With the dust finally settling around its $1.75bn acquisition of MCI Corp’s US internet business, Cable & Wireless has taken the opportunity to relaunch its consumer service. The Cable & Wireless Internet Xperience (CWIX) offers 150 online hours and a free personal home page for a $14.95 monthly charge. Rival AT&T still lists its competing package, WorldNet, at $19.95. CWIX customers will also be offered the option of signing with C&W long distance. ISPs who buy bandwidth from C&W only to face competition from its subsidiary could be forgiven for viewing the arrangement with trepidation. It’s not as complicated as it seems, said a C&W spokesperson, will the big push into the consumer market cannibalize our ISP business? No. CWIX director Bruce Gudenberg explains that within the parent company, CWIX is treated exactly the same as any other ISP customer.
