Canada is the first nation who is being forced by the CRTC and Bell to put a meter on our internet usage and charge by the byte. This means a lot of the stuff we have available right now won't be affordable because we'll have to pay through the nose for it. This is a cheap shot to force people to stop streaming movies and TV shows through innovative services like Netflix to go back to watching cable TV. The cap they are proposing is 25GB/month which is a fraction of what we currently have and we'll get charged for going over that limit. We'll be paying more for a lot less of what we have now.
Link to Article (http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/01/canada-gets-first-bitter-dose-of-metered-internet-billing.ars)
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Metered Internet usage (also called "Usage-Based Billing") is coming to Canada, and it's going to cost Internet users. While an advance guard of Canadians are expressing creative outrage at the prospect of having to pay inflated prices for Internet use charged by the gigabyte, the consequences probably haven't set in for most consumers. Now, however, independent Canadian ISPs are publishing their revised data plans, and they aren't pretty.
"Like our customers, and Canadian internet users everywhere, we are not happy with this new development," wrote the Ontario-based indie ISP TekSavvy in a recent e-mail message to its subscribers.
But like it or not, the Canadian Radio-Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approved UBB for the incumbent carrier Bell Canada in September. Competitive ISPs, which connect to Canada's top telco for last-mile copper connections to customers, will also be metered by Bell. Even though the CRTC gave these ISPs a 15 percent discount this month (TekSavvy asked for 50 percent), it's still going to mean a real adjustment for consumers.
This is going to hurt
Starting on March 1, Ontario TekSavvy members who subscribed to the 5Mbps plan have a new usage cap of 25GB, "substantially down from the 200GB or unlimited deals TekSavvy was able to offer before the CRTC's decision to impose usage based billing," the message added.
By way of comparison, Comcast here in the United States has a 250GB data cap. Looks like lots of Canadians can kiss that kind of high ceiling goodbye. And going over will cost you: according to TekSavvy, the CRTC put data overage rates at CAN $1.90 per gigabyte for most of Canada, and $2.35 for the country's French-speaking region.
Bottom line: no more unlimited buffet. TekSavvy users who bought the "High Speed Internet Premium" plan at $31.95 now get 175GB less per month.
"Extensive web surfing, sharing music, video streaming, downloading and playing games, online shopping and email," could put users over the 25GB cap, TekSavvy warns. Also, watch out "power users that use multiple computers, smartphones, and game consoles at the same time."
Sign the petition against Internet Metering! (http://openmedia.ca/meter)
Although I'm not from Canada, this is wrong. I am a fervent supporter of both Anonymous and Net Neutrality. This goes against the very principles of both, and my own ideals as a human being. Having to pay extra for content that is rightfully yours is wrong, and to see a country as strong as Canada caving in to such an idea is sad. I only hope Canada will make the right choice.
Not from Canada, but enthusiastically signed.
Quote from: kindofdoon on February 01, 2011, 10:41:03 PM
Not from Canada, but enthusiastically signed.
I signed as well. To think I was actually seriously thinking of moving to Canada sometime in the distant future. I want to get out of America, what with Net Neutrality having officially fallen. But to hear that the Canadian government is thinking of metering internet? That makes me rethink my plans for the future. I always thought of Canada as a pretty cool place. Now I'm not so sure about that...
Signed! :) Good luck to my next-door neighbors in the Great White North.
Canada is a cool place! Don't let this instance stop you from believing that! :) In fact, this issue has gone back to parliament and the Liberal and NDP parties have spoken out against it (probably because it's so close to election time). The fight is on.
Also, an interesting anecdote someone on the interwebs noted:
(http://i.imgur.com/M3G7f.png)
Quote from: MusicallyInspired on February 01, 2011, 11:05:48 PM
Canada is a cool place! Don't let this instance stop you from believing that! :) In fact, this issue has gone back to parliament and the Liberal and NDP parties have spoken out against it (probably because it's so close to election time). The fight is on.
Also, an interesting anecdote someone on the interwebs noted:
(http://i.imgur.com/M3G7f.png)
Well then maybe I'll still move to Canada some day. But bandwidth caps and metering and all that stuff is wrong. Has anyone here ever heard of a group called Anonymous? I'm sure they'd have something to say about this. They've already spoken out against the internet lockup of Egypt, they launched Operation:Payback to bring down Mastercard and Visa's websites using DDoS attacks to support WikiLeaks. Overall, I'm a big fan of Anonymous... And I'm a HUGE proponent of Net Neutrality. The day the FCC announced that it had (essentially) caved in to
Comcrap Comcast, I wept inside, and started getting plane tickets to Canada ready. Then I realized I had nowhere to stay in Canada, and an education to finish.
Not from Canada but signing it.
Signed!
Weird Al - Canadian Idiot (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1Jybmtvcxw) :P
Signed.
Quote from: MusicallyInspired on February 01, 2011, 11:05:48 PM
Canada is a cool place! Don't let this instance stop you from believing that! :) In fact, this issue has gone back to parliament and the Liberal and NDP parties have spoken out against it (probably because it's so close to election time). The fight is on.
Also, an interesting anecdote someone on the interwebs noted:
(http://i.imgur.com/M3G7f.png)
that sounds interesting.
I'm not leaving my east coast though. :)
Quote from: dark-daventry on February 01, 2011, 11:15:06 PM. . . they launched Operation:Payback to bring down Mastercard and Visa's websites using DDoS attacks to support WikiLeaks.
I find it incredibly hard to support anyone that does this, not because of WikiLeaks (I don't know how I feel about them) but because DDoSing websites is illegal.
But this metering internet stuff certainly sounds pretty dumb. :no:
Signed!
Signed. Being also Canadian, I know how you feel MusicallyInspired.
Unfortunately, this sort of thing have been going on for decades. The CRTC was solely created to defend Canadian monopolies, not small businesses, not to encourage healthy competition and definitely not to defend Canadian customers' rights.
Quote from: dark-daventry on February 01, 2011, 11:15:06 PM
Well then maybe I'll still move to Canada some day. But bandwidth caps and metering and all that stuff is wrong.
Not wanting to discourage you, but we have the 3rd highest cellphone rate in the world (if not the highest, it's being a while since I checked the numbers). There are "Canadian quotas" that any broadcaster (TV, radio, etc) must fulfil, "otherwise it might hurt Canadian-produced content." And the list goes on.
Maybe a little tour as a tourist before moving?
Quote from: Ravager on February 02, 2011, 04:10:54 PM
Signed. Being also Canadian, I know how you feel MusicallyInspired.
Unfortunately, this sort of thing have been going on for decades. The CRTC was solely created to defend Canadian monopolies, not small businesses, not to encourage healthy competition and definitely not to defend Canadian customers' rights.
Quote from: dark-daventry on February 01, 2011, 11:15:06 PM
Well then maybe I'll still move to Canada some day. But bandwidth caps and metering and all that stuff is wrong.
Not wanting to discourage you, but we have the 3rd highest cellphone rate in the world (if not the highest, it's being a while since I checked the numbers). There are "Canadian quotas" that any broadcaster (TV, radio, etc) must fulfil, "otherwise it might hurt Canadian-produced content." And the list goes on.
Maybe a little tour as a tourist before moving?
Well, is America higher or lower on the list of cell phone rates? Because if it's higher, then all the better! Besides, I'm paying through the butt right now for my unlimited plan from Verizon for my Fascinate. It's worth it though; a 2GB cap would be blown through in two minutes for me. Having an unlimited plan is always good, which is why I'm sticking with Verizon right now. They have good service, they finally have the iPhone, and they launched their LTE network in 38 territories so far. I'm in one of those 38 territories, so I'm pretty happy.
I tried to look around on the net. Studies varies from website to website. This one is from October 2010 and it says we're higher than the US:
http://hothardware.com/News/Canada-the-US-consistently-among-the-top-in-cell-phone-service-pricing/
Quote from: Ravager on February 02, 2011, 06:26:36 PM
I tried to look around on the net. Studies varies from website to website. This one is from October 2010 and it says we're higher than the US:
http://hothardware.com/News/Canada-the-US-consistently-among-the-top-in-cell-phone-service-pricing/
That's a little discouraging... Well, I'm not planning on moving any time soon. I'm still in college anyway.
Looks like it's been turned around!
Ottawa Threatens to Reverse CRTC Decision on Internet Billing (http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/932571--ottawa-threatens-to-reverse-crtc-decision-on-internet-billing)
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OTTAWA—A controversial CRTC decision that effectively imposed usage-based Internet billing on small service providers will be reversed, the Toronto Star has learned.
"The CRTC should be under no illusion — the Prime Minister and minister of Industry will reverse this decision unless the CRTC does it itself," a senior Conservative government official said Wednesday.
"If they don't reconsider we will reverse their decision."
The promise to reverse the ruling comes as CRTC Chair Konrad von Finckenstein is scheduled to explain the decision Thursday before the House of Commons industry committee.
While the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission is an independent agency, its decision can be overturned by cabinet. The Star was told that could happen as early as next week.
The CRTC decision has sparked outrage across the country with Canadians rushing to sign petitions asking the Conservative government to reverse it. Industry Minister Tony Clement has received tens of thousands of emails requesting that it be struck down.
"Frankly, a decision like this is clearly not in the best interest of consumers," the senior official said.
"This is a bread-and-butter issue."
The CRTC's ruling affects the wholesale business of the major Internet service providers, who sell capacity to smaller resellers. To encourage competition, major telecom operators that have spent heavily on infrastructure are required to lease bandwidth on their networks to small providers.
Major providers charge customers extra if they download more than the monthly limits they set, typically between 20 and 60 gigabytes. Small providers, however, offer plans with 200 gigabyte ceilings and even unlimited use.
The issue came to a head last week, when the CRTC denied independent service providers the right to continue offering unlimited Internet plans.
Although critics say the CRTC ruling will lead to lower download limits and higher rates, major Internet service providers say usage-based billing based is fair because it means heavy users pay more than those who just surf the web and use email.
As it invests billions in new broadband capacity, Bell says old pricing structures need to be brought in line with the huge amount of growth in Internet usage. Businesses and consumers are increasingly relying on the Internet to download videos, documents and even software. Rogers says its customers are using about 40 per cent more data each year.
Consumers' Association of Canada president Bruce Cran said the CRTC decision is nothing but corporate gouging by Canada's monopolistic communications companies.
John Reid, president of CATA Alliance, a group that advocates for innovation in Canada, said, "This has to be a decision that Canada makes — that it wants to be the best in the world in the provision of high-speed Internet."
He added, however, that usage-based billing is not the answer.
"You don't want to stifle the sort of richness that comes from using high-speed Internet," says Reid.
Good. :)
Yay! !!!
Now if only the FCC would do the same thing about their Net Neutrality decisions and the Comcast-NBC merger. One company owning the pipes that brings me content and the content itself is extremely dangerous, and there's no doubt in my mind that Comcast/NBC are going to abuse that power. If not now, then eventually. It's going to happen. Mark my words. We can't let Net Neutrality fall (ok, well technically it's too late. It already has fallen in the U.S.). I'm glad Canada is choosing the good path. Makes me want to move there sooner. As for the U.S., well, I lose more faith in the government here day by day. When I was kid, everything was better. The Rugrats wouldn't lie to me, would they? XD
Net Neutrality will live forever. If it ever dies half the world will stop using the internet. Including me.
Quote from: MusicallyInspired on February 03, 2011, 02:10:23 PM
Net Neutrality will live forever. If it ever dies half the world will stop using the internet. Including me.
It's already died in the U.S. The FCC passed rules that regulate the internet and give Comcast and other ISP's the right to block internet content. It's not necessarily the end I suppose, but it's a decision that is one step closer to the end of net neutrality. I'm very disappointed in the FCC. It was their job to protect the neutrality of the internet, and I feel like they've failed me. I shouldn't feel that way about my government. Here's (http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/21/fcc-passes-limited-net-neutrality-rules-almost-no-one-happy-abo/) an article about the rules passed.
So you have to pay for certain packages to access specific websites now?
Quote from: MusicallyInspired on February 03, 2011, 05:09:41 PM
So you have to pay for certain packages to access specific websites now?
It's not to that point yet, but based on the path things are heading, we will eventually. Especially if
Comcrap Comcast has anything to say about it.
That's awful. I'm sure something will happen for the better against it, though. Always does with these things.
Quote from: MusicallyInspired on February 03, 2011, 10:51:49 PM
That's awful. I'm sure something will happen for the better against it, though. Always does with these things.
Haha if only. Sadly, America doesn't work like that. This decision is likely to get worse rather than better. It's all about money here in the States. These big corporations want more green pieces of paper. They don't care about the consumer. They care about becoming richer and richer. They figure, "hey,
I can afford the highest tiered internet plan, so what do I care?", and honestly, that's a very bad mentality to have. The worst part? That's not much of an exaggeration. The American public either knows nothing about the dangers of losing Net Neutrality (or know nothing about it to begin with) or simply don't care for whatever reason. There are no TV adds promoting Net Neutrality (at least none that I can see), nothing to inform people on what it is and what will happen if Comcast has its way. It's sad really to have such an uninformed public. I'm not saying that goes for everyone, but I see it as more of a general idea. I meet a lot of people outside of my school (I'm majoring in web design for the time being, and one of the first things they teach us is Net Neutrality and why losing it is a VERY bad thing) that know absolutely nothing about the topic. They've never heard of it before in their lives. Such a serious issue gets little to no important press time.
Quote from: dark-daventry on February 03, 2011, 11:29:31 PM
Quote from: MusicallyInspired on February 03, 2011, 10:51:49 PM
That's awful. I'm sure something will happen for the better against it, though. Always does with these things.
Haha if only. Sadly, America doesn't work like that. This decision is likely to get worse rather than better. It's all about money here in the States. These big corporations want more green pieces of paper. They don't care about the consumer. They care about becoming richer and richer. They figure, "hey, I can afford the highest tiered internet plan, so what do I care?", and honestly, that's a very bad mentality to have. The worst part? That's not much of an exaggeration. The American public either knows nothing about the dangers of losing Net Neutrality (or know nothing about it to begin with) or simply don't care for whatever reason. There are no TV adds promoting Net Neutrality (at least none that I can see), nothing to inform people on what it is and what will happen if Comcast has its way. It's sad really to have such an uninformed public. I'm not saying that goes for everyone, but I see it as more of a general idea. I meet a lot of people outside of my school (I'm majoring in web design for the time being, and one of the first things they teach us is Net Neutrality and why losing it is a VERY bad thing) that know absolutely nothing about the topic. They've never heard of it before in their lives. Such a serious issue gets little to no important press time.
I used to think like you, back when I was 19 and didn't have any real responsibilities or serious bills to pay. ;) The fact is, the richer corporations get, the more people they hire, and the more people can support their families and live nice, comfortable lives. You'd be singing quite a different tune if you relied on those same "evil corporations" for your salary, insurance, and general livelihood.
That said, I hate Comcast with a passion and fully support Net Neutrality. I have just come to realize the fallacy of the liberal "anti-corporation" agenda.