Canada Imposing Usage Based Internet Billing?

[Caddys83]

[H]ard|OCP - Canada Imposing Usage Based Internet Billing

Stop The Meter On Your Internet Use | OpenMedia.ca

Are we next?

Apparently Canadians are going to be hit with usage-based billing for their internet access and the good people of Canada aren't too happy about it (who would be?). Instead of taking to the streets with pitchforks and hockey sticks, this page has been set up so you can tell Canadian officials what you think about usage based billing. Thanks to Matt A. for the heads up on this one.



This means we're looking at a future where ISPs will charge per byte, the way they do with smart phones. If we allow this to happen Canadians will have no choice but to pay MUCH more for less Internet. Big Telecom companies are obviously trying to gouge consumers, control the Internet market, and ensure that consumers continue to subscribe to their television services.

[Caddys83]

CRTC firms up pricing rules on Usage Based Billing

CRTC firms up pricing rules on Usage Based Billing : Hugh Thompsons Digital Home

In a telecom decision handed down yesterday, the CRTC has mandated that Bell Canada and other telephone carriers must offer wholesale internet access service providers a 15% discount on retail usage Billing rates beginning March 1, 2011.

Wholesale or third-party Internet access (TPIA) providers, such as Primus Canada or Teksavvy, lease internet capacity from Bell and other telcos and resell Internet services to consumers, typically at rates and service levels superior to the phone companies.
The federal regulators decision means that starting in March, third-party Internet access providers will be required to cap internet usage for consumers in Ontario at 25GB. The regulator has set the cap in Quebec at 60GB.

Beyond the provincial cap, the government is now forcing TPIA providers in to charge internet users a Usage Based premium for any usage beyond the 25GB cap. Beginning March 1st, TPIA customers who exceed their cap will be required to pay $2.00/GB to a maximum of $60.00/month for any additional usage up to 300 GB per month. Usage in excess of 300GB per month will be charged a further $1.10/GB. Usage plans where consumers can purchase blocks of additional date will be offered. The current rate will $5/month for an additional 40GB.

Yesterday?s ruling means TPIA providers will pay the phone companies 85% of the retail rate.

[Skud]

Lucky for BigTwinky he hardly posts anything these days!

[juneau]

Yay for going back to the begining of the internet. I remember the days where it was pay as you go without an initial cap.

Surely this will get thrown out though? It's basically wallet rape.

[DougBob]

Hmmmm, I hope this doesn't trickle down here

[Zantheus]

Well I am slowly feeling the bite here...Im with ROGERS, and I get billed @ $2/gb over my 120gb cap to a max of $50/mth. Considering I dl over 100gb/wk, my bills have doubled lol. Now I pay close to $100/mth

[juneau]

Well I am slowly feeling the bite here...Im with ROGERS, and I get billed @ $2/gb over my 120gb cap to a max of $50/mth. Considering I dl over 100gb/wk, my bills have doubled lol. Now I pay close to $100/mth

That is robbery.

[DougBob]

Well I am slowly feeling the bite here...Im with ROGERS, and I get billed @ $2/gb over my 120gb cap to a max of $50/mth. Considering I dl over 100gb/wk, my bills have doubled lol. Now I pay close to $100/mth

Ouch, I agree with Juneau