BIOS: Technology Means Business

Student Unions across the UK are now offering a new product for students that combines a flexible broadband contract with free voice calls over the Internet. Two new packages include virtually unlimited broadband Internet usage from Pipex and free calls using Voice over IP (VoIP) from Perfect Branding, all from just £15.99 (inc. VAT) per month.

The new packages, Everythingstudent Broadband and Everythingstudent Talk, recognise that students need more flexibility when it comes to signing up for broadband and voice calls. Everythingstudent Broadband is available in a variety of speeds, has virtually no restrictions on personal download traffic and offers a reduced fee during the summer months. With a monthly rather than yearly contract, and costing £15 to move the account when changing addresses, the PIPEX-powered product should meet students' needs.

Everythingstudent Talk is a free service, which allows students to call other VoIP users for free via the Internet. The package from Perfect Branding also offers low cost calls to landline and mobile phones from just 1.5p a minute (peak) and a range of features such as free voicemail, three way calling, SMS call back and a personal telephone number so that friends and family can call at local rates.

'Working closely with PIPEX and Perfect Branding, we have created the market's only broadband and voice package that is specifically designed for students,' says Nicola Copeman, Marketing Projects Manager, NUS Services Limited. 'It's simple to use, competitively priced and is packed with features to get students connected.'

'Students sharing houses or flats have very different needs to the average consumer,' continues Sean Stephenson, Head of Products at Pipex. 'They need to be able to have a generous usage limit, be able to move the connection around easily and pay less during the summer months.'

'Voice over IP is perfect for students, who may be away from home for the first time and want to speak to friends and family without running up huge phone bills,' adds Michael Gomes, VoIP Services Project Manager, Perfect Branding. 'Even better, for those sharing houses or flats, everyone can be on the 'phone' at the same time using VoIP and the ES Broadband service'.

Everythingstudent Talk and Everythingstudent Broadband are available now to all students that hold a valid NUS Extra or NUS Card. For more information check out www.nusextra.co.uk and www.nusonline.co.uk. Users of Pipex broadband service are subject to a fair usage policy, which allows users to download 50GB of content - approximately equivalent to 25 days of continuous music in MP3 format. After that, users are still be able to continue their service at 64Kbit/s for the rest of their billing month.