Newsbytes reports that MCI Communications Corp has followed AT&T WorldNet Inc, IBM Corp and America Online Inc in abolishing its flat-fee unlimited-access accounts. While the big ISPs withdraw unlimited access, Atlanta-based Mindspring Enterprises Inc is offering a discount on its version of the same service. Customers who opt to pay for Mindspring’s flat-fee service one year in advance now get a 10% discount, which rises to 15% for two years’ prepayment. The latter option works out at $16.95 per month. Mindspring also waives its normal $25 connection fee. By contrast, customers of MCI’s long distance telephony services will now pay $14.95 for 150 hours and 99 cents for each extra hour. The change applies also to downstream provider Yahoo! Online, but with an extra sting. Yahoo! subscribers who do not also subscribe to MCI long distance will see their accounts increase from $14.95 to $19.95 per month after the first three months.
