Compuserve Attempts To ‘Wow’ Rivals

CompuServe Inc. will launch its new online service, called Wow, on March 25 and charge just under $18 a month for unlimited use, including access to the Internet, the company said Wednesday.

The pricing heightens the competition in online services. It is $2 lower than what AT&T Corp. has offered its long-distance customers for unlimited use of its Internet access service, which begins today, and substantially less than what CompuServe’s main online system and peers such as Prodigy and America Online charge.

CompuServe executives said they decided on the unlimited pricing after surveys of online users found those who were charged a flat fee for a five-hour limit rarely exceeded that limit.

“If you look at the current pricing models, they discourage high volumes of usage,” said Scott Kauffman, general manager of Wow.

Wow will have news, sports, weather, business and entertainment information, electronic mail, shopping, chat and full Internet access.