Almost-free Internet access is available from the Washington DC-based non-profit International Internet Association. The group, funded primarily by private donations with some commercial input, hopes to give away up to 25,000 free Internet accounts and has given away over 9,000 as of several weeks ago at the rate of about 150 per day. The underlying rationale is to provide an easy alternative to commercial service providers. The account is free, although you must pay long distance charges. They support modem speeds up to v.32bis, and once you're on, you're in a custom menu shell - no SLIP or PPP access. There is currently a three week turnaround on account creation, and for some reason, they require a credit card for access.

International Internet Association -- info@iia.org -- 202/387-5445 -- 202/387-5446 (fax)