UUNet Technologies Inc says it will offer users roaming dial-up Internet access starting in 92 cities in six countries next month and sees its acquisition by MFS Communications Co Inc, Omaha, Nebraska, as a chance to expand to even more cities. The service will start on May 31 in 92 cities in Canada, Britain, France, Germany and Australia. An undetermined number of cities in Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Singapore, Sweden Belgium, the Netherlands and Hong Kong will be added June 30. As a result of UUNet’s own acquisitions and equity stakes in four foreign companies in the past six months, it claims to have the infrastructure to set up local dial-up access in 543 cities, including 255 outside the US. The move means the Fairfax, Virginia-based UUNet’s AlterDial SM users will be able to access the Internet with a local call for an additional $6 per hour while traveling. But under MFS, which has built Metropolitan Area Networks in most major US cities, it could rapidly increase its local access both in the US and abroad. The two are still hammering out details of the takeover.
