; from local and world news to the latest weather updates; from online shopping to fantastic deals on brand-name products, services and much, much more—all accessible with a single click.

Download American Express Online today by going to www.AmexOL.net (http://www.AmexOL.net) or order a CD by calling 800-281-0258.

What’s more? With American Express Online you’ll get the quality, dependable Customer Service you expect, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you ever need Customer Service for American Express Online, it is available online at http://www.amexol.net/help.htm, via e-mail at support@AmexOL.net, or by calling 800-281-0258.

P.S. We are announcing today the launch of our independent free email program – MileMail, where your personal email address can be "user@frequentflyer.net". This means that you’ll always be known to those you email as a frequent flyer. You can sign up right now for this free service at http://www.milemail.com

[This message has been edited by Randy Petersen (edited 12-04-2000).]

Say it isnt so Randy! This is far the most reliable free ISP program I have ever participated in. Thank you for your efforts to provide an alternative option. Bravo Randy.

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I fly therefore I am!

So far, Amex seems much better then Webflyer was (is). With Weblfyer you could access POP3 e-mail, but you could not send outgoing mail. With Amex you can send and fetch. However, you can only send using the Amex server, but you can use any e-mail address you eneter in the box. This means that you can send e-mail and have it come from your normal address even though you are using the Amex server, a real plus over Webflyer.

Instalation did not go easily. It took about 7 tries. If you are going to do the install and you are on the road, you must make up an address with the zip and phone number where you are (not where you live). The second step dials a local number and only gives you number choices for the state you specify as your home address. It does not verify this address against your card. Once you fully sign up, then you have the full array of numbers to pick from and you can go back and correct your address.

The speed seems to be much better then Webflyer, but the lines tend to be busy about 1 out of 6 times, although I have only been at it for a few hours and it may be specific to where I am?

Will keep you posted.

Randy, sorry to hear about the ISP problem.

Like JRF, I had the same POP problems during the beta test phase. I could access my Earthlink account, but not send from it.
The guys at Brand3 seemed to think that would be fixed, but it never was. I had to give up on WFN for that reason.

Local access number lookup for amexol is available at http://home.amexol.net/dialup/

I am not certain this is related to the above, but the timing certainly is. Itsa tough to make a buck internet-wise. http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/business/AP-BlueLight-Special.html

MisterNice

A few things here:

1. The look up for dial in access numbers is great, but you still can not select anything other then numbers in the state you use as your home address until you finish registering for the first time. If you want to make sure there are local access numbers for where you are before you register, check out the site in the thread above.

2. Advertisig seems to be almost none compared to Webflyer, which is really nice,

3. Sending mail via SMPT on Webflyer was not allowed due to spam potential problems, this is what I was told and there was no intention to ever change it (people at customer service in Canada told me this.)

4. GlueOn, which was the driver for Weblyer is also the driver for American Express. I wonder if the company that was handling Weblyer was bought by Amex? I do not fully understand what happened. However, it does not matter as Amex so far seems to be MUCH better then Webflyer was as I can send and fetch e-mail. Time will tell however.

Not quite free but worth a consideration is AT&T ISP $4.95/month deal (up to 120 hrs). For Marriott Rewards members, check your next/current statments; mine included AT&T ISP CD-ROM with 5,000 pts sign up bonus after 2 months with $4.95/month rate.

For those who have AT&T Universal Card, AT&T WorldNet has i495 plan; 150 hrs/month for $4.95/month. http://www.download.att.net/ucsbroadnov/index.html

For same plan for Marriott Rewards members, I can located any phone # on the CD-ROM package. I'm not sure whether this is a targeted promo or not. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

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For money savings ideas & tips check & FF miles bonus for finance & auto buying check out ValueConsumer.com (http://www.valueconsumer.com)

[This message has been edited by DH (edited 12-06-2000).]

delete

Bummer Randy.. Adds credence to my theory that "Life's a ..... and then you die".

Being a herd maker is even more difficult than being a herd mover... persevere!

Getting a free connection is getting rougher and rougher. While I would never use a free connection at home, traveling it's a great deal. I have a cable modem and therefore don't have any access outside my house...no numbers to dial. ;-)

1stUp Corp., the corporation providing AltaVista, MyPoints and many other (probably WebFlyer) is going out of business. So this will be a big ripple in the free ISP world. AltaVista alone had over 3 million members using it's services but didn't see any revenue from it.

In the same week, KMART's Bluelight.com bought Spinway.com who also provided free internet service. With Spinway.com closing, things are getting bleaker...slim pickings.

NetZero and Juno are two options.

I also use DSL at home (sometimes paid dial up with the DL user name.) On the road, Webflyer was okay, Amex is making me smile as I CAN SEND MAIL.

Does anyone know where the code is that causes the Amex (or weblyernet) program to exacute on startup? I would like to remove it and start it by hand so that when I not on the road I do not have to load it and then exit out of it.

I have figured it out so it does not start unless you click on the icon. To make this change:

Start
Run
msconfig
startup tab
untick Glueon box

There you go, hope this helps.

Well, FWIW, Alta Vista also announced early this morning that they will no longer be offering their free internet access beginning this Monday! These companies are under tremendous pressure. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif


"Online search portal AltaVista on Sunday will cut off some 3 million users from its free Internet access service, the latest sign that freebies over the Web do not always pay.

The announcement comes after a host of smaller free Internet service providers shut down earlier this year and as Kmart-owned BlueLight.com said Monday it is considering dropping its free service after the holidays.

``We're seeing a very necessary shakeout among the free ISPs,'' said Dylan Brooks, an analyst at Jupiter Research. ``The ad-supported ISP business grew far too quickly for what was healthy.''

The demise of AltaVista's Web access giveaway is linked to the downfall of 1stUp.com, an Internet service provider that funneled 3 million out of its 5.5 million paying and non-paying clients through AltaVista. 1stUp, which like AltaVista is a unit of CMGI Inc, is closing down by Jan. 31."
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/business/AP-No-Free-Internet.html



[This message has been edited by doc (edited 12-06-2000).]

I received the same message. For free dial-up also go to http://freelane.excite.com/ . One can try www.costco.com (http://www.costco.com) but the logo seems gone.

JetTroop:

Juno and NetZero are two options? Yeah, THE TWO WORST OPTIONS. All of the best free internet services have now shut down!

Juno has a huge ad box and endless pop-up ads. NetZero just crashes all the time!

It's tough that Spinway and 1stUp.com are going belly up at the same time. I was a big fan of AltaVista and FreeInternet.com.

Kmart was the only company large enough and with enough at stake to keep the free internet coming, but I'm not a fan of BlueLight (that Judds ad at the beginning--I can't take country music).

MisterNice:

FreeLane is TOAST also. They use 1stUp.com, the same as AltaVista. Address.com is going bye bye, they use Spinway.

Mac



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Via con Dios!

Here's the link for AT&T WorldNet's $4.95 plan with 5,000 Marriott Reward bonus points -
http://download.att.net/marriott/

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For money savings ideas & tips check & FF miles bonus for finance & auto buying check out ValueConsumer.com (http://www.valueconsumer.com)

macbravery: I'm definately not saying that Juno and Netzero are the best out there, just that they are two options. ;-)

It's being reported that Kmart's Bluelight.com will close after the holidays. When that happens, who else is left?

The free ISP market looks bleak.

If you are happy with ATT, then you might want to spring for $12.95/mo and get the same dial-up deal (but alas no miles/points) and also have a free USA TODAY newspaper delivered 5 days a week to your house. Check it out at http://www.usatoday.com/att/vanity/index.htm

MisterNice

So how do I get rid of the WebFlyer Icon, that is starting to get on my nerves from covering up my screen?

Grew up with an accordian. There were no computers back then, and now I am handicapped!

Thanks

RR
Try rightclicking on the icon--then click on delete.

bj-21.

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'Tis better to have played and won, then never to have played at all.

I was very tempted to sign up for the AT&T/Marriott deal. Then when I read the fine print, it wasn't so tempting to me.

Check it out: http://download.att.net/marriott/downloads/dloadfaqs.html

blackjack-21,

Good catch! Yup, if it sounds too good to be true...

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For money savings ideas & tips check & FF miles bonus for finance & auto buying check out ValueConsumer.com (http://www.valueconsumer.com)

NetZero to limit "free" usage to 40 hours each month:
http://www.internetnews.com/isp-news/print/0,,8_542741,00.html

Originally posted by EPS:
NetZero to limit "free" usage to 40 hours each month:
http://www.internetnews.com/isp-news/print/0,,8_542741,00.html

Well that shows you how intelligent the NetZero execs are. How long do you think it will take for the heavy users to figure out that, to get around the 40-hour limit, all they have to do is create multiple NetZero accounts and switch between them?

Freelane, which used 1stUp.com, has now partnered with Predictive Networks for free ISP service. The service is still a bit rough, though (and they say they are working on improvements) - - dial-up software is not nearly as polished as 1stUp, and there are far fewer local POP numbers. Still, I give Freelane credit for trying to retain the customer base.

Amex looks promising, especially if it allows POP3 email.

See http://www.freedomlist.com for a table of available free ISPs. It's interesting to see how many listed ISPs are no longer active.

Free Internet Wave Crashes
Ads haven't paid the freight for no-fee providers

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/12/ 24/BU86882.DTL&type=tech_article (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2000/12/24/BU86882.DTL&type=printable)

I tried the American Express free internet service and my first impression is that I like it. The interface is a litle weird.

That AMEX logo that sits right on your browser is a little ominous, but it is certainly less obtrusive than the super large ad window that you get on Juno.

One odd thing about the AMEX Online is that you don't log in with a username and password. It just sort of throws you in. After it dials, it seems like it takes an eternity for it to automatically open up a browser window. I just open one up myself once I know it is connected.

Mac

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Via con Dios!

UpperDeck said:
Amex looks promising, especially if it allows POP3 email.

I've been using Amex for 3 days now, both at home (56K modem) and my office (T-1). It does not seem to support POP mail. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif I can't Reply or Forward any mail from my POP account. No problem retrieving, but that's it...

This was the same problem I had when beta testing WebFlyerNet. Since Amex is done by the same folks (Brand3), it looks like they still haven't resolved the POP mail problem.

Kmart's BlueLight Internet service will limit free access to 25 hours per month, beginning January 1.
http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/001222/n22237183_2.html
http://www.bluelight.com/ispalert/

Some rather startling, at least to me, news:

"American Express is quietly testing a new service that lets cardholders connect to the Web for free, an costly experiment that has failed for many other online businesses.

The service, dubbed American Express Online, gives cardholders free, unlimited Internet access; all-hours customer service; and a Web-based e-mail account with the domain name "AmexOL.net." The account also lets members check their accounts securely, shop online and use various instant messaging services from an American Express-branded home page that is free of advertisements."
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-4762535.html

----

Seems as if this too could also easily end at any time so please be forewarned! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eek.gif

I read the article on news.com and was suprised to read that AmEx is limiting participation to a limited group of US card holders. As far as I know, I never recieved any invitation from them to join, and I have signed up several times using 2 separate AmEx cards. this service seems pretty cool and although i think its the stupidest business plan (even stupider than selling petfood or toys online), it is really helping me coz my DSL is capped and I just line up all my mp3's and other useless junk in napster before I goto bed everynight. Of course I never click any of their banners because Im sleeping, but it wouldn't matter because I kill the gluon application anyway so banners never show up. Anyway hope this lasts, but in all honesty if I was the head of AmEx, i'd have fired the employee who came up with this idea. See, lay offs aren't so bad when it gets rid of people who want to run a free ISP like it's 1998.. geez.



[This message has been edited by selfdestrc (edited 02-09-2001).]

Bluelight effective March 1 is down to only 12hrs free per month. I think you can also pay $9.95/month for up to 60hrs free per month (not positive on that). Also, for every $100 of merchandise you order thru blurlight.com, I think you get 1 month of unlimited service.

Jeff

Am I being paranoid or is this the beginning of the end of Amex Online? I was hoping to help a friend sign up for AmexOnline Today and was greeted by the following message at their web page www.amexol.net (http://www.amexol.net) :

Thank you for visiting American Express Online. AmexOL is currently in test. We are not accepting new enrollments at this time.
Service for existing enrollees will continue unchanged during the test.

What do you make of this? What does it mean in test. Does this last a few hours? A few days? Forever? Any one have any insight?

This is important enough that I called AmexOnline.net and asked what the deal was. I was told that the software can not support the number of customers who were signing up. They are hoping to be able to take new users again sometime in late April or May, if they decide to allow new users in and or continue the service. Sounds pretty non commitall to me. Maybe they asked DL to ask the Amexonline user if they wanted to keep using the service and DL found that one customer who never wants anything that good. This is troublesome.

Does anyone know of a paid service - I dont mind paying - that gives you local access around the US and allows you to us POP3 services. AOL I dont think gives POP, I do not know, and I would like to avoid MSN as they have too many problems.

Hey JRF
Try Mindspring.com
$19.95/month + POP3 email acct.

Don't use AOL for email...you will regret it. MSN used to be cool. but now it sucks because they took away the POP3 accts and moved everyone to hotmail.

Okay...so all of the free ones now have time limits. I guess that means you need to download all of them, and cycle amongst them. I always did this anyway, because none of them are reliable at all. If Bluelight won't work, try NetZero. If that won't work, try Lycos. etc. etc. Eventually, one of them usually works...

rmccamy,
bro i dont know about you but i'd just pay the $20 to have a more positive web experience. c'mon..20 bucks...

i think AOL allows you to retreive pop3 mail...

i switched to amex online from AOL last week... i guess i just beat the deadline... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

the service is pretty decent, though getting the local number can be a prob sometimes...

but then, its free and the amex logo is really tiny and unobstrusive. so i don't mind.

and 20 bucks is not such a trivial amount... how many stomachs in the poorer places of the world could you feed with that ?? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Just when you thought the "Free" ISP saga was over...

www.ArchAngelMail.com (http://www.ArchAngelMail.com/)

Is there a catch? Yes, several. Read the Terms of Service carefully. Can you say ... NetZero?

If JRF is still reading this thread, I recommend PeoplePC. Has POP3 mail, and some very large # of hours per month for $9.95.
www.peoplepc.com (http://www.peoplepc.com)

Duplicate post.

[This message has been edited by Rssrsvp (edited 03-12-2001).]

Duplicate post.

[This message has been edited by Rssrsvp (edited 03-12-2001).]

Originally posted by JRF:
Does anyone know of a paid service - I dont mind paying - that gives you local access around the US and allows you to us POP3 services. AOL I dont think gives POP, I do not know, and I would like to avoid MSN as they have too many problems.

JRF,
Check out these links to CNET where they compared the top 5 ISP's in the country.
http://home.cnet.com/internet/0-3762-8-4951560-1.html
http://home.cnet.com/internet/0-3762-8-4951560-2.html?tag=st.int.3762- 8-4951560-1.arrow.3762-8-4951560-2 (http://home.cnet.com/internet/0-3762-8-4951560-2.html?tag=st.int.3762-8-4951560-1.arrow.3762-8-4951560-2)
http://home.cnet.com/internet/0-3762-8-4951560-3.html?tag=st.int.3762- 8-4951560-2.arrow.3762-8-4951560-3 (http://home.cnet.com/internet/0-3762-8-4951560-3.html?tag=st.int.3762-8-4951560-2.arrow.3762-8-4951560-3) http://home.cnet.com/internet/0-3762-8-4951560-4.html?tag=st.int.3762-8-4951560-3.arrow.3762-8-4951560-4

I think that their review will answer your question.



[This message has been edited by Rssrsvp (edited 03-12-2001).]

By now it's clear that the concept of free unlimited Internet access was flawed beyond belief. Providers were completely dependent on mercurial advertising revenue for sustenance. Users had to tolerate spotty service and ever-present banner ads hogging their computer screens.
http://www.forbes.com/communication/2001/03/12/0312isp.html

JRF has been keeping en eye on this thread, and thanks to everyone for their input. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I use earthlink. If you sign up for earthlink and have AAA, it is $17.95 a month for unlimited service. Not a bad deal for excellent customer service...

It has nationwide dialup service. Also, if you ever go with their DSL (39.99/month) they give you 20 hours of nationwide dialup per month with it...

over all good company and great service.

I still think Prodigy is cheap, reliable and nice. It is $19.95/mo for unlimited service, or $17.95 for AARP members. Right now you can get the first 3 months for the price of 1 (ie $6.95/mo). They sometimes offer referral deals, but I don't do referral deals. Details at: www.prodigy.com (http://www.prodigy.com)

MisterNice

sprint's service is called earthlink

www/earthlink.net

it's what i use when travelling...works fine.

Qwest has a neat deal. Spend over $50. per month in l.d. and recieve free internet service. has anyone had any experience with netzero?

MCI also has a plan that sounds good. I have seen it offered on TV in Upstate NY. $7.00 per month gets you unlimited dial up internet access and 7c per minute for LD. Anyone tried this one. I wonder if you can get miles for the LD?

I just wish they would advertise TV on the Internet. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

I sure hope Prodigy has improved their service. It had deteriorated so badly, that I had to give it up along with many others.'

Seems it had a battle with AOL every nite and messed up my computer the next day.

I really doubt if they got their act together. I liked the old Dos version of P* and the message boards. But they too grew tired.

I kept using AMEXOL.NET until a month ago. Amex kept changing their minds about how they were going to bill and how much, so it was (is) still free. It looks like they have finally made up their minds this time. On July 2, 2001, American Express will replace the existing free AmexOL Internet service fee structure and implement a simple pricing arrangement. For the first 75 hours of Internet usage each monthly billing period you will be charged $12.95. If your Internet usage exceeds 75 hours for any monthly billing period, you will be charged $29.95 for that period.

I called AmexOL to enquire if they were still going to have pop-up adds. They did not know if there were still going to be adds. In my opinion, the adds on Amex are not bad as you can turn them off with a little fine tuning in your start up options (look a bit back in this thread.) However, for the new fee structure I am not about to have adds. The new service is a bit pricy at $29.95.

I tried the AT&T $7/7c internet/long-distance plan, you can get miles on CO that way. However, it states clearly in their contract that you are not allowed to turn off the adds, or you will be charged the premium rate for AT&T access. These adds are more then obtrusive, at least AmexOL adds are not huge and always present! How would AT&T know if you turn off the adds? AT&T 7/7 software has a history keeper/communicator in it. If you disable the history program, you get disconnected after only a few minutes, and if the history tracker does not connect every so often, the other ends hangs up. The history keeper tells AT&T that there has been no add traffic (at least this is what I am thinking at the moment) and then up go your rates.

So, I am now trying the 3 month free trial of MSN, who now offers POP3 again, just like Amex does. Question is, do I want to pay for it (MSN)or go on the free internet hunt again? If I pay for internet access, who offers the best with an international deal (I am not for AOL, I want to only use Windows to make my connection, no special software?)

So now it is just a few free hours per month offered at netzero.com, I guess? Anything else out there worth a look? Are the days of free truly over?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by doc:
So now it is just a few free hours per month offered at netzero.com, I guess? Anything else out there worth a look? Are the days of free truly over?</font>

Doc, I would guess the days of the commercial free net access are nearly over. However, I don't think it's the death of "free" internet. Did you see the article in the WSJ a few weeks ago about the people setting up wireless networks on rooftops? Folks seem to be taking things into their own hands. I would guess this will be the way access to the Internet evolves in the future.

Heck, even my neighbor offered me free access by running a line from his house to mine because he has broadband and could easily split a line off his router.

COMMUNAL BROADBRAND
Neighbors sharing high-speed Internet access via wireless networks is popular and controversial
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/12/19/BU44717.DTL