The company has given few details of the offer, but has set up a web page (www.rivalfree.com.au/free) where potential customers can register their interest ahead of the launch on 31 October.
It has also set up a Facebook page. However the Rival Networks' company Facebook page provides rather more information about the company. It was formed in 2010 to "to service small and medium sized businesses," and specialises in "bringing IT into businesses for an affordable price without sacrificing quality."
Rival Networks' head of PR and corporate communications, Glenn West, told iTWire. "We will be using participation incentives and reward programmes and some online marketing strategies to help subsidise the cost." He said that advertising would be "something we will be implementing on a small scale."
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He said the company planned to use the Optus network but "We have deals in place with Telstra and Vodafone if we can't get the coverage."
The cost of providing Internet access over a mobile broadband network might seem to preclude offering a free service, but West said: "We found that 80 percent of Internet users use less than 1.5GB [per month]...There are a lot of people who use the Internet just for email and some web browsing and we will be targeting those initially."
He added that the company would, down the track, look at offering phone services. "We want to make communications free."
