Bermuda Internet prices may have plummeted in the last two years with Web users now paying under $30 for access that cost them about $90 in 2002 ? however local consumers appear to still be paying more than their US counterparts.

And this is something that might not change with a number of the Island?s Internet Service Providers (ISPs) saying prices cannot drop much further.

In both countries, surfers are paying premium prices for the latest, fastest access rates although the rates from some US companies for dial-up service appeared to be more expensive than for basic broadband packages.

In contrast, dial-up is still the cheapest (and slowest) way to get online in Bermuda (see our chart of the Island?s Internet prices).

Bermuda ISP North Rock was one of the carriers to drop its prices following price cuts by competitor Logic Communications last week. But North Rock?s Vicki Coelho told at the time that she thought that would be the end of the price decreases, saying the latest cuts put pricing on par with North America.

Others seconded that opinion with fkbNet?s chief operations officer Allison Thomas saying he would not rule out further price drops but that it would be contained.

?Price wise if you look comparatively speaking in reference to prices overseas we aren?t that far behind right now,? he said.

And earlier this week Transact?s Bill Dickinson said Bermuda?s rates were getting ?very, very close? to American pricing.

But research on the prices from various US ISPs found that dial-up Internet access could be found as cheap as $9.95 a month compared to Bermuda?s $19.95. High-speed broadband was available from Earth Link for $19.95 in comparison for $29.95 for high-speed dial-up (which can incur over-call charges) locally or $29.95 for 128k DSL. However, North Rock has said it will be rolling out high-speed dial-up service soon for $24.95.

At AOL, prices were even lower with unlimited broadband pricing out at $14.95. In contrast, unlimited dial-up service from giant AOL was pricier at$23.90.

Most broadband packages in the US also included a certain amount of dial-up hours to allow users to access the Web with their accounts when not at home.

The premium packages for ultra-fast Internet access were also a better bargain with cable access (something not yet rolled out in Bermuda) costing US users as little as $44.95 a month for unlimited access with upload speeds of 384k and download speeds of 3.5 mg.

Users in the US also have the opportunity to get Web access by satellite ? a means that has proved very attractive for those in remote areas.