Altavista should have looked up the meaning of the word "truth" in its internet search engine before claiming that unmetered access to the world wide web was "up and running" in a "controlled roll-out".

That was in July and not a single customer has been identified since. Andy Mitchell, managing director of Altavista UK, told the BBC yesterday that the service had been put on hold a few weeks ago and that he had been "absolutely remiss" in not communicating this. He can say that again. He has also been remiss in blaming BT, because on this occasion BT probably is not guilty.

Unmetered access to the internet - under which customers pay a fixed monthly fee and then get unlimited surfing time - is vital both to accelerate use of the internet and to lessen the extent of any digital divide opening between those who can afford it and those who cannot. One reason the US is so far ahead of most countries in exploitation of the internet is that Americans have had free (ie unmetered) local calls for ages. BT was wrong - and badly wrong - in exploiting its monopoly position by not offering unmetered access five or even 10 years ago. If it had done it then, use of the internet in Britain would by now be more advanced than it is. Belatedly, and only because it came under pressure from service providers and Oftel, BT has at last started to get its act together. Unmetered access should be here within weeks rather than months, once outstanding technical matters have been agreed.

BT must now move equally fast to enable rival companies to have their own high capacity ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line) access in the local loop - the distance between the telephone exchange and the home - where BT enjoys an almost total monopoly. ADSL will speed the use of high-speed transmission of video down the telephone line. Competition of this kind is the best way to bring prices down and to speed technological change.