OT: Stop The Meter On Your Internet Use

[Technobob]

The rates and caps have been announced by Teksavvy and it looks bad worse then I thought was happening. I can't afford these huge rate increases I'll have no choice but to go back to dialup.

PLEASE! Sign the petition and spread the word


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.*

Ontario and Quebec up to 5 Mbps users – with a monthly limit of 25GB and 60GB respectively: insurance Blocks Offered:
* $4.75 - 40GB extra usage * $9.50 - 80GB extra usage * $14.25 - 120GB extra usage (maximum 3 blocks)
* $55.00 – 275GB extra usage (maximum 240GB extra usage in Quebec)

 

[BlitzkriegTim]

Ok, simplify this for me... I'm not TechnoTim or anything

 

[Can_supplier]

Ok, simplify this for me... I'm not TechnoTim or anything

If you download movies, streaming video like Netflics and many large audio files you will end up paying more. If you email and look at websites it won't make any difference, until you leave something streaming, or your kids try to download the whole internet and you get a massive bill.

Think cell phone.. They give you a plan you think you will never go over, and if you a VERY careful you won't. But for most people it turns their $30/month contract into a $100/month.

 

[BlitzkriegTim]

Ok I see, I'll have to take a look at my contract. I'm with a cable company for tv, phone, and net and it's pretty reasonable, like $130 for all 3 services. Will this change impact cable as well or just DSL?

 

[Can_supplier]

Ok I see, I'll have to take a look at my contract. I'm with a cable company for tv, phone, and net and it's pretty reasonable, like $130 for all 3 services. Will this change impact cable as well or just DSL?

If everything is on one bill it would change the whole bill's total, but it will only apply to Internet part. Your cable TV usage will make no differences.

I am not sure if this change will effect cable internet prices, I would assume it would. Please someone correct me if I am wrong.

 

[BlitzkriegTim]

Looks like I have a 40gb cap, and if I remember correctly when I signed up it was a 30gb cap but they increased it a couple months back at no charge. I only ever went over the cap one time in the last year and that was when we had netflix. We deleted our netflix account though because IMHO there isn't anything on there worth watching. Maybe the PS3 netflix is different but all I could find was either old crappy movies, or really crappy new ones.

 

[Technobob]

If your looking at your current usage don't because as the internet evolves you will use more and more data and the companies know this thats why they are doing this. This is also about squashing competition like Netflix and others from operating in Canada. The problem is most of the internet pipes in Canada are controlled by companies that rebroadcast TV they don't want you to use services like Netflix, the future of TV is the internet and they know this. My self I've seen my use of video streaming go up a lot over the last two years and it now represents about 20% of my video viewing each month. Canada has been steadily failing in speed and price over the last few years we were in the top 10 counties in the world now we are almost at the bottom of the list and thats due to lack of real competition.

 

[VAPOINSANO]

signed +sent...

thanks Technobob,
this country+most of the globe are way out of control!
this is showing what part of our future will look like.

i am not political but it does not take a genius ,
to see the writing on the wall ...
where the sheeple +government(s) are failing

i do not know what it will take for this to change
i know it will not go on like this much longer

there use to be different classes
pretty soon tho, only 1...poor!
this is happening all over the globe!

example 2, the squashing attempt, of the ecig !

kapeeesh ?

we collectively, have to do something....

 

[Technobob]

 

[BlondieLocs]

Something like 6 or 7 years ago, I used to use an anonymization gateway called the iPhantom for security. To dumb it down, it was an external piece of hardware that encrypted all packets leaving the computer and routed them through secure gateways at another location, which are then decrypted and rerouted to the proper destination. Essentially what that does, is make you anonymous online.

If I do see Internet usage caps start to affect me (I work online, as well as watch a lot of streaming video, so this is definitely entirely possible), I'll go back to this method. Unfortunately now, the iPhantom has been discontinued, but there are other options available, like this (and others): Gibraltar Firewall - Encrypt The Planet

 

[Technobob]

Something like 6 or 7 years ago, I used to use an anonymization gateway called the iPhantom for security. To dumb it down, it was an external piece of hardware that encrypted all packets leaving the computer and routed them through secure gateways at another location, which are then decrypted and rerouted to the proper destination. Essentially what that does, is make you anonymous online.

If I do see Internet usage caps start to affect me (I work online, as well as watch a lot of streaming video, so this is definitely entirely possible), I'll go back to this method. Unfortunately now, the iPhantom has been discontinued, but there are other options available, like this (and others): Gibraltar Firewall - Encrypt The Planet

That won't save you from the caps because your still sending data, all the encryption does is prevent people from reading your data it does not reduce your data usage it will increase it.

 

[Can_supplier]

Could run a VPS, but you have no way of getting that data to yourself, unless you get the company to burn it and snail mail LOL

 

[BlondieLocs]

That won't save you from the caps because your still sending data, all the encryption does is prevent people from reading your data it does not reduce your data usage it will increase it.

Oops. My bad. Wasn't thinking straight. That'll teach me for working on 30 projects at once and not paying full attention to the matter at hand.

On Topic though: There's a really good article here that discussed the best ways to deal with the situation. The author's opinion is that online petitions and blogs and protests won't do a damn thing. He suggests you're better off to write directly to your MP, various Ministers, the PM, the CRTC...> Usage Based Internet Billing: What can you do? : Hugh Thompson's Digital Home

Quoted from said article... "Recently, the CRTC asked the Canadian Broadcasting Standards Council to create a national panel and review the use of the word “......” after it received a mere 250 complaints. If the 60,000 plus online petition signers sent emails and complained to the CRTC instead then you can pretty much can guarantee the federal government will reconsider."

 

[Technobob]

We must put an end to this corporate greed and allow fair and open competition in Canada write your MP write to the CRTC spread the word

UBB coming to cable internet too!

Question: After the recent CRTC decision to implement UBB with 3rd party DSL providers, many Canadians are asking if Rogers will be implementing UBB billing for 3rd party cable wholesalers in the coming year?

Rogers: We intend to begin billing wholesalers in July of this year. The 15% discount will apply to wholesalers. The wholesale business represents a small percentage of our overall portfolio and will therefore not impact the vast majority of our customers.

 

[Technobob]

Rogers Cable to hike Internet overage fees by 100%!

 

[Technobob]

We are winning the battle we now have the Liberals and the NDP on board. The petition is going strong picking up another 65,000 signatures since yesterday.

Keep up the great work

Reverse internet billing decision, Liberals say

Clement hints at billing review

Backlash grows over usage-based Internet billing

 

[testertips]

good luck canada... this is a horrible precedent for everyone.

 

[Technobob]

We are almost there the pressure is on

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has ordered a review of the CRTC UBB Decision

 

[Can_supplier]

Good work Bob!!!

Heck without guys like you this would've flown under the radar without anyone knowing until it was too late..

 

[Technobob]

Thanks just doing my part to spread the word

The petition is still going strong it's about to hit 300,000 signatures it is now the largest petition ever in the history of Canada.

The interview starts at 35:30 minutes into the show

CBC Interview With Teksavvy & Bell