MEDIA-I: China portals roll out service charges

BEIJING: The days of free internet services are numbered in China as Chinadotcom joins the growing list of portals planning to charge for content and services which were previously free. The portal said it will charge mainland users for its email service, explaining that this had been improved to offer greater security and storage. Other portals in China have also announced that they will charge the country's estimated 20 million users for services such as email, as advertising revenues continue to dwindle, as part of moves to achieve profitability. Chinadotcom chief investment officer, Jack W. Lin, said the new charges would help the company "better monetise its portal network". "We are simultaneously offering new and improved fee-based online services to our substantial registered user base, while strengthening our financial positioning to invest in products and services," said Lin. Rival Sina.com, along with global portals like Yahoo, is also introducing charges. In another development, Chinadotcom has launched a Short Messaging Service (SMS) in the country. According to China Mobile, the number of SMS sent through the web is expected to reach 10 billion this year. Chinadotcom's SMS service connects eight branches of China Mobile to offer coverage across major cities. The portal has partnered with Cellstar, a handset distributor in China, to launch the service. The fee-based email offering is part of Chinadotcom's overall programme of subscription services. In July this year, the company's subsidiary Hongkong. com introduced fee-based online services, including e-Match, a dating service, and @-Class, an English-language course for internet users.

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