Editorial
IHUG Breaches ISP Code Of Practice
Free Internet access has arrived. Over the past three or four years, prices have dropped lower and lower, until now we have a growing number of companies that are prepared to give away Net access in return for a little bit of your attention towards their advertisers.

Unfortunately, this age of free access appears to have also become the age of reduced freedom on the Net.

Not only do we have now the chilling effect of a frivolous defamation suit but now it also appears as if a one ISP at least has chosen to filter what its users can access solely on the basis of commercial expediency.

Since I published yesterday's column I have been inundated with email from IHUG users who all complained that they could reach neither the i4free or freeNet sites.

Discussion in the nz.comp newsgroup has also run hot and strong on this topic, with numerous posters expressing their outrage at this form of commercial censorship.

Although initially the entire site was blocked for IHUG users, it now appears that only the sign-up page is unreachable.

So the question is "is this a reasonable commercial decision on IHUG's part?"

Whatever the justification of such a move, IHUG appear to be swimming in dangerous waters as they are clearly in breach of the Internet Code Of Practice to which they are signatories.

More specifically, section 3.3 which states:

3.3 Blocking Members of the Internet Code of Practice agree that blocking traffic from other parts of the Internet disrupts the integrity of the Internet and should only be carried out in circumstances where it cannot be avoided. All other non-urgent circumstances such as disputes should be resolved using the Internet Code of Practice dispute procedures.

Unfortunately I haven't yet had time to contact IHUG to get the "official line" on what's going on here but there can be little doubt that some filtering is going on. Today I will endeavour to contact IHUG management and get their comments so as to ensure that readers get both sides of the story.

It might pay IHUG not to be so paranoid. It's no secret that IHUG is one of the ISPs I use and I have found the service to be just fine and dandy. I suspect that the very act of blocking access to all or parts of the i4free site have probably created more interest in the site than would otherwise have been the case.

I also signed up for a free Internet account at FreeNet -- but haven't used it yet (due to a lack of time -- but their support people have been extremely pro-active -- full marks!).

Ultimately I have to say that neither I, nor many of the people I've spoken to would be willing to forego our existing ISPs in favour of a free service, although we're all happy to have a free account -- just in case.

i4free Infomercials Galore?
It seems that i4free managed to get an interim injunction which forces Telecom to reconnect their 0867 numbers until such time as the matter can be fully addressed by the courts... that will be an interesting case!

As a reader pointed out to me yesterday, I may have forgotten one key element in my evaluation of the i4free business model -- the fact that the interconnect fee paid by Telecom to ClearNet might be being split with i4free and contributing significantly to their revenues. This would explain why they were so keen to skirt around the 0867 system and have their calls delivered to a point on the Clear network rather than play by Telecom's self-serving "rules."

It also makes it clear just why Telecom is so keen to stop them using this strategy.

Again, my words to Telecom are "let he who lives by the sword die by the sword." When Telecom drafted its interconnect agreement and thrust it upon the other carriers who had no option but to sign it, they didn't factor in the effect that flat-rate Internet might have on the direction and volume of revenues involved.

The 0867 system should be seen for what it is -- nothing more than an attempt to unilaterally evade the terms and conditions of a contract which Telecom itself not only entered into of its own free will -- but effectively dictated to its competitors! The fact that they have been told bold-faced lies in an attempt to cover up this abuse of its monopoly just makes matters worse.

At least the US government is prepared to stand up to corporate bullies who abuse their monopoly positions -- here in New Zealand we appear to have nothing more than an extra 120 sheep making bad smells and leaving their droppings around parliament while -- Telecom gets away with fleecing the rest of us.

It is interesting to note that the technical contact name given for the registration of i4free.co.nz is one Paul Meier. Chances are that it's the same Paul Meier formerly of Prestige Marketing (Suzanne Paul) fame.

It makes sense really that the man who was instrumental in bringing the scourge that is the "infomercial" to our TV sets could also be involved in bringing never-ending advertising to your PC screen.

One thing's for sure, i4free must get the all-time award for most press coverage surrounding an ISP launch. But I wonder why it is that the media keeps touting it as NZ's first free ISP ... have they forgotten about FreeNet already??

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