Dear New York Times Reader,



Today marks a significant transition for The New York Times as
we introduce digital subscriptions. It’s an important step that we
hope you will see as an investment in The Times, one that will strengthen
our ability to provide high-quality journalism to readers around the world
and on any platform. The change will primarily affect those who are heavy
consumers of the content on our Web site and on mobile applications.



This change comes in two stages. Today, we are rolling out
digital subscriptions to our readers in Canada, which will enable us to
fine-tune the customer experience before our global launch. On March 28, we
will begin offering digital subscriptions in the U.S. and the rest of the
world.



If you are a home delivery subscriber of The New York Times, you
will continue to have full and free access to our news, information, opinion
and the rest of our rich offerings on your computer, smartphone and tablet.
International Herald Tribune subscribers will also receive free access to
NYTimes.com.



If you are not a home delivery subscriber, you will have free
access up to a defined reading limit. If you exceed that limit, you will be
asked to become a digital subscriber.



This is how it will work, and what it means for you:

• On NYTimes.com, you can view 20 articles each month at
  no charge (including slide shows, videos and other features). After 20
  articles, we will ask you to become a digital subscriber, with full access
  to our site.
  
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• On our smartphone and tablet apps, the Top News
  section will remain free of charge. For access to all other sections within
  the apps, we will ask you to become a digital subscriber.
  
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• The Times is offering three digital subscription packages
  that allow you to choose from a variety of devices (computer, smartphone,
  tablet). More information about these plans is available at href="http://nytimes.com/access" style="color:#004276;"
  target="_blank">nytimes.com/access.
  
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• Again, all New York Times home delivery subscribers will
  receive free access to NYTimes.com and to all content on our apps. If
  you are a home delivery subscriber, go to href="http://homedelivery.nytimes.com" style="color:#004276;"
  target="_blank">homedelivery.nytimes.com to sign up for free
  access.
  
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• Readers who come to Times articles through links from
  search, blogs and social media like Facebook and Twitter will be able to
  read those articles, even if they have reached their monthly reading limit.
  For some search engines, users will have a daily limit of free links to
  Times articles.
  
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• The home page at NYTimes.com and all section fronts will
  remain free to browse for all users at all times.