CRTC approves Usage Based Billing

[DSGamer64]

For those on independent Internet Service Providers, be prepared to cry.

Source Open Media Canada

Decision on Usage-Based Billing will Have Consumers Paying New Internet Fees

January 25, 2011 – OpenMedia.ca, the group behind the 41,000-strong petition to stop Internet metering, is disappointed by the decision made today by Canada’s media regulator.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has taken a small a step in the right direction, which OpenMedia.ca acknowledges, but the public engagement organization also believes that the Commission has failed to safeguard consumer choice and affordable access to the Internet.

This decision is a renewal of a ruling to allow large incumbent Internet service providers (ISPs) to force usage-based billing (overage fees) onto their independent competitors and Canadians writ large. This means that the likes of Bell, Rogers, and Shaw have been given the green light to determine how we pay for Internet. If this decision goes unchecked, broadband is about to cost much more for Canadians.

Likely in response to popular opposition to Internet metering, the CRTC has decided to alleviate, albeit only to an acute degree, the burden this pricing regime will have on independent ISPs, whose competition serves as a check on Big Telecom. Indie ISPs will get a 15% discount from incumbents’ rates – just barely enough to allow the indie ISPs to differentiate their pricing structures.

The Commission seems to have acknowledged the tens of thousands of Canadians who signed the petition at http://www.StopTheMeter.ca, created videos, and wrote letters to MPs other officials asking that Big Telecom be prevented from gouging consumers and controlling the Internet market, but it has not gone far enough.

“The CRTC has once again left the wolves in charge of the henhouse,” said Steve Anderson, OpenMedia.ca’s national coordinator. “Canadians have come out in unprecedented numbers and demanded an affordable Internet, and while there is evidence that this has moved the CRTC, they have not gone nearly far enough "

Anderson continued: "It is deeply disappointing that the Commission has decided to give a few companies a free hand to engage in economic discrimination and crush innovation. Now is the moment for forward-looking, visionary policymaking, not half-measures and convoluted compromises with the companies trying to kill the open Internet. This decision is a step in the right direction, but it is clear to me that Canadians are going to have to continue to speak out on this issue."

OpenMedia.ca is now shifting gears, and encouraging citizens to sign the petition to back up the next phase of the campaign. Canadians are encouraged to sign the Stop The Meter petition and continue to raise awareness among family and friends. Now more than ever, citizens need to speak out on this issue.

Here is some information on the Competition Act in Canada as well: http://www.mccarthy.ca/pubs/antitrus_overview.pdf

My Thoughts:

This debacle SCREAMS antitrust lawsuit validity. If the independent ISP's have any ounce of common sense, they would band together and take Bell and the CRTC to court and any judge with half a brain would award them a victory. Essentially banning unlimited use plans and making it so that to cheapest service plans have these insanely small data use caps screams a false attempt by Bell to gain more customers, which is a breach of the Competition Act here in Canada. Competition is supposed to be healthy, assuming that people WANT to pay 40+ dollars a month just to have internet access and the features people need, is a joke. This ruins services like Netflix in Canada, and puts a service like Steam in extreme jeopardy. These private internet companies are generally for regions where the major providers don't have access, as well as low income housing and people who can use unlimited bandwidth or a much higher cap at the cost of having a slower speed. No one in their right mind will stick with the current service plans if people are going to be forced into paying far too much for data use.

 

[Gman 101]

Not much to whine about. Australians have had this since the dawn of the Internet to this day. What's worse is that our data usage limits are pitiful for the price we pay.

 

[gokujr1000]

This is nothing compared to Australia.

 

[Frogman]

I agree js=ust wait till fibre optic, i cant wait to download 2GB of files for 69.99 a month

 

[shakirmoledina]

we have this issue here too... i used unlimited bandwidth for around 30$ but at 64KBps. the fastest affordable connection here is 45$ for 2gb per month although they have no limits btn 8pm and 8am. i cant imagine living with a limited bandwidth internet connection...... nope cant