OTE dial-up price rise proposals cause uproar

Greek incumbent OTE is facing a wave of protest over its plans to hike dial-up internet access rates by up to 500%. The telco’s customers are up in arms over proposals to raise the tariffs for its EPAK dial-up services by 75% during the day and 500% in off-peak hours. The rate hike will require approval from the National Telecommunications Commission (EETT), which is not keen on the idea. ‘The sudden increase in cost to residents that use EPAK services is not in line with promoting the use of the Internet in Greece,’ an EETT spokesperson was quoted as saying in local newspaper Ekathimerini. OTE is justifying the proposals by pointing out that it has not increased EPAK prices since 1999.