Netgames UK is to launch an unmetered Net gaming service in January giving gamers the chance to indulge in multi-player games without racking up a massive phone bill.

The service - which is specifically built to handle gamers - will cost £25 a month, although a beta version is available for punters to test for free until the end of the month.

Unlike previous 'free' offers which some ISPs have run at a loss, causing the service to degrade or even fail, Hugh Stanley-Clarke, Netgames' business developments manager, said the company would make a margin on this offer.

The company - which is run from Bournemouth and Manchester - also intends to make its cash through sponsorship.

In a statement, Andy Jones, MD of Netgames UK, said: "The level of service demanded by gamers is far higher than the normal Internet user would need.

"With the entrepreneurial support of Cable and Wireless, Netgames can meet and exceed these requirements for a price that is marginally higher than other commercially viable unmetered access schemes currently on offer," he said. ®