Micropayments Pushed In Norway

In the next fortnight or so, Internet content providers in Norway are preparing something of an experiment that could bring new fortune to their struggling online brands. An alliance of over 80 media companies is attempting to push the Internet users of Norway into micropayments in exchange for the provision of content.

The alliance covers roughly 80% of companies in Norway providing media and entertainment content online. At the proposed date, they have agreed to restrict access to specialised content to those with certain accounts which allow easy micropayments. Given that they'll make the switch all at once, users may have little choice but to accept the push, and pay up.

But will it work? This is the Internet after all, and some news can be found anywhere in the world, and for free. A push and then promotion of the quality of the subscriber's-only content could pay off. A push alone, however, could result in movement away from their services.

More information:

• FT.com: Forward thinking in the fjords
• The Register: Pay for content? Norwegians would...

isaac