CompuServe to Give Subscribers More Internet Access

CompuServe, one of the nation’s largest on-line services, will broaden the access it provides to the Internet and invest more than $300 million in new equipment, software and security, the company said Monday.

CompuServe will allow its 2 million subscribers three hours of access to the Internet as part of its regular $9.95 monthly fee. Additional time will be available for $2.50 an hour, the company said.

CompuServe will also improve its software to allow access to the World Wide Web, an increasingly popular part of the Internet where documents and services are easily linked.

It becomes the second major on-line service to broaden its connection to the Internet. Prodigy Services Co. has provided World Wide Web and general Internet access since January.

For subscribers who want to use the Internet more frequently, CompuServe will allow 20 hours of access for $15 a month, in addition to the basic $9.95 monthly charge. Additional time will cost $1.95 an hour.

Much of CompuServe’s software advancement will come from Spry Inc., which it acquired for $100 million last month.

The company said its capital investment will go to expanding the number of people it can accommodate from 40,000 to 90,000 and to handling modems that move data at 28,800 bits per second, twice the current speed.

CompuServe will also join America Online, IBM and Netscape Communications Inc. by making an equity investment in Terisa Systems Inc., a Silicon Valley company.