UK internet service provider FreeUK Internet Ltd, has mapped its subscription-free service over the channel into France, and after one month has announced that its subscriber base for Freesurf has topped 20,000. The firm is aiming for another 18,000 before the end of the year, when the service will become available outside the Paris area. Currently FreeUK is partnered with France Telecom SA, Worldcom and Colt Telecom France to provide the service over their networks. The main gimmick of the service is the ability for FreeUK customers to use the Freesurf service when in France and vice-versa, although how useful this will be found is unknown. With 60,000 UK customers, FreeUK is one of the smaller, unbranded subscription-free ISPs, but with obvious mainland ambitions. The success of this business model in the UK has prompted a number of free services to crop up in France over the last few weeks, but the telecoms market is not as mature, so companies are more wary.
