200,000 SIGN FOR NETZERO.

Byline: Ben Sullivan Daily News Staff Writer

Internet service provider NetZero Inc.'s subscriber base has grown to 200,000 members three months after it began offering free online access, Chief Executive Ronald Burr said Thursday.

Sign-ups are occurring at a rate of one every 45 seconds, he said. The Westlake Village-based company now delivers more than 100 million page views per month, placing it among the top 35 sites in this category worldwide, he added.

The company, which based its approach on commercial-driven network television, gives members free Internet access in exchange for allowing a small window to appear constantly on their computer screen and transmit 30-second animated ads.

At 200,000 members, NetZero is one-fifth of the way to what company officials have said will be a break-even mark of 1 million members. The company said it has signed up more than 25 new advertisers since it began operations last fall. NetZero's revenue is generated entirely through advertising.

If successful in breaking even and eventually turning a profit, NetZero would be among the first free ISPs to do so. Several other high-profile attempts at delivering online access without charge have faltered, most notably Bigger.net and the Tritium Network, both of which halted operations in October.