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Netscape-Branded ISP Launching February 2004
Guppy06 writes "I'm too lazy to change my homepage in Netscape 7 to something else, and that's where I discovered an ad leading towards what appears to be a trial run of a new Netscape-branded ISP. While this isn't as momentous as, say, Netscape bundled with AOL would be, they seem to be aiming at Juno and NetZero with their price of $9.95/month ($1.00/month to participate in the trial run ending in February). This may just end up being a fizzle, or it could be part of a two-pronged attack on MSN by AOL."
If this is true, I have to wonder what if anything it will do for Mozilla's exposure.
C|N>K
I have been hearing ads on the radio for it here already. Sounds like one of those accelerated/compressed dial-up services.
EA David Gardner -"... but the consumers have proven that actually what they want is fun."
I've been hearing commercials for Netscape as a broad-band-like ISP in Canada on the radio lately.
They are going to have a tough go of it, competing against Telus.
They claim,
"Netscape Online Accelerator uses advanced web acceleration technology to increase the speed of dial up service, using your existing phone jack and modem without the expense of high speed services such as DSL or a cable modem. No additional equipment is required nor is there any waiting for installation"
Sounds like some sort of caching strategy to deliver content faster.
Overall, sounds like a step backwards to me. I'll stick with my Shaw 300KB/second cable-Internet for $30 Canadian a month.
Ironically, the browser software included in the sign-up package is a Netscape-branded version of Internet Explorer.
Pretty sad when your browser sucks so much you don't trust yourself enough to use it.
"Brand Necrophilia"
...but is there anyone who associates Netscape with anything other than ugly bloatware? If you want to sell a product, is plastering the Netscape logo all over it the best way to go? When someone says "Netscape", images of "RealPlayer" and a bunch of crappy "Subscribe to AOL Now!" icons come to mind.
By doing this, AOL not only gets to split their already-fleeing-like-rats-from-a-drowning-ship userbase, but they also get to cash in on the incredibly lucrative and growing dial-up internet market. And of course, the crowning touch, capitalizing on the Netscape namebrand, which everyone associates with fast, quality service. Good move, AOL!
While this could be part of a 'two pronged attack' on MSN, I highly doubt that. It will most certainly be a fizzle if they are merely offering basic dialup service. Unless they have a standard 'dialup accelerator' or some other value added feature that sets them apart from the rest of the dialup services, there's not much more room in this market IMHO. Unless of course they start this as their 'basic' level of service and offer a very cheap broadband solution along side (eventually). I fail to see that happening so long as DSL lines have to be bought from SBC and cable lines bought from Comcast. ~Dan
This may just end up being a fizzle
Fo shizzle, my nizzle.
I don't understand this.
The Netscape ISP brand has already been tried, and AOL dumped it. The ISP was low cost.
This was done in the UK a few years ago, it lasted for not long. I don't know whether the Netscape ISP was also introduced to other countries, though.
Given the outright incompetence in the overall strategic vision at AOL/TW, there's no telling if this new plan is an act of foresight or of desperation.
Still, I have to say that it makes sense to leverage both the Netscape and AOL brands. They're obviously positioning Netscape as the low-cost bare-bones option for dialup ISP service, and I bet that subscribers will be incessantly prompted to upgrade to the features found on AOL.
I'm generally "Interesting," "Insightful," and even "Funny" here. What the hell happens to me at parties?
... they're going to offer sub-standard service, and then blame Microsoft for having an MSN shortcut on their desktop when they tank.
Well, someone please send AOL a clue. When I see messages like, "The Macintosh operating system is not supported at this time," I feel like walking over to the code-monkey and smacking him upside the head. Why?
1) Hey, I might have Windows computer, but I'm at a Mac now and I want more info.
2) It's a friggin' ISP! Cripes, just tell me the dial-in number to use and I'll be OK.
3) The closing statement of "Please check back in the future for a Macintosh version of Netscape!" is MS-worthy in its FUD. Netscape certainly is available for Macs. Just b/c your proposed ISP doesn't "support" them, no reason to lead people to believe that Netscape is a Windows-only product.
Especially if they could figure out some way to download images in the background, and maybe throw in some chat rooms. Linux types would also appreciate a command line interface, so they could just jump directly to any part of the service by typing in a keyword. Yeah, that'd be cool.
AOL is getting hit from the top and the bottom. High Speed Access is erroding their customer base from the top, and Low Cost Dialups are attracting customers from the bottom. Having their own low cost Dial Up will allow them to at least get some money from people who are leaving them for a cheaper alternitive. Using the AOL brand name for the cheaper service would cause confusion (Why am I being billed 23.95? I saw an ad for 9.95!) so they needed a different name for it. They already own the rights to a well known name associated with the Internet, Netscape, so it was a natural choice.
Quemadmodum gladius neminem occidit, occidentis telum est
To me, the Netscape brand means browsers. After IE, it's probably the best known brand of browsers on the market. I've always thought the point of branding was to create a rock solid identity for a specific product, and then extend that product to new areas. For instance, Taco Bell creates a brand for Taco Bell tacos, and through incessant marketing convinces people that the slop actually tastes good. Then, once that brand is strong, they move on to marketing Taco Bell brand taco shells, that you can buy in any grocery store. You can see how there's a connection here, and how somebody who likes TB Tacos would be more likely to buy TB taco shells in the supermarket.
But with this Netscape thing, I don't get it. If Netscape isn't a brand name for a browser, what is it a brand name for? And what does a browser have to do with purchasing internet access?
The funny thing here, is that AOL/Time Warner already owns the top brand in ISP's: AOL. So why not come out with a $9.95 "AOL-Light", which you then cajole customers into upgrading to full-fledged AOL? Using Netscape as the brand for an entry-level ISP makes no sense whatever, whereas extending the AOL name makes perfect sense.
I'm generally "Interesting," "Insightful," and even "Funny" here. What the hell happens to me at parties?
I just found a journal entry by an ex-Netscape programmer claiming this makes him "want to cry".
I'm too lazy to change my homepage in Netscape 7 to something else
my only question is why anyone would still be using netscape when mozilla seems to be far superior. or is there something i dont know?
Gyrate Dot Org - "Where high-tech meets low-life"
I've talked to people before who thought Netscape was their ISP. Not quite as common as thinking Yahoo is their web browser, but not terribly unusual. Now imagine how annoying it will be for tech support reps when they talk to a customer who's using Internet Explorer with Netscape's ISP and insists their browser is Netscape...
$x='S24;r)>63/* h@<5+oZ)32"5cz';$me='phroggy'x$];
$x=~y+ -xz+\0-Tx+;print$_^chop$me for split'',$x;
did the mods read the link? No where does it say that the service will come bundled with IE. The AC doesn't link to any statements backing up what he had said... and somehow it's informative.
from the TOS:
"You must have a personal computer with a modem connected to a communications source (telephone, wireless or broadband), a Windows-based operating system with an Internet browser, such as Netscape Version 6.0 or higher or Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 5.5 or higher, and an Internet-based e-mail software in order to access electronic communications"
"Tread softly because you tread on my dreams"