You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!
The banners on the left side and below do not show for registered users!
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact contact us.
Vancouver Off-Topic / Current EventsThe off-topic forum for Vancouver, funnies, non-auto centered discussions, WORK SAFE. While the rules are more relaxed here, there are still rules. Please refer to sticky thread in this forum.
Canadian Government to Force CRTC to Rescind Metered Internet Ruling
Quote:
Canada’s embattled telecom regulator has announced it will review its controversial decision to effectively end “unlimited access” Internet plans in the wake of complaints from consumers and the Harper government threat to reverse the ruling.
“In light of these requests and the evident concerns expressed by Canadians, the Commission has decided to delay the implementation of usage-based billing for wholesale customers by at least 60 days,” CRTC chair Konrad von Finckenstein told a Commons committee on Thursday.
More related to this story
* High stakes in bandwidth battle
* CRTC will rescind ‘unlimited use’ Internet decision – or Ottawa will overturn it
* Second-guessing the CRTC comes at a price
Wires connecting servers installed by telecommunications and IT companies in the building located on 151Front Street. Owned by Allied Properties REIT, the place is dedicated to rent space to companies in need of high volumes data storage and traffic. Toronto September 08, 2010. (Fernando Morales/The Globe and Mail)
Media
Read the CRTC chairman's speech on Internet billing
Konrad von Finckenstein, chairman of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, waits to testify before the Commons industry committee on Feb. 3, 2011.
As It Happened
MPs rake CRTC chairman over Internet-billing coals
“[We will] launch, of our own motion, a review of our decision.”
His announcement comes less than one day after the Industry Minister delivered an ultimatum to the CRTC, warning Ottawa will scrap its decision if the regulator doesn’t rescind it itself.
Tony Clement made the surprise announcement late Wednesday night via his Twitter account.
The Conservative government has taken a keen interest in the CRTC ruling that's sparked a massive consumer backlash and caught the attention of all political parties in Ottawa.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper personally intervened on the file to signal his displeasure this week.
Reversing the CRTC decision would mean that independent Internet service providers would not be forced to switch to per-byte billing from "unlimited access" accounts.
It would not prevent the big Internet providers from continuing to use metered billing as they have for years. But the fact that smaller providers could offer unlimited accounts has likely acted as a competitive check on the market and helped keep prices from rising.
Mr. Clement and the Harper cabinet have overturned the CRTC before, of course, by striking down the regulator's ruling that Globalive, which now operates Wind Mobile, couldn't launch service in the regulated sector because of foreign financial backing.
On Tuesday, Mr. Harper himself took the unusual step of intervening in the controversy, putting more heft behind Mr. Clement's move to review the CRTC ruling – a strong sign of the Conservatives' displeasure with the regulator's decision.
Edit: this is only for independent telecoms, so if Shaw wants to stay competitive they will likely have to follow suit or lose all their customers. (can't edit title)
Edit: this is only for independent telecoms, so if Shaw wants to stay competitive they will likely have to follow suit or lose all their customers. (can't edit title)
What alternatives to Shaw and Telus are there that cover most of B.C.?
Don't get your hopes up of Shaw stopping UBB.
__________________ Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.
What alternatives to Shaw and Telus are there that cover most of B.C.?
Don't get your hopes up of Shaw stopping UBB.
The way I see it, this is only a band-aid fix, for the time-being, this provides consumers an option to switch to Teksavvy, which provides an unlimited bandwidth option here in BC.
In the long run, if Shaw and Telus doesn't change its internet options, they are toast.
I just received this e-mail from Michael Ignatieff
Quote:
It’s another step towards an open and competitive internet in Canada, and it's thanks to you.
Late last night, news broke that Tony Clement will ask the Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to reverse their decision on usage-based internet billing – a decision that allows internet service providers to impose download limits and new fees.
Our work is not yet done. We need to keep up the pressure until the CRTC’s decision is reversed once and for all.
Canadian families and businesses need open, affordable, unlimited internet access. The future of our economy depends on it. The Conservative government should have known that from the start.
When messages like yours reached us this past weekend – on Twitter and Facebook, by email, phone and fax – my Liberal colleagues and I knew what we had to do.
On Tuesday morning, we sided with you against the CRTC’s decision. By the end of the day, Liberal MPs on the Industry Committee had already begun an investigation. Then, yesterday, we kept the pressure on the Conservative government during Question Period in the House of Commons. At tonight’s meeting of the Industry Committee, Liberal MPs will tell CRTC Chair Konrad von Finckenstein to reverse course.
This isn't the first time that you’ve stared down the Conservatives over an open internet — and that's why tens of thousands of you visited our action page at http://www.liberal.ca/ubb/, to join our digital policy email list and help carry the fight into Parliament.
This is your movement. You rallied on Twitter. You wrote emails and called Tony Clement’s office. You made the difference.
We all know that there are wider issues at stake here. After five years of Stephen Harper, Canada still has no digital plan. The Conservatives’ proposed copyright bill contains unfair digital lock provisions. Canadians are less connected and face higher internet costs than citizens of other OECD countries. And don’t even get me started on the long-form census.
Liberals have been engaged on these issues. In 2009, we worked with the Openmedia.ca / Save Our Net Coalition on Net Neutrality, a position that we support wholeheartedly. Last fall, we announced our Open Government Initiative, which will make government data accessible to all Canadians.
At the heart of our digital policy is a core Liberal value: we must make Canada more competitive and more innovative. That means expanding high-speed internet access to every region of the country, fair and equitable wholesale access, and transparent pricing.
We must build a digital strategy for Canada that embraces the energy, entrepreneurial spirit, and innovative creativity of consumers, businesses and digital influencers like you.
We'll keep the pressure on the Conservatives in Parliament to make sure they follow through and reverse the CRTC’s decision on usage-based billing. This victory is just a taste of what we can accomplish, if we continue this fight together.
I hope you’ll join the Liberal Party's digital policy email list at http://www.liberal.ca/ubb/. Let’s build a more open, more competitive future for Canada.
The way I see it, this is only a band-aid fix, for the time-being, this provides consumers an option to switch to Teksavvy, which provides an unlimited bandwidth option here in BC.
In the long run, if Shaw and Telus doesn't change its internet options, they are toast.
Teksavvy is not available on the Island and I believe it's only available in some parts of the lower mainland.
__________________ Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.
Fuck Michael Ignatieff. Hes just jumping on the bandwagon of objecting to an unpopular decision to improve his image.
Oh, and TekSavvy is a DSL company which means you need a phone connection and a dry line with an associated phone number. It means you'll still be paying Telus one way or another and it also means for a limited coverage area.
good news but all this whole bs did was scare consumers and force them to re examine their options and ultimately dump shaw for telus which is a better deal in every way. this might just lead to shaw's downfall giving telus to do w/e they want. either that or telus will have a crazy market share and...well...do w/e they want. until new options enter the market without being limited (like whats finally slowly starting to happen with the cell phone network industry) we're gonna keep getting fucked. i wish canada would take a lesson from europe or asia and realize that giving consumers a decent deal leads to way better business Posted via RS Mobile
I just received this e-mail from Michael Ignatieff
wow, i wonder how every major news service could have gotten this news so wrong -- with everyone reporting that it was stephen harper that personally intervened ... not the liberals as ignatieff has said!
man i love how harper has basically said 'fuck you' to the CRTC twice, which BOTH times are awesome for us canadians.
pretty ironic that harper wants big internet copyright laws, but stands up for unlimted internet, which is pretty much only for the people who download illegal stuff. as no normal user goes over a cap.
pretty ironic that harper wants big internet copyright laws, but stands up for unlimted internet, which is pretty much only for the people who download illegal stuff. as no normal user goes over a cap.
C'mon, there r more way to hit ur cap other than downloading illegal stuff. Streaming HD content itself takes up slot. And there is something call Steam when you actually downlaod games LEGALLY, just to name a few. Open ur eyes man. Posted via RS Mobile
pretty ironic that harper wants big internet copyright laws, but stands up for unlimted internet, which is pretty much only for the people who download illegal stuff. as no normal user goes over a cap.
Yeah but it's the principle of it
If I'm not mistaken, it's to allow competition - the copyright issue is completely seperate and should not be adressed through this channel. From what I understand if they ban unlimited bandwidth, the up and comers will dry out, and then what options do you really have?
I don't understand the reasoning behind all this. If a provider can offer unlimited bandwidth - what's the problem with that? Did the fucking CRTC jackass who hawked this idea in the first place get a blowjob from telus and shaw execs or something?
__________________ Moderator Vancouver Automotive Chat | Vancouver Off-Topic
__________________
REVscene.net - Vancouver's #1 Automotive Forum and Classified's Site!
Interested in advertising with REVSCENE? Join our roster of Brian Jessel BMW, EBISU Robson, Blitz Gear, Soundworks, and dozens of the Lower Mainlands BUSIEST and most SUCCESSFUL small and medium businesses! Let us take you to the next level with our Incredibly affordable and effective packages Advertisement@revscene.net
Last edited by CanadaGoose; 02-03-2011 at 08:55 PM.
pretty ironic that harper wants big internet copyright laws, but stands up for unlimted internet, which is pretty much only for the people who download illegal stuff. as no normal user goes over a cap.
LOL this has nothing to do with "unlimited internet" and if you don't think the average user could easily reach 75GB/month (the Shaw High Speed cap) then you are ignorant.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tachycardia!
Fuck Michael Ignatieff. Hes just jumping on the bandwagon of objecting to an unpopular decision to improve his image.
Oh, and TekSavvy is a DSL company which means you need a phone connection and a dry line with an associated phone number. It means you'll still be paying Telus one way or another and it also means for a limited coverage area.
Teksavvy does cable internet, and has entered trials in the Vancouver area.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CanadaGoose
Yeah but it's the principle of it
If I'm not mistaken, it's to allow competition - the copyright issue is completely seperate and should not be adressed through this channel. From what I understand if they ban unlimited bandwidth, the up and comers will dry out, and then what options do you really have?
I don't understand the reasoning behind all this. If a provider can offer unlimited bandwidth - what's the problem with that? Did the fucking CRTC jackass who hawked this idea in the first place get a blowjob from telus and shaw execs or something?
Shaw/Telus (or Rogers/Bell in east) were basically given a duopoly on the market when the CRTC gave them the right to build out infrastructure. All other ISP's like Teksavvy are using the big 4 lines which were payed off years ago. The latest ruling would give Bell and Telus the right to force their pricing on the smaller ISP's like Teksavvy eliminating the little competition we have.
---
Even if this current ruling is overruled this doesn't eliminate UBB on the regular user.
Shaw has still lowered caps from 100GB to 75GB (125 to 100GB on extreme) and will still begin enforcing the caps on March 1st. Overages start at $1 per 1GB, when in fact it costs them close to 3 cents per gigabyte. This is about the big media conglomerates protecting their traditional revenue sources.
Shaw/Telus (or Rogers/Bell in east) were basically given a duopoly on the market when the CRTC gave them the right to build out infrastructure. All other ISP's like Teksavvy are using the big 4 lines which were payed off years ago. The latest ruling would give Bell and Telus the right to force their pricing on the smaller ISP's like Teksavvy eliminating the little competition we have.[/B]
When it comes to telecom companies in Canada, it seems like we're seriously getting shafted hard. A duopoly is probably the last thing we ever needed, the fact the CRTC would even support that (knowingly or indirectly by just giving them the rights, I have no idea) is a joke to me. Isn't part of the CRTC's resposibility regulating telecommunications companies? I don't know much about these kind of things...but if they're actions cause consumers to lose out on competitive pricing, what the fuck was the point of giving them jurisdiction in the first place....what a bunch of clowns.
I'm glad Harper will overturn this if it comes to it.
*edit*
I wouldn't doubt it only cost media congloms a few cents per additional GB. I can never really understand how they get away with that level of markup to consumers (lack of competition probably doesn't help either)....price gouging up the mother farking arsehole
__________________ Moderator Vancouver Automotive Chat | Vancouver Off-Topic
__________________
REVscene.net - Vancouver's #1 Automotive Forum and Classified's Site!
Interested in advertising with REVSCENE? Join our roster of Brian Jessel BMW, EBISU Robson, Blitz Gear, Soundworks, and dozens of the Lower Mainlands BUSIEST and most SUCCESSFUL small and medium businesses! Let us take you to the next level with our Incredibly affordable and effective packages Advertisement@revscene.net
Last edited by CanadaGoose; 02-03-2011 at 09:17 PM.
For anyone interested, Teksavvys position on the entire issue. This probably explains this way better than I can. Thanks to woob in the other thread for linking this.
On the topic of Shaw...their the worst company to deal with on the corporate level. I've never dealt more arrogant bastards, same with Telus.
Shaw for the most part doesn't give two shits about the CRTC. They shift TV channels around without warning customers, refuse to put cat 1. mandatory channels and now this mess with bandwidth. Before Jim Shaw was basically forced out he would basically walk into CRTC hearings and tell them to shove decisions against his company up their ass. I guess this is what happens when you basically create an monopoly which in return make companies like Shaw extremely powerful who forget their customers and make rules to feed their greed.
When it comes to telecom companies in Canada, it seems like we're seriously getting shafted hard. A duopoly is probably the last thing we ever needed, the fact the CRTC would even support that (knowingly or indirectly by just giving them the rights, I have no idea) is a joke to me. Isn't part of the CRTC's resposibility regulating telecommunications companies? I don't know much about these kind of things...but if they're actions cause consumers to lose out on competitive pricing, what the fuck was the point of giving them jurisdiction in the first place....what a bunch of clowns.
I'm glad Harper will overturn this if it comes to it.
*edit*
I wouldn't doubt it only cost media congloms a few cents per additional GB. I can never really understand how they get away with that level of markup to consumers (lack of competition probably doesn't help either)....price gouging up the mother farking arsehole
Because the major telecommunication companies built the infrastructure themselves and they should have control over their own property. They should be able to charge as much as they like - I'm not sure I like the decision by the Harper government to remove that right in principle.
The problem with broadband network in Canada is the lack of foreign investment (due to CRTC regulations) and population density. In a perfect capitalist world we would have competition between various different companies which will drive prices down. But because we have such strict regulation regarding foreign investment/ownership it really stagnates development. I do think the Harper government took the right step in terms of driving up competition for wireless telecommunications when they approved Wind Mobile to operate in Canada.
In exchange for keeping foreign investment out, which they benefited from while they established themselves, they have to put up with these artificial mechanisms for creating competition.
Overall, is the country better off by having an uncompetitive environment for internet providers in order to uphold some principles? Life is grey..
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!
The banners on the left side and below do not show for registered users!
