I'll have to look up my contract, but this I find this "press release" quite disturbing :
15/01/07 09:12
Dear News reader,
Given the amount of illegal content circulating in binary newsgroups, we have decided to stop hosting articles containing binary files (binaries) on our news servers (news.skynet.be) as of 1 February, 2007. To enable you to keep following your favorite discussion topics, newsgroups publishing articles in plain text will still be available. The posting period of these articles will be extended to three months.
The NNTP service (protocol used to transmit news on the Internet), which
allows access to newsgroups hosted by third parties, will remain available. You will therefore be able to continue using the news servers (both public and private, paying and free of charge). You can easily find a list of these servers by conducting a search with your favorite search engine.
Thank you for your understanding.
If I recall correctly, I pay €57,05 a month for my internet which up to now included access to the skynet news server. Last year, they cut off access to hundreds of binary groups offering MP3's (of which some carried illegal material, but lots were perfectly legit as well) and from February 1st 2007 all binaries will be dropped. I think I'll have to ask them to lower my bill as well, as they'll be providing less service. Time to get in touch with them... or even drop them altogether!
Update : Scarlet has been considered and dropped - even their online support desk is unreachable. EVOnet seems interesting but is a little light on total traffic offered per month (15GB). So far EDPNet seems the best candidate to get my money as their ADSLMax 6 Dyn packet offers higher speeds (download and upload wise) and is cheaper when compared to my current Belgacom Skynet ADSL Plus plan. I've contacted them to check for availability of usenet and binaries.
Comments
I vote dropping them!!
Posted by: Nadia at January 16, 2007 10:16 AM
I'm seriously considering it, but will have to look whether I can do so for breach of contract from their side, otherwise I'm probably stuck with them for months to come.
Do you have any suggestion for another ISP, that does carry the binaries on usenet and intends to keep on doing so?
Posted by: ServMe 
at January 16, 2007 10:22 AM
Don't even think about Scarlet! Their service is abominable!!!
Posted by: Hilda at January 16, 2007 1:36 PM
afraid not. I believe my ISP doesn't even provide newsgroups anymore; then again I don't pay more than 50 euros a month for my subscription either, so I'm not complaining.
Maybe Dimi knows?
Posted by: Nadia at January 16, 2007 8:53 PM
just read your update: whatever you do, do NOT go to Scarlet!
Posted by: Nadia at January 16, 2007 8:54 PM
Don't worry, I know about the problems with Scarlet. In fact they were my first ever ISP, back in the days they were still called Ping (or Globe Online before that, I believe?). I still have a "freedom" account with them where I check mail every now and then - if their mail servers function that is - and maybe some files are still on their webspace, who knows?
Strangely enough, EDPnet does state "usenet" on their webpage, Nadia, so I guess they still support it. I've not yet checked my mail to see if they replied, but I'll keep you all posted.
Posted by: ServMe at January 16, 2007 10:59 PM