Responding to an email message now circulating on the Internet regarding per-minute access charges, netizens have flooded the Federal Communications Commission with 100,000 emails in the past week, causing the FCC's computer system to shut down temporarily Friday.
"I am writing you this to inform you of a very important matter currently under review by the FCC," the message circulating on the Net begins. "Most telephone companies have filed a proposal with the FCC to impose per-minute charges on your Internet service."
The FCC is accepting public comment on the issue of per-minute charges until Wednesday. Local phone companies argue that ISPs should pay access charges to cut down on Net congestion. But ISPs say that Net congestion is "overblown" and that the fees would hinder growth of the Internet and would not help congestion problems anyway.
FCC chairman Reed Hundt has said publicly he does not favor charging ISPs per-minute fees, and the FCC commissioners will likely rule against charging access fees.
"The great thing about the Internet is that it allows for a lot more consumer activism," Hundt told Wired News. "Perhaps the people emailing us should email the Baby Bells."
About 33,000 of the emails sent to the FCC were from an undisclosed spamming site, said Susan Sallet, who is handling the emails at the FCC.
