Barclays launches free ISP

Barclays is to introduce a service that bundles free Internet access with online banking and electronic trading of shares.

The banking services will be made available to the company's 14 million customers, while acting as an Internet Service Provider (ISP) is meant to draw in new customers. Until now, Barclays has refrained from entering the ISP market in direct contrast to other financial services providers such as the Nationwide Building Society and supermarket chain Tesco.

BT will provide the IT and telecoms infrastructure for Barclays.net - as the service will be known.

A spokeswoman for the high-street bank said: "Before, customers had to use another ISP to access our site, but now they can do it all with us."

The bank is also promoting the fact that support will be charged at local call rates - in direct contrast to helplines from Freeserve, TescoNet and others.

Barclays.net launches in mid-April, and the company has yet to finalise pricing for the e-trading part of the site, although it promises real-time dealing.

Personal and small business customers can register for the service by calling 0800 494949, or by visiting a branch. Online registration isn't available yet.