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Deutsche Telekom is running a peep-show, says AOL

Court rules it’s time to stop charging per minute

AOL Europe has claimed a prize scalp after successfully arguing that Deutsche Telekom was guilty of offering unfair pricing plans for Net access. A court in Hamburg threw out DT's pricing scheme for its T-Online Internet service after AOL Europe complained it was uncompetitive. Up until now users have been unaware how much of the bundled six pfennig-per-minute price of Net connection was split between the cost for the dial-up connection and service subscription. The court also barred DT from advertising the unlawful bundled price. "If Ron Sommer [DT's CEO] truly wants to make Germany the leading Internet power in Europe, Deutsche Telekom needs to stop billing by the minute for the Internet, like a peep show," said Andreas Schmidt, president and CEO of AOL Europe. "After all, television isn't billed that way," he said. Heralding its victory as a triumph for German Net users, AOL now wants to repeat its success in other European countries. AOL believes the court's decision supports its call for flat-rate access for all Internet users. Maggie Gallant, a spokeswoman for AOL Europe confirmed that the company is currently taking steps to lobby government and regulators in the UK to try and force the introduction of unmetered telephone charges. ® See earlier stories: AOL Europe demands flat-rate fee for Net connections AOL slams Deutche Telekom Net access foul play

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