ONnet hits the streets with more than 40 brands on board

18th September 2000

ONnet, ONdigital's new television Internet service, launches today with 47 brand names to be established on its portal.

Requiring no PC, ONnet needs only a small net box connected to an ONdigital box and a TV. ONnet costs £5 a month, with no upfront costs, the box, cordless keyboard and connections are provided free for as long as the subscription is maintained.

ONnet also incorporates a portal which makes surfing the web and using on-line services easy and safe thanks to 22 portal partners, with 16 more to come, that have recognised the potential of Internet through the television and have linked up with ONnet.

The portal's TV guide section contains links to the websites of BBC News and Weather, ITN News, ONsport and Simply Money. Links to the websites of Granada Breeze, Granada Men and Motors, MTV and TV Travel Shop will follow shortly.

The online search facility is provided by Ask Jeeves.

In the News and Weather section, ONnet's news headlines are provided by BBC Online, with one click access to the BBC Online news and weather pages and with click through also to the ITN news pages.

The entertainment section will soon include sites from asSeenOnScreen and Popcorn and Jamba. Sport and betting sites include Ladbrokes, with the Bluesq and Eurobet/Coral sites coming soon.

The shopping site includes Adtrader, Autotrader, Domino's Pizza, Flowers 2 Send, The Gadget Shop, Value Direct and Waterstones. Further sites from BigSave, Scottish Power, WHSmith Online, QXL, Whittard and Drinks Direct will follow shortly.

Lifestyle will launch with icircle with PeopleBank and 08004homes.com coming shortly.

The money section launches with Simply Money and TheDeal.net. People wanting to book great holidays will find them at lastminute.com, thomascook.com and travelcare.

The information section of the portal includes a local government area which launches with Glasgow City Council. Also in the information section will be ukphonebook.com and Yell.com.

On the Knowledge section the first site link will be to BBC Education. The ONhelp section as well as providing help to ONnet subscribers, will aslo provide a direct link to a website, from which customers can order a range of Canon printers to attach to their ONnet boxes.

ONdigital's ISP service is provided by BT.

Sources