Many of them offer Web-hosting services separate from or combined with their basic Internet connection services. Like airline passengers who discover they're paying dramatically different prices for the same flight, Web-host customers are starting to wonder why some providers are charging more than others.
Web hosting fees from other ISPs tend to be even higher.
MindSpring justifies its higher prices by pointing to its record in reliability and customer service. The company's InternetMCI Alpha plan provides only 25MB of disk space, but grants unlimited site traffic. If the wide range in ISP pricing seems odd, keep in mind that the competitive shockwaves from the low-cost Web hosts are just beginning to ripple through the industry.