IP: Here's a forward looking Nation: Ministry To Propose Flat Phone Fees For Net Access

[Dave Farber <farber@cis.upenn.edu>]

>From: "the terminal of Geoff Goodfellow" <geoff@iconia.com>
>To: "Dave e-mail pamphleteer Farber" <farber@cis.upenn.edu>
>Subject: Here's a forward looking Nation: Ministry To Propose Flat Phone Fees For Net Access
>Date: Wed, 16 Jun 1999 03:00:31 -0700
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>Ministry To Propose Flat Phone Fees For Net Access
>
>June 16, 1999
>
>Nikkei English News via NewsEdge Corporation : TOKYO (Nikkei)--The Ministry of
>Posts and Telecommunications is aiming to introduce flat monthly local phone
>charges for Internet access by 2001 to increase household usage to U.S. levels,
>ministry sources said Tuesday. The proposal will be unveiled in a ministry
>panel report due out next week.
>
>The ministry wants to set a monthly charge of about 5,000 yen for unlimited,
>continuous use of telephone lines for Internet connections in homes -- a
>service similar to dedicated lines -- and will urge Nippon Telegraph and
>Telephone Corp. (9432) to launch the service nationwide.
>
>In Japan, local telephone charges are relatively high and are believed to
>hinder the proliferation of Internet use.
>
>To help NTT develop the necessary infrastructure to provide the service, the
>ministry plans to discuss incentives with the Ministry of Finance including
>interest-free loans and special depreciation measures that can be applied to
>investment in new technologies such as Internet and high-speed wireless
>telecommunications equipment.
>
>Under the ministry's plan, users would have NTT install a line devoted to
>Internet connections. Should the charge be fixed at 5,000 yen as proposed by
>the ministry, the total monthly cost of connecting to the Internet would not
>exceed 8,000 yen, including the 2,000 yen to 3,000 yen paid to Internet service
>providers.
>
>The flat charge will enable users to enjoy bandwidth-intensive services such as
>images, music and games without concern of big telephone bills. The ministry is
>seeking to promote the growth of new industries such as online shopping and
>image and news transmission over the Internet.
>
>(The Nihon Keizai Shimbun Wednesday morning edition)
>
><<Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Inc. -- 06-16-99>>
>
>[Copyright 1999, Nikkei America]
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