UK ISP Freedom2Surf (F2S) has joined BT and Tiscali by introducing its own capped (1Gb a month) broadband ADSL service for £17.99 (inc. VAT) per month. There's also a £19.99 option with a 2GB allowance:

FREEDOM2SURF SLASHES THE COST OF FULL SPEED BROADBAND TO £17.99 PER MONTH

Freedom2Surf, (www.freedom2surf.net) the UK's leading independent ISP, has today announced the launch of Freedom2Surf Connect, a 512k ADSL service which smashes through the £20 per month broadband price barrier with the aim of encouraging users to switch from dial-up Internet access and further accelerate broadband growth in the UK.

For only £17.99 per month (inc. VAT), Freedom2Surf Connect gives customers a full broadband experience with an always-on connection and the ability to surf the Internet at speeds up to ten times faster than dial-up. Unlike some recently launched sub-£20 broadband packages, Freedom2Surf Connect is a complete package which includes 20 email addresses and 50mb of webspace.

Freedom2Surf Connect is launched as part of a group of new services designed to provide customers with the option of choosing which level of broadband connection they need. The new service includes a monthly 1GB traffic allowance which provides the capability to download approximately 200 MP3 music tracks, 650 short videos or 100 large software programmes.

An additional service, FamilyConnect, has also been launched for family users and households that have a need for greater usage allowance for downloading software, images or video content. This service has a 2GB allowance and is available for £19.99 per month.

Subscribers to both new services can check their level of data usage through the members area on the Freedom2Surf website. They also have the option of purchasing an extra 1GB traffic allowance for just £2.99 per month, allowing users extra capacity to download a movie or a large programme, for example.

The new services position Freedom2Surf at the forefront of Internet service providers offering connections for less than £20. Chris Panayis, Managing Director of Freedom2Surf, commented: "Freedom2Surf Connect and FamilyConnect are services that provide full speed broadband at a price many of our competitors are charging for slower, mid-range "broadband" products. We expect this new package to be particularly attractive to dial-up users looking to upgrade to broadband and enjoy the benefits of an always-on connection and increased connectivity. With the choice of 1GB and 2GB packages, and the option to purchase 1GB extra, the customer has the power to choose a service that reflects their Internet needs. Users can keep track of their monthly usage allowance through the Freedom2Surf website, and, unlike many of our competitors, usage is not metered from 1am to 6am, providing opportunities for users to download software and virus updates, back-ups and other information for free".

For further information on Freedom2Surf Connect, FamilyConnect and other broadband services please visit http://www.freedom2surf.net/adsl

While experienced surfers are likely to find such offers quite shocking, another way of looking at them is through the eyes of choice.

Provided the ISP can also offer typical and largely flexible £25/£30 options alongside, then such deals could easily be justifiable as added choice.

Concern is likely to come if ISPs take such services as 'replacements' for previously uncapped offers.