Seven Countries Participate in Coordinated European Internet Strike London, 28 January 1998 For immediate release Internet users in thirteen European countries are joining forces to campaign for fairer telecommunications charges for Internet access. Seven countries intend to take part in a 24-hour 'Internet strike' on Sunday 31 January: Belgium, France, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland. On that day Internet users in those countries are encouraged to lay down their modems. The strike is coordinated by the Campaign for Unmetered Telecommunications [CUT] in the United Kingdom, which has developed a Web site and mailing list bringing campaigners together. CUT is not participating directly in the strike, but is concentrating on the planning and organisation of two large-scale events during the summer. These events will involve all thirteen countries and any others which join in between now and then. The united European campaign aims for: 1. Costs of all telephone calls to more closely mirror the independently audited cost to telecommunications operators of providing these calls. 2. Introduction of flat-rate charges, for calls to an Internet Service Provider using a telephone modem, to enable all Europeans to access the Internet without economic or geographic discrimination. 3. Abolition of minimum call charges, so that metered calls are charged solely by the time spent connected. 4. Quicker introduction of modern Internet access methods such as cable modems, satellite access and xDSL, which do not use the telephone modem and are a great improvement on it for users. Contact: Alastair Scott Moderator, Campaign for Unmetered Telecommunications moderator@unmetered.org.uk Erol Ziya Press Officer, Campaign for Unmetered Telecommunications press@unmetered.org.uk http://www.unmetered.org.uk/ +44 171 681 2831 European campaign Web site: http://www.telecom.eu.org/