This community has been organizing to make sure corporations can't control the internet with our net-neutrality push, but it seems that these greedy bottom-feeding bottom-liners will stop at nothing to make a buck.
For the past several years freeconference.com, and the service they provide, has been a major part of grassroots efforts for activists all over this country. Today, however, I found a disturbing email in my in-box. It turns out that corporate carriers, angry with lost revenue this free service is sapping from them, have been preventing conference numbers from working on their lines.
Not only are these actions monopolistic, most likely illegal, and hugely unethical - but the implications to regular grassroots activists will be far and wide. Read the email I got and take action over the jump.
Dear FreeConference User:
AT&T/Cingular, Sprint, and Qwest Are Blocking Your Conference Calling
As of Friday, March 9, it's come to our attention that Cingular Wireless has begun blocking all conference calls made from Cingular handsets to selected conference numbers. If you call our service, you receive a recording that says, "This call is not allowed from this number. Please dial 611 for customer service".
Earlier this week, Sprint and Qwest joined in this action, blocking cellular and land line calls to these same numbers. This appears to be a coordinated effort to force you to use the paid services they provide, eliminating competition and blocking your right to use the conferencing services that work best for you.
Don't Let AT&T/Cingular, Sprint, or Qwest Take Away Your Right to Use the Conference Service of Your Choice!
We Need Your Help! Please Take the Actions Below:
Whether you are one of their customers, or an organizer who is being impacted by these uncompetitive actions, please file a complaint with the FCC or send an email to your State Attorney General to complain about this monopolistic practice to limit the choices of consumers.
You can also let these companies know how you feel about their attempt to block competitive services:
- Sprint Customers can click here or dial *2 from their Sprint Phone
- Cingular Customers can click here or call 1-888-333-6651
- Qwest Customers can click here or call 1-800-860-2255
Your FreeConference Team remains steadfastly committed to bringing you simple, convenient and reliable conferencing services at the lowest cost possible. We appreciate your support in this endeavor.
Your FreeConference Team
This really is a crime. We should do everything we possibly can to step in and help here.
UPDATE: I found one news story related to this, and a lawsuit Quest filed. In this article the Rocky Mountain News and Quest try to tie freeconference.com to sex chats and "'untoward' and 'inappropriate"'traffic on its network". I can assure you, no conference call I've ever been on using freeconference.com had "untoward" content. Hell ... some probably would have been better if there was!