GTE offers Web e-mail worldwide

GTE Internetworking said last week that, along with content provider iName, it would offer free e-mail accessible to anyone via the Web, becoming the first major telco to offer such a service worldwide.

"It's not enough to be a dial tone provider," said Michael Bolduc, director of product management for GTE Internetworking. "We want to take the next steps."

The carrier chose e-mail as its first foray into value-added Internet services for several reasons, Bolduc said. With its purchase of BBN last year, GTE gained a history of e-mail provisioning. Primarily, it's a good way to let non-Internet users test the waters of on-line communication, he explained.

"There are a lot of late adopters to the Internet," he said. "We had to find a service for them. We had to make it simple, and we had to make it cheap."

The carrier chose iName because of its valuable solutions, Bolduc added.

iName Chief Operations Officer Lon Otremba agreed that such a service could be the first step for new Internet users and said the service provider was proud to be chosen.

The service is a "good way to get eyeballs," said Zia Daniell, an analyst in the telco and cable Internet strategies division of Jupiter Communications. Telcos have been late to jump in the game in this area, so it puts GTE in a better position, she said. She added that it is not a highly unusual service.

Bolduc said to expect future announcements in this area including low-cost Internet access and e-mail accessed by telephone. GTE's contract with iName will last one year.