Long-distance operator Northgate Communications (Hong Kong) is offering free call-minute credits to subscribers willing to view Internet advertisements.
The company, which yesterday changed its name to bigredwire.com, allows customers to delete international direct dial (IDD) call charges from their phone bills up to a daily maximum of $40.
Customers can view their bills - and Net ads - at the company's Web site where they can delete charges not exceeding the daily limit.
The limit equals a a 17-minute phone call to North America - at bigredwire.com's charge of 23 cents a minute.
That is more than three times the promotional seven cents-a-minute offered by City Telecom.
'To offer free calls, you have to make money elsewhere,' said Frank Jiang, bigredwire.com Hong Kong general manager.