The telecommunications services company owned by Independent News and Media has announced details of a low-cost international telephone call service. SwitchCom will launch its Connect service on September 1st. Based on a flat rate, day or night, seven days a week service, it says it will provide significantly lower charges for international and cross channel calls.

Tariffs include 18p per minute calls to Australia compared with Telecom Eireann's 68p peak, and 54p and 34p off-peak rates.

Connect offers discounts of between 30 per cent and 40 per cent on calls to the UK, while calls to the US will be 13p any time compared with Telecom Eireann's 23p weekday and 17p weekend rate.

Mr Garret Doyle, chairman of SwitchCom and new media services director of Independent News and Media, said: "This is a simple convenient way to make huge savings on international calls at any time, and to the budget conscious consumer who is used to making international calls after midnight or on Saturday to benefit from lower costs this is no longer necessary."

Users will be given a Connect account number by SwitchCom which they key in each time they dial a free-phone number. The account can be re-credited by accessing the free-phone number and topping it up.

There are no connect or installation fees, and it does not require a change in network service.