Help Canada not get screwed by our ISPs
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- ok_not_ok0
At&t Canada did the same thing in the late 90's when I was still living in Toronto, it didn't work. They lost customers who decided to move to another company that offered unlimited usage.
- pizzafire0
here's an interesting scenario:
"The assignment: to build a website, rich in video and interactive features, that would outline to the public the benefits of a huge proposed infrastructure project.
The discussions kept getting derailed by the same concern. In Canada, many Internet customers have strict limits on the amount of data they can download and upload. If they go over those limits, Internet providers such as BCE Inc.’s (BCE-T) Bell Canada unit and Rogers Communications Inc., (RCI.B-T) charge them extra fees. Would this website actually use up too much of the Internet?"
- kgvs720
Visit our website* . . . .
*Standard rates may apply.
- Julesvm0
got this from my ISP yesterday.
:(
Usage Based Billing-UBB
As some of you know, the CRTC recently rendered a decision forcing all independent DSL and Cable Internet providers to substantially match incumbent (like Bell) usage rate caps. This will influence all of our internet service packages eventually, but DSL residential customers in Ontario and Quebec first, as of March 1. Along with you, we are not pleased with this, and our view is more fully expressed in our press release which you can find here: http://www.teksavvynews.com/
From March 1 on, users of the up to 5 Mbps packages in Ontario can expect a usage cap of 25GB (60GB in Quebec), substantially down from the 200GB or unlimited deals TekSavvy was able to offer before the CRTC's decision to impose usage based billing. Users who were on unlimited package rates will be returned to $31.95 capped rates although larger blocks of bandwidth can be purchased.*
In order to facilitate this transition we have constructed a new easy-to-navigate portal at https://myworld.teksavvy.com where our customers can choose from the amended and new packages.
The details of our new rate plans and charges can be found there. You will be able to register using the account information found at the end of this email. More on the portal below. In addition, in order to accommodate these changes, we have amended our Terms of Service, primarily regarding implementation. The amended Terms form part of your Agreement with TekSavvy and can be viewed at https://secure.teksavvy.com/en/t….Please note if you do not choose a new service before March 1, 2011, your existing package will be transitioned into an amended package. Existing packages and the ones they will be replaced with in each case can be found at http://teksavvy.com/en/faq-ubb_o… for Ontario and http://teksavvy.com/en/faq-ubb_q… for Quebec.
Content and data like Netflix, YouTube, IPTV, large file downloads or other streaming services can consume large amounts of bandwidth and place your cap limits in jeopardy very quickly. We encourage you to monitor your usage carefully, as the CRTC has imposed a very high overage rate, above your new monthly limit, of $1.90 per gigabyte ($2.35 per gigabyte in Quebec).
The CRTC did however provide an option for insurance usage blocks at $4.75 per 40GB block per month, which can be purchased if you want to reduce your cost for use above 25GB (60GB in Quebec).
Ontario and Quebec up to 5 Mbps users with a monthly limit of 25GB and 60GB respectively:
- Peter0
I haven't got that much interest in recent changes in Canadian laws, or Canada, but I do like to know if this is some knee-jerk reaction to piracy?
You can't stop people sharing gbs of movies, but we can restrict internet access....that sort of thing?
Because really...who youtubes 25gb a month?
- People will youtube 25GB in the near future.nb
- per day. how badass will that bereinitialize
- i_monk0
Dear TekSavvy Customer,
Because of your support and participation in reaching out to the various MPs and the Minister of Industry we're pleased to announce that the March 1st UBB implementation date has been suspended indefinitely.
With over 460,000 signatures having been sent to Parliament Minister Clement and the Industry committee requested the CRTC review its recent decision in full, which it has obliged and are now doing. Until this review has occurred UBB over DSL has been completely shelved. Minister Clement also added they would overturn the review should it resemble in any way to the previous outcome!
So, congratulations to all who've spoken up about this issue, you've made a huge difference. As a Canadian, today, I can honestly say it's refreshing to know politicians do listen and will affect change when the public at large shows concern!
Effective March 1st we are going to move forward and make changes to the Usage, but we're going to make it a positive one!
We are reinstating the Unlimited package but the 200GB package will be changed... to 300GB! UBB is about Internet Costs, and as a result of lower costs with our providers (Peer1, Lime Light, etc...), costs outside our relationship with companies like Bell, we are extending the savings on to you, the clients... Enjoy!
- i_monk0
tl;dr – Instead of cutting my cap from 200gb to 25, they're upping it to 300gb.
- Julesvm0
i_monk, when did you get that e-mail? I'm on teksavvy and I've heard no such thing. Although I really want to...
- Dodecahedron0
Do you think they proposed this knowing it would be stopped by the Conservative government subsequently making them look better and possibly gaining a few additional votes so they'll stay?
- CRTC play badguy for the Corporate Conservatives to get a few votes?Dodecahedron
- ETM0
Those of you using smaller, independent ISPs may not enjoy the benefits of lower prices anymore. The CRTC ruling also means that small ISPs that buy bandwidth from large ones for resale, also have to pay additional bandwidth fees back at only a 15% discount, leaving slim margins.
- moldero0
bye bye youtube, hello again HTML you boring ass mother fucker
- transmission0
what kinds of download/upload speeds are you getting with teksavvy?
is it a good service?
- zarkonite0
This CRTC ruling doesn't change much for most people, and it certainly doesn't mean higher costs for everyone.
Right now all the major ISPs (Telus, Bell, Rogers) have plans with data caps and metered internet usage. What this ruling means is that the second-tier ISPs, those who don't own any infrastructure and are simply renting it out from the big three, now have to pay for their usage. Prior to this there was a flat access fee enforced by law, this was put into place to help competition along and boost an emerging market... which is probably not needed anymore at this point, the idea was that smaller ISPs could provide service in areas where the big telcos didn't think it was economically viable to do so but I'm pretty sure that between Telus, Rogers, Bell, Shaw, Videotron, Cogeco, etc. the country has all the internet access it needs.
Here's the current problem the CRTC is trying to solve: if a Tier-2 ISP starts using too much bandwidth in a certain area and since the Tier-1 ISP can't charge extra to the Tier-2 ISP for their abusive usage, who do you think ends up paying? That's right, the Tier-1 users. This flat rate that a Tier-2 gives its users, is being subsidized by Tier-1 users.
That's not to say that I don't think ALL the ISPs are going way overboard with their metered charges, but that's another debate entirely that this whole "save the internet" campaign has missed an opportunity to talk about the real problem, total cost being charged to access the net in Canada.
- Shaw dropped the cap on my plan from 170GB to 100GB using this as a flimsy excuse.ETM
- i_monk0
When Bell isn't throttling me I get 350+kbpsbbqs down. No idea up, I don't pay attention to that. Bell throttles between 4 or 5pm and midnight. They're assdicks and I hate them.
- Julesvm0
yeah... it's real
- decisionman0
Looks like we won.