Zardon

Pipex is getting even more aggressive in the broadband marketplace with yet another tempting offer designed to get people to sign-up to its ADSL service.

Until June 13 the broadband ISP is offering new customers a new Fujitsu FDX310 ADSL modem worth £94 in return for an old external dial-up modem.

The old dial-up modems - which need to be complete with power supply and cables - will be sent to Computer Aid International, where they will be recycled for use by schools and community organisations in developing countries.

This latest promo is on top of an existing offer in which the ISP waived the £59 set-up fee for its first 40,000 broadband customers.

So far Pipex has signed up almost 20,000 ADSL punters in just three months.

According to Pipex MD David Rickards, the costs associated with getting broadband are "still a barrier for end users," which is why he's introduced this new offer.

He also believes that there is still not enough being done to market and promote broadband in the UK.

Earlier this month Mr Rickards launched an outspoken attack on ISPs that charge too much for broadband.

Mr Rickards believes that if punters are paying more than £25 a month for DSL then they're being overcharged.

In particular, he singled out BT and its planned introduction of a stripped down "no frills" service which, when launched later this year, will still be more expensive than Pipex's own fully-provided ISP service.

The BT Broadband service is due to cost £27 a month. A full ISP offering from the telco's ISP, BTopenworld, costs £29.99.

By Tim Richardson