CUT takes a close look at BT unmetered tariffs for schools and other organisations London, 2 December 1999 For immediate release The Campaign for Unmetered Telecommunications [CUT] has issued its response to OFTEL's consultation document 'Connecting public institutions - BT's Public Institutions Internet Caller Service'. The background is that BT proposed to OFTEL various unmetered telephone modem and ISDN access plans, due to be implemented in April 2000, for schools, further education institutes, Citizens' Advice Bureaux and public libraries, and OFTEL asked interested parties to comment. CUT finds the BT proposals weak and is doubtful of the whole consultation process. Alastair Scott, Moderator of CUT, explains: 'What BT proposes is superficially impressive. However, we found that Kingston Communications, under the same regulatory constraints as BT, already makes similar offers for up to 40 per cent less than BT. And we had a contact from a former employee of a cable company (now taken over) who stated that, in 1996, that company made similar offers for 75-90 per cent less than BT. Looking wider, we realised that what we campaign for - everyone having the option of an unmetered tariff - would have rendered special access plans and the cumbersome OFTEL consultation process irrelevant. Interested organisations would simply sign up for such a tariff and use it like anyone else. In fact, the OFTEL consultation document doesn't even consider a host of relevant issues, such as how students and teachers accessing the Internet from home for study or work preparation pay for their access when they may be on a tight budget. Again, the option of an unmetered tariff for all would be a possible solution.' Notes 1. The OFTEL consultation document is at http://www.oftel.gov.uk/publications/1999/info_super/cpi1199.htm 2. CUT's response is at http://www.unmetered.org.uk/reference/resp_021299.htm Contact Erol Ziya Press Officer, Campaign for Unmetered Telecommunicationspress@unmetered.org.uk +44 20 7681 2831