A new defendant!
a.r.s., November 15, 1995

I heard rumours yesterday, but today the news was confirmed: Planet Internet, Hollands biggest commercial provider (half owned by Dutch Telecom) is a party in the upcoming lawsuit. OF THEIR OWN FREE WILL - not because they received a writ of summons.

Yesterday, a representative of Planet Internet phoned our lawyer Bakker Schut to ask whether it was possible that they be added to the writ of summons. Of course Bakker Schut was most amazed on hearing this question - usually, people want to avoid a lawsuit and do not seek one voluntarily - but his conclusion was that it is indeed possible.
So now Planet Internet will be part of the lawsuit on December 14th, bringing in their top lawyers, because they do not want to cave in and are most strongly opposed to what CoS wants.

This is terrific news:
- It shows CoS quite devastatingly that they are not the ones who decide who their opponents are and who are not;
- CoS's strategy to go after the smaller providers and stay away from the big ones (excepting xs4all, who they couldn't really exclude because of their earlier seizure) is now in shreds;
- Planet Internet has early on asked their lawyers - who are really good - to study the case and will therefore bring quite some knowledge and expertise along, especially seeing that Telecom has often - and usually successfully - dealt with attacks on their common provider status;
- And it reinforces our conviction that we will win: why would Planet Internet ask to be added as a defendant to a case they fear they will lose?

They must be as convinced as we are.

So therefore: three cheers for Planet Internet!

groet,
Karin Spaink

Copyright Karin Spaink.
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