AltaVista Registers 550,000 Users for Free Internet Access; Announces AltaVista Premium Support Program, Begins 12-Market Radio Campaign.PALO ALTO Palo Alto, city, California Palo Alto (păl`ō ăl`tō), city (1990 pop. 55,900), Santa Clara co., W Calif.; inc. 1894. Although primarily residential, Palo Alto has aerospace, electronics, and advanced research industries. , Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 7, 1999-- AltaVista Company, the premier new media and commerce network and top 10 Internet site at www.altavista.com, has registered 550,000 users for its nationwide free dial-up Internet service in seven weeks -- an unprecedented Internet sign-up offering. More than 10,000 users a day are downloading and registering for AltaVista's FreeAccess service. AltaVista is the first leading Internet brand to offer a quality Internet service at no cost. AltaVista combines its FreeAccess service with the world's first microportal, a small desktop application that provides personalized, up-to-the-minute news and information, as well as links to premier AltaVista services and its leading Web search capabilities. FreeAccess is powered by patent-pending technology from 1stUp.com Corporation and can be downloaded in seconds at www.microav.com on the AltaVista site. "Reaching such a large user base in short order is a major milestone and validates the viability of our service and the demand for free Internet access See how to access the Internet. ," said Ross Levinsohn Ross Levinsohn is the former President of Fox Interactive Media, the Internet and New Media arm of News Corporation, where he reported directly to Rupert Murdoch and News Corp. President Peter Chernin. , vice president, AltaVista New Media. "To support this rapid customer acquisition, we have deployed a new three-tier premium support program that is designed to maintain overall user satisfaction." In conjunction with reaching the 550,000 user milestone, AltaVista has announced the AltaVista Premium Support program with additional phone and online technical support options, including guaranteed response times and more customer care representatives. Online help is available at www.altavista.com and with the FreeAccess downloadable application at www.microav.com. E-mail support is now offered with a guaranteed response time of 48 hours or less by sending a message to feedback-freeaccess@altavista.com. Phone-in customer support is also available by calling toll-free at 877/584-5551, allowing users to speak directly with customer care representatives and technicians. In addition, answers to frequently asked questions are provided when a caller activates prompts within a special tutorial on the help line. And to expedite direct contact with an online expert technician, users can elect AltaVista Express Phone assistance and instantly receive assistance for ninety-five cents per minute. The final option for customer support is an online message board where users can submit and view answers to queries, as well as have the ability to search for answers that have previously been posted by the technical support group. Humorous, Radio Ad Campaign Beginning this week, AltaVista will air radio spots in 12 markets to support the FreeAccess offering. The humorous campaign, created by advertising agency Wieden & Kennedy, piques users' curiosity for savings by providing tips on how to become an Internet millionaire or a British Lord with money that typically goes to a paid Internet service provider Internet service provider (ISP) Company that provides Internet connections and services to individuals and organizations. For a monthly fee, ISPs provide computer users with a connection to their site (see data transmission), as well as a log-in name and password. -- about $240 per year. The spots will air in Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , Philadelphia, San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden , San Jose San Jose, city, United States San Jose (sănəzā`, săn hōzā`), city (1990 pop. 782,248), seat of Santa Clara co., W central Calif.; founded 1777, inc. 1850. , Seattle, and Washington, D.C. World's First Microportal AltaVista's microportal allows users to easily navigate all that the Web has to offer through a small micro-browser that remains open as a separate desktop window without disrupting the user's browsing or other desktop activities. Acting as a constant gateway to users' most desired dynamic information, the desktop window provides links to premier AltaVista services and displays rotating, customizable content. Through one-click access, users can get information about world events, news, sports, financial information, stock quotes, weather updates, TV listings, and local content. The microportal can be positioned anywhere on the desktop at the user's discretion and only takes up about five percent of screen space. AltaVista's FreeAccess with the microportal works with any Web browser The program that serves as your front end to the Web on the Internet. In order to view a site, you type its address (URL) into the browser's Location field; for example, www.computerlanguage.com, and the home page of that site is downloaded to you. and is accessible to users who have Internet Explorer Microsoft's Web browser, which comes with Windows starting with Windows 98. Commonly called "IE," versions for Mac and Unix are also available. Internet Explorer is the most widely used Web browser on the market. It has also been the browser engine in AOL's Internet access software. version 4.0 or higher installed on their PC. My AltaVista is the permanent home page displayed every time a user logs onto the Internet, giving instant access to customizable content and services available on the AltaVista Network. The service operates on Windows 95 and 98, and will soon be available for Windows NT (Windows New Technology) A 32-bit operating system from Microsoft for Intel x86 CPUs. NT is the core technology in Windows 2000 and Windows XP (see Windows). Available in separate client and server versions, it includes built-in networking and preemptive multitasking. and Macintosh users. AltaVista provides free Web-based e-mail See Internet e-mail service and HTML e-mail. or premium e-mail Premium e-mail - term used for professional grade e-mail services that charge a fee as opposed to free e-mail services that are supported by advertising. Premium e-mail is used to indicate a higher level of professional care and service. service through the AltaVista homepage. About 1stUp.com 1stUp.com is the market leader in providing consumer-oriented businesses with ad-supported Internet access solutions. Working through the marketing and distribution channels of innovative companies like AltaVista, 1stUp.com provides patent-pending technology that enables its partners to offer branded, cost-effective Internet services to their customers. About AltaVista Company AltaVista Company is the premier online media and commerce network. The company integrates unique Internet technology and services to deliver relevant results faster for both individuals and Web-based businesses. By combining distinctive AltaVista brand services with 'best of the Web' relationships, the AltaVista Network creates the most satisfying Internet experience. AltaVista is building on its heritage of technology and innovation leadership, offering award-winning services including: My AltaVista, AltaVista Finance, FreeAccess, the AltaVista microportal, AltaVista Search, AltaVista Local Portal Services, and AltaVista Shopping.com. For more information, visit AltaVista at http://www.altavista.com. AltaVista is a majority-owned operating company operating company A business that engages in transactions with outsiders. of CMGI CMGI Commonly Maintained Grounds Infrastructures CMGI College Marketing Group Information (Services) , Inc., (Nasdaq:CMGI), Andover, Mass. Compaq Computer Corporation (company) Compaq Computer Corporation - The largest US manufacturer and vendor of IBM PC compatible personal computers and servers. Compaq was started in 1982 by three ex-Texas Instruments employees. Quarterly sales $2499M, profits $210M (Aug 1994). http://compaq.com/. holds the remaining minority stake in AltaVista. About CMGI With nearly 50 companies, CMGI, Inc. (Nasdaq:CMGI) represents the largest, most diverse network of Internet companies in the world. This network includes both CMGI operating companies and a growing number of synergistic investments through its venture capital affiliate, @Ventures. CMGI leverages the technologies, content, and market reach of its extended family of companies to foster rapid growth and industry leadership across its network, and the larger Internet Economy. Microsoft, Intel, Sumitomo and Compaq hold minority positions in CMGI. CMGI Corporate headquarters is located at 100 Brickstone Square, Andover, MA 01810. Telephone: 978/684-3600. Fax: 978/684-3814. Additional information, including a complete list of all the companies in the CMGI network, is available at http://www.cmgi.com. Note to Editors: AltaVista and Zip2 are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Shopping.com and Homebase are trademarks of AltaVista Company or its affiliates. Product names mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. |
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