Free Dreamcast

Sega is launching a new branded Internet service provider, and is offering consumers free Dreamcast consoles. Sega will offer a $200 rebate, intended to off set the cost of the console, to users who sign up for two years of Sega's high speed internet service. The Sega Net service is set to launch this fall at a price of $21.95 a month. Sega hopes that the promotion will help it find home for an additional four million Dreamcast consoles by 2001, giving Sega an installed base of six million costumers. Sega launched a new subsidiary devoted to online games, called Sega.com, and named Brad Huang as the company's first CEO. Because Sega Net will be its own virtual private network, the company is positioning the service as faster online gaming alternative.