THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 27, 1995 TAG: 9501270623
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: KILL DEVIL HILLS LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
Local businesses and individuals will be able to ``surf'' the Internet without fear of being wiped out by long distance charges, thanks to an agreement announced Thursday.
The agreement between an Internet access firm and the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce was disclosed at a news conference.
Two local businesses, Kitty Hawk Kites and Southern Shores Realty, have already gone on line on the Internet. The connection marked the culmination of almost two years of work by the chamber and the Raleigh-based access firm Interpath.
``Businesses and individuals here on the Outer Banks will now be able to link up with the Internet's worldwide web without long distance fees,'' said John Bone Jr., executive director of the chamber. ``This is something we've been working on for the past 18 months.''
Through access to the Internet, individuals will be able to book hang-gliding trips on the Outer Banks and make reservations for cottages on the Outer Banks from anywhere in the world. The possibilities, chamber and company officials said, are endless.
``A firm like Kitty Hawk Kites will be able to send its catalog over the Internet, and at the same time save the costs of printing and mailing,'' said Rick Smith, Interpath executive vice president. ``Realtors will be able to show their available properties and the dates available at any time.''
Smith said that through telecommuting, easy low-cost access to the Internet may attract new businesses to the attractive coastal areas of the Outer Banks.
Already some businesses, such as IBM in Raleigh, are allowing employees to work from their homes. That same potential now exists on the Outer Banks, Smith said. And business, even in the smallest communities, can operate on a global scale.
``With access to the Internet, you don't need to be in a major metropolitan area to carry out business,'' said Smith. ``A businessman in Manteo could reach potential accounts in Russia for the cost of a local call. Telecommuting is the wave of the future.''
As for the cost effectiveness of a link to the computer network, Smith said, ``Our basic service is 75 hours on the Internet for $30. That's about 40 cents per hour. Long distance is 22 cents per minute. You can see what the savings are.''
Currently, some 35 million people access the Internet worldwide, with the majority in the United States. The number of Internet subscribers is growing at a rate of 10 to 15 percent per month.
In North Carolina, Interpath has 14 access points.
Interpath will be based locally in the Chamber of Commerce office in Kill Devil Hills.
``This isn't just about making money,'' Smith said. ``This is a technology that can be used by schools, businesses and individuals. It's all about communication.'' by CNB