Valerie Cowan Surfs the Net

NO sooner has telephone giant BT (http://www.bt.co.uk) revealed it will be trialing a service in Northern Ireland offering access to the Web on a pay-as-you-go basis, than the Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA - http://www.ispa.org.uk) revealed it was concerned over this venture.

The BT service is planned to go national in the autumn offering access only to the Web for as little as 2p a minute with billing going direct to a telephone customer's phone bill. Currently a monthly subscription to an Internet service provider is normally required to access the Web. But the BT plan would not involve any monthly subscription - just a flat rate per-minute usage charge.

"We feel it will be damaging to the individual and reduce competition," says ISPA chief executive David Kennedy.

"It is a very cheap service for those who don't spend long on the Net and it will greatly reduce the ability for other businesses to compete."

The ISPA, which represents over 80 Net providers including Easynet and Global Internet, is sending a letter to telecom watchdog Oftel to see if an investigation can be launched into how BT plans to run the service.

It's game, set and website YOU could be forgiven for thinking football was the only sport in the world, given the saturation coverage of the World Cup over the last couple of weeks.

But Wimbledon '98 has started - and you can follow the fortunes of Tim Henman and co. on the tournament's official website.

This year two interactive Internet cameras have been set up, one on centre court and another at the north end of the complex. You can follow the action and atmosphere live 24 hours a day.

There's also an Internet radio station called, not surprisingly, Radio WImbledon, which will be broadcasting every day of the tournament.

And you can post questions for an Internet discussion hour which will take place every evening.

If the on-court antics inspire you to take up a racket yourself, the Lawn Tennis Association's website can tell you how to get started.

WEBSITES: http://www.wimbledon.org

http://www.lta.org.uk/

Paying homage to the stars you loved IF YOU didn't get the chance to meet your favourite stars when they were alive, you can always visit their grave - and there's a website which will tell you exactly where to look.

Find A Grave, which comes recommended by Lancashire Evening Telegraph reader Andrew Livesey, of Sullivan Drive, Blackburn, allows you to search for people by name, location or claim to fame.

There are details of the final resting places of all sorts of celebrities, from actors to religious leaders to royalty.

Forest Lawn, Glendale, California, is among one of the more popular burial grounds for the world's famous. Its residents include Humphrey Bogart, Frank L Baum, the author of the Wizard of Oz, and crooner Nat King Cole.

WEBSITE: http://www.findagrave.com

Surfers' sauce THE Internet allows people with the oddest interests to elevate them to 'official' status. Which explains Planet Ketchup - a site for those with a passion for the red stuff.

There's a history of the sauce, photographs, and recipes for various varieties, including banana, mushroom and tomatoless ketchup. You can confess your odd eating habits (ketchup on ice cream, anyone?) and read ketchup-related news stories.

WEBSITE: http://ww.ketchup.wonderland.org/

Hammering home the lure of horror BRAY Studios in Windsor were the "studios that dripped blood" - the home of the Hammer House of Horror films.

And this weekend some of those who helped terrify the nation during the Hammer years - 1957 to 1975 - will return to Bray to dedicate a plaque commemorating its horror heritage.

The Hammer horror movies provided work for a number of big names.

As well as classic horror actors Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, stars like Ursula Andress, Stephanie Beacham, Oliver Reed and Kate O'Mara all made appearances.

This Hammer House of Horror website is a must for fans, with a filmography and star profiles.

WEBSITE: http://www3.leba.net/jrodkey/hammer02.html

Well done CONGRATULATIONS to Age Concern Hyndburn, which has won a US Robotics Sportster 56k modem in our BT/National Council for Voluntary Organisations competition.

The organisation is now being considered for the national prize of an Internet-compatible Minitower computer and a professionally-designed website. Judging is currently taking place at the London headquarters of the NCVO.

READ the Lancashire Evening Telegraph online at www.lancs.newsquest.co.uk/let. And if you've seen something interesting on the web, e-mail me at vcowan@lancashire.newsquest.co.uk.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.