ONDIGITAL CHOOSE LASTMINUTE.COM

ONDIGITAL have chosen lastminute.com, the online shopping and entertainment website, to launch ONnet on a stand alone basis in the online community.
For the first time on lastminute.com and for a special offer of only £4 a month for the first three months, consumers will be able to sign up to the ONnet service as a stand-alone product.
Previously, the ONnet box was only available in conjunction with the ONdigital set top box. The ONnet box gives households access to millions of websites through an ordinary television - including www.lastminute.com - from the comfort of their front room.
Rhys Grossman, Commercial Director at ONdigital, said: "We have chosen lastminute.com as a new distribution channel for the ONnet box, because, as one of the pre-eminent entertainment hubs of the new economy, lastminute.com can generate interest for the Internet on TV by reaching the right target audience. Similarly, ONnet is perfectly suited to cater for the needs of lastminute.com's target audience of spontaneous, affluent individuals, particularly for the many consumers that have already access to the Internet at work but have yet to take the step of buying a PC for their home."
For £4 only a month for the first three months converting to £8 afterwards (subject to a minimum 12 month term), the special lastminute.com offer includes the ONnet box, free delivery and a wireless keyboard for users to surf the web.
The ONnet box offers numerous exciting features for households such as the ability to have up to five e-mail accounts per ONnet box, or to send e-mails with voice messages or home video stills. Users can consult their e-mail from anywhere in the world by visiting the ONdigital website. Currently more than 70,000 UK households subscribe to the existing ONnet service.
This announcement consolidates the relationship between the two companies. lastminute.com was already a content partner of ONdigital's interactive TV service since the launch of ONnet in September, 2000. (CD)