IC No Catches (IC24)

Member Name: ansar

Product:	IC24
Date:	14/10/00 (41 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: FREE

Disadvantages: slow, hard to connect to

IC24 is an ISP that offers a limited free Internet connection. This is done by dialling an 0800 (free phone) number. There's no monthly charge.

You don't have to do anything in order to get this offer apart from going to the web site (or getting a CD from somewhere) and signing up.

When you first sign up, your computer will be set up with a normal connection (which is not free). This Net connection is for if you want to use the service during the daytime. This is not free, you will be charged at local rate for amount of time you spend on the Internet.

Anyway, once you have set up your computer with this connection, you go back to the web site and there are details shown on how to subscribe to get free Internet time.

If your computer knowledge is advanced then there is an easier way, all you have to do is fill in your details, once the screen comes to the part where it asks you to run (rather than save) the file from the current destination. You just don't run and instead save it, and then browse through this file and get out your username and password and the information needed to set up an email account for your email client. Go back to the web site and do the same for getting free time, this time browse through the file and note down the 0800 number and manually set up your dial-up account.

The free Internet time is:
Monday - Friday between 8pm - 12 midnight
Saturday/Sunday between 9am - 5pm

It's not easy to connect to it; it will take quite a few attempts. Once connected you will notice that your connection could be VERY slow. The first time I connected to it, my connection was 2.4Kb/sec (yes 2.4K!!!). The highest i've had was 31.2Kb/sec.

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Update:
After using this for a while now, I have to admit the connection is quite good now, maybe the 2.4Kb was just complete one off, but recently I have been getting atleast 3
1.2Kb.

It still is frustrating trying to connect to it, but once connected you have the connection for exactly an hour, I have never been disconnected in anyway before the hour is up.
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The thing that makes this annoying: You get disconnected after an hour..!!

I've been forced to try this out in order to save some free time with my other ISP (World Online).

I don't really understand how IC24 makes it money by offering this free time, does anyone know? Surely they can't be relying on users to use it during daytime.

Summary: