Internet Billing changes March 1st...

word

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/gadgets-and-gear/hugh-thompson/what-is-a-fair-price-for-internet-service/article1890596/

Some of the highlights of the article for those too lazy.
Pretty revealing I must say.

"While Internet traffic grew at a rate of around 50 per cent per year in the last decade, The University of Minnesota and other researchers have found that processing power, hard disk densities and transmission rates grew at rates closer to 60 per cent per year over the same period. In addition, the servers and routers and other electrical equipment that are the backbone of the Internet are much more energy efficient than they were ten years ago, which has dramatically reduced the cost of operations."

"The fact that Bell is able to sell 40 GB of data to wholesalers for $4.25 and still make a profit demonstrates that the true cost of data transfer is well below the 10.5 cents per gigabyte they are charging wholesalers. One TPIA provider agreed the 3 cents per gigabyte figure is probably close to the true cost."

"Shaw and Rogers are charging consumers between 10 and 50 times what it costs them to deliver data. This on top of their regular monthly Internet pricing!"

Hey wadayouknow….the gove is going to overrule this.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Harper+Conservatives+quash+CRTC+decision+killing+unlimited+Internet/4214166/story.html

Don't get too happy with the "retraction".

Here's some choice bits from a meeting with the CRTC and the House of Commons. The CRTC is pissed that the internets are being "clogged" and they are not going to let this drop.

Speaking at a House of Commons hearing today, the head of Canada's telecoms regulator made it clear that metered billing rules would indeed be delayed - but they could well reappear.
...
CRTC still wants to 'find economic ways to discipline the use of the Internet,' von Finckenstein said in response to a question.
...
Besides, metering isn't new - 'we're doing exactly the same thing with electricity.'

What the shit? Disciplining the internet? I'm SURE that is good for innovation in Canada…

It is totally different.

The CRTC was trying to FORCE companies to put these rules in to place. Telus ans shaw should be able to charge based on useage if they want (heck they've had it on the books for years) but someone else should be able to offer unlimited if they think they can better serve the market, no?

It is pretty tough to argue against.

My bad - I misinterpreted.

I don't buy the "unlimited" offerings. Lots of providers (other countries) provided unlimited data, but there's almost always a caveat. Their definition of unlimited may actually mean 200GB. Or, after you use a certain amount of data, they start throttling (this is very common). Look at cellular providers, such as Rogers. They initially offered "unlimited browsing" for $7 a month. When they started selling smartphones with full HTML browsers and HSPA support, it caused a lot of problems.

Anyone know what the rationale for the CRTC to be forcing companies to start charging for over usage? Do they want to see the traffic lowered? Is it a cash grab pushed by the larger players?

Crtc messes things up -

so where does streaming fit into this? It's not being downloaded (well except if you use capture software). I'm thinking youtube, watching sports online and the biggie for me streaming interweb radio.

Looks like Telus has a 3month lag on usage reporting, so that might preclude a warning as you approach your monthly limit.

How is traffic to/from your ISP different from download/upload usage, or are they the same?

Is it a cash grab pushed by the larger players?

yes

How is traffic to/from your ISP different from download/upload usage, or are they the same?

the same

but I didn't download it. I was just sitting on the porch @ my IP addy watching the information superhighway go by. Sure I looked and listened to what whizzed by (how could I not, it's pretty noisy) but I sure didn't take any of it to keep.

Finkenstein is tasked with regulating something that he know absolutely nothing about, which is sacry. Too much to ask that, when making these decisions, that you at least be marginally up to speed on the subject?

"You only have to worry about the 25GB cap if you're a heavy video user or are playing three-dimensional games."

Anyone know what the rationale for the CRTC to be forcing companies to start charging for over usage? Do they want to see the traffic lowered? Is it a cash grab pushed by the larger players?

The rationale is in the CRTC Decision 2011-44 with more background in CRTC Decision 2010-255 including the rates Bell charges resellers in the appendix. It's not easy reading. I work for TELUS and I won't pretend to fully understand it. The opinions below are my own and not endorsed by TELUS.

My understanding is that the CRTC forces big ISPs such as Bell [HTML_REMOVED] TELUS to sell network access to resellers at a discount (15%?) to the retail per user price for the flat monthly rate. The CRTC ruling is that the discount is not applied to overage charges. The resellers claim this will force them to discontinue plans with unlimited usage.

Bell hopes that this will "shape end-user behaviour", i.e. bandwidth hogs will scale back their usage.

UBB has always been on most plans. People haven't noticed them because the ISPs keep increasing the usage caps. There's a lot of misinformation out there spreading FUD.

Check your ISP plan. Get informed. Form an opinion. If you need more usage and a competitor has a better plan, then go for it!

It say's alot when 3rd wold countries have better internet then we do.

The rationale is in the CRTC Decision 2011-44 with more background in CRTC Decision 2010-255 including the rates Bell charges resellers in the appendix. It's not easy reading. I work for TELUS and I won't pretend to fully understand it. The opinions below are my own and not endorsed by TELUS.

My understanding is that the CRTC forces big ISPs such as Bell [HTML_REMOVED] TELUS to sell network access to resellers at a discount (15%?) to the retail per user price for the flat monthly rate. The CRTC ruling is that the discount is not applied to overage charges. The resellers claim this will force them to discontinue plans with unlimited usage.

Bell hopes that this will "shape end-user behaviour", i.e. bandwidth hogs will scale back their usage.

UBB has always been on most plans. People haven't noticed them because the ISPs keep increasing the usage caps. There's a lot of misinformation out there spreading FUD.

Check your ISP plan. Get informed. Form an opinion. If you need more usage and a competitor has a better plan, then go for it!

Bell can suck it. I am sure the bandwidth hogs are out there, but considering that Netflix came to Canada just a few months back the timing on this is more than suspect. The entertainment industry is all over streaming content and people are being pushed to use the "cloud" for storing files so the average person's usage today may be nothing compared to their usage in a few years. This ruling makes me feel like a coke addict that just realized only the first one is free.

Bell can suck it.

Fuck Bell.

so where does streaming fit into this? It's not being downloaded (well except if you use capture software). I'm thinking youtube, watching sports online and the biggie for me streaming interweb radio.

Looks like Telus has a 3month lag on usage reporting, so that might preclude a warning as you approach your monthly limit.

How is traffic to/from your ISP different from download/upload usage, or are they the same?

If the bits get to your computer, then it part of your usage. The bits don't care if they're stored to disk or not!

Glad you're checking you usage. The next step is to compare that to your plan. TELUS plans are here. Shaw plans are here.