MSN Access Moves

Joseph Laszlo | March 28, 2006, 03:53 PM

I just asked David Card, rhetorically, what the least likely move in the US ISP market would be. And he said "A new dial-up only ISP entrant?"

Um. Yeah, he's right there.

But the SECOND LEAST likely move in the US ISP market would have to be a dial-up price war [Broadband Reports]. But that's apparently what MSN is trying to start, by temporarily cutting its dial up to $17.95 to woo unhappy AOL subs.

I thought MSN was getting out of dial-up (indeed, access). And I thought MSN was getting out of being MSN, in favor of "Live." And I wonder, where was this attempt at a price war when the dial-up market was, say, growing, or competitive.

Finally, too, it's worth pointing out that MSN is still between $3 and $5 more expensive than the best introductory offers from Verizon and AT&T-Yahoo! So, at best, only sort of a price war.