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UBB #6
UBB Questions
interweb freedom
(formerly Stop Usage Based Billing)
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Net Neurality: A Global Issue
- * Basic principles for building America’s Internet future
- * Boztopia: Metered Broadband Won't Bridge the Digital Divide
- * National Broadband Network: 21st century broadband
- ♦ it's my blog, dammit!
- Descent Into darkness
- European Union Net Neutrality Consulation: EU Citizens, NGOs! SUBMIT by Sept.30th
- Global Research
- la Quadrature du net: It's Crucial to save Net Neutrality
- laquadrature.net: Web Dossier
- PK on Net Neutrality
- Techrights
Net Neutrality - CRTC Throttling Canadian Internet Users
- * ars technica: Canadians debating net neutrality in wake of Bell throttling
- * Broadband ‘Truth-in-Labeling’
- * Canadian Broadband Is World Class Says ISP Funded Study…. What A Load Of Crap!
- * CRTC rules: It's OK to throttle your customers! –Xanthippa’s Chamberpot
- * CRTC to rule on Bell's throttling Tomorrow!
- * dsl reports: Canadian ISPs (Almost) Come Clean On Throttling
- * dsl reports: CRTC Debates Bell Canada Throttling
- * it World Canada: And then there was two– Bell Canada seeks to wipe out ISP competitors
- * Michael Geist: CAIP calls on CRTC to reverse Bell Throttling Decision
- * Net Neutrality
- * Net Neutrality battle heats up in Canada
- * p2p net: CRTC Bell throttling decision: full document
- * p2pnet: CRTC ‘ignored evidence’ in Bell throttling case: report
- * Save Our Net
- * Straight.com: Did CRTC misunderstand CAIP throttling case against Bell?
- * Telecom Decision CRTC 2008-39
- * The IT Nerd: Primus To CRTC– Stop The Bell Throttling
- * Zero Paid: CRTC: Bell Canada Can Throttle BitTorrent – For Now
- CRTC Comment Form
OPEN SOURCE Resources
Privacy
The Cost of Exorbitant Internet Pricing
USAGE BASED BILLING online commentary
- * Bell Wins CRTC Ruling
- * Billing change threatens Internet services: providers
- * boingboing: Bell Canada: We have to screw up other ISPs' connections or our retail customers will suffer by comparison
- * Canada’s CRTC Throws Consumers & Independent ISPs Under the Bus – Rubber Stamps YES on Bell’s Usage Based Billing
- * Canada’s CRTC Throws Consumers & Independent ISPs Under the Bus – Rubber Stamps YES on Bell’s Usage Based Billing
- * Canadian Regulators Send Another Love Letter To Bell Canada
- * Canadians Fight Internet Usage Based Billing
- * Canadians Pine For CRTC's Destruction
- * CBC online: CRTC wants internet pricing answers from Bell
- * Cory Doctorow: Don't stop the next Google getting out of the garage
- * CRTC Decision on Usage-Based Billing (UBB) for Gateway Access Services (GAS)
- * CRTC Haters – Help Mlerner Cram for Interview on CRTC
- * CRTC Rules against Canadian Web Customers
- * Dissolve the CRTC !
- * Dissolve the CRTC? – Discussions for the Future
- * in the wind: A Disservice to Canada
- * it World Canada: And then there was two– Bell Canada seeks to wipe out ISP competitors
- * Living With UBB
- * MEDIACASTER: CRTC Gives Approval for New Internet Rates, Speed Options
- * Neoseekere: Petition calling on Canadian gov't to scrap CRTC
- * The IT Nerd on UBB
- * The IT Nerd: Harvard Says Canadian Broadband Service Sucks…. No Kidding! You Think?
- * The man who won't do lunch
- * The Non-Conformer
- * The Social Graph: CRTC rules against Cdn web customers
- * UBB Tariff Approved – Internet Dealt Another Blow in Canada
- * Usage Based Billing Considered Harmful
- ioerror
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interweb freedom 
There are no bandwidth hogs « Stop Usage Based Billing said
[…] UBB Questions […]
RobertX said
I’ve put together a letter and I am prepared to ask some local TV stations to broadcast the issue of UBB.
Is it too late?
RobertX said
With the intention of writing to the below list, I would also like to know if I’m missing a TV channel in Ontario. The list is as follows:
– CityTV
– TVO
– Parliament Channels
– CBC
– CTV
Laurel L. Russwurm said
There used to be Global Television. Do they still exist?
CBC and CTV are both networks, with multiple stations across Canada. Hamilton used to have CHCH Channel 11. I believe there are also specialty channels on cable, but I’m not sure if any are Canadian or not.
RobertX said
Thank you. So the list is as follows:
– CityTV
– TVO
– Parliament Channels
– CBC
– CTV
– Global
– OnTV (i.e. CHCH TV 1)
Thanks!
Paul said
Keep in mind that CTV is owned by Bell, so they may be less than receptive to this suggestion.
RobertX said
I’m going to have to try nevertheless – leave no stone unturned!
Laurel L. Russwurm said
It’s never to late.
David said
Is UBB only for DSL (phone line) internet? or does it include Cable internet?
Laurel L. Russwurm said
This application is for Bell to apply UBB to those who access the Internet through the Bell Gateway Access System (GAS). Currently that would be DSL customers.
However, the cable ISPs are charging UBB on their own. It’s a way to make it seem as though there is justification for price inflation.
And of course, if the Independent ISPs go out of business, Canada will be returned to the cosy cable/DSL oligarchy.
Paul said
The CRTC ruled in Telecom Decision CRTC 2006-77 (see points 247-249) that each of the cable ISPs could set their own methods for managing “the potential negative outcome of high-consuming bandwidth end-users”, and that whatever they implement would be applied equally to their own customers, and to the customer receiving service from that cable ISP’s Third Party Internet Access (TPIA) providers (resellers).
This previous decision was a factor in approving Bell’s request in Telecom Decision CRTC 2010-255 (see point 22).
Laurel L. Russwurm said
That the CRTC believes that there is a “the potential negative outcome of high-consuming bandwidth end-users” is indicative of their incomprehension of the Internet.
I’ll address this one as a regular post.
http://dissolvethecrtc.ca/
RobertX said
If I stream through online radio, do it necessarily increase the billing charge of UBB?
Laurel L. Russwurm said
Yes. Streaming media, consumes a great deal more bandwidth than text or image based web pages. If the usage caps are low enough, even enough email use could lead to overage charges.
A very important point is that consumers don’t understand and won’t know how much bandwidth they are using until after they’ve used it and have been billed.
RobertX said
Aren’t there people who use the Internet for web sites and e-mail and not downloading? What will become of them?
RobertX said
What kind of logic does Bell and CRTC have with UBB? I won’t echo the repercussions since you’ve done a good job with that. It’s just that the logic escapes me even if Bell actually wants to enlarge profits. Does the PR image even bother them?
I’m not venting – or maybe I am. I just can’t conceive that the government and the CRTC body are letting them do that… what’s the real reward?
There aren’t too many things that are as alien as this.
RobertX said
Ah, Laurel. Is it any use to write to Dalton McGuinty,the Premier of Ontario? If so, do you know his e-mail address?
Laurel L. Russwurm said
It can’t hurt to try. He doesn’t seem to have an email address (he used to but it’s been discontinued) and it seems constituents are forced to use this form: https://www.premier.gov.on.ca/feedback/feedback.asp?Lang=EN The response from the City of Vancouver was fabulous; getting other levels of government involved isn’t a bad idea at all.
Whenever I have to use a form like this I save a copy for myself so i remember hat I said when they finally respond.
Laurel L. Russwurm said
This just in: dmcguinty.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
It may or may not work. The information I had is from 2007, so it is certainly possible that the Premier responded to the frustration many of us feel at being forced to use web forms rather than email. I will send email and see what happens. If it works, we thank my friend Sandra, if it doesn’t, it’s my error for passing it out without first testing it. 🙂
Laurel L. Russwurm said
This email address for Premier Dalton McGuinty did work; I received a “read” confirmation this morning.
Thanks Sandra!
RobertX said
Do you think this “fight” will be over soon?
Laurel L. Russwurm said
I don’t know. We’ll have to see what happens.
richmond said
#1 are there any “backbone” network in canada NOT affected by BELL
#2 if so does the ruling by the CRTC apply to them
Laurel L. Russwurm said
#1 I know that there are some Independent Internet operations in seriously out of the way places, but I don’t know if they are Independent of Bell or not. I will try to find out.
#2. If they are Independent of Bell’s backbone (wireless/satelite) then the ruling would not apply, as it only applies to Bell wholesale customers.
Paul said
I have two questions:
1) Does Bell currently charge its own customers with a Usage-Based Billing method, and is simply seeking permission to extend this to its resellers? Or is it seeking permission to use this model, even with its own customers?
2) Where does BellAliant fall into this? The two primary ISPs in Atlantic Canada are BellAliant (a merger? of Bell with the previous telco, Aliant, which itself was a merger of the individual provincial telcos), and EastLink (cable provider). Would BellAliant be considered a reseller, is it considered “Bell”, or does it fall outside the scope of this ruling? Knowing this would be quite helpful for rallying local politicians.
Laurel L. Russwurm said
I’ve just posted my answer to your questions in Answering UBB Questions #1