200GB to 25GB: Canada gets first, bitter dose of metered Internet

[RamboLiberal]

Metered Internet usage (also called "Usage-Based Billing") is coming to Canada, and it's going to cost Internet users. While an advance guard of Canadians are expressing creative outrage at the prospect of having to pay inflated prices for Internet use charged by the gigabyte, the consequences probably haven't set in for most consumers. Now, however, independent Canadian ISPs are publishing their revised data plans, and they aren't pretty.

"Like our customers, and Canadian internet users everywhere, we are not happy with this new development," wrote the Ontario-based indie ISP TekSavvy in a recent e-mail message to its subscribers.

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Starting on March 1, Ontario TekSavvy members who subscribed to the 5Mbps plan have a new usage cap of 25GB, "substantially down from the 200GB or unlimited deals TekSavvy was able to offer before the CRTC's decision to impose usage based billing," the message added.

By way of comparison, Comcast here in the United States has a 250GB data cap. Looks like lots of Canadians can kiss that kind of high ceiling goodbye. And going over will cost you: according to TekSavvy, the CRTC put data overage rates at CAN $1.90 per gigabyte for most of Canada, and $2.35 for the country's French-speaking region.

Bottom line: no more unlimited buffet. TekSavvy users who bought the "High Speed Internet Premium" plan at $31.95 now get 175GB less per month.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/01/canada-gets-first-bitter-dose-of-metered-internet-billing.ars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss

Canadian DU'ers?

[Earth_First]

1. Get ready America!

Most likely to be affected first: your unlimited cell phone data plan

[msongs]

2. change you can believe in under the Obama administration and current congress lol nt

[dionysus]

6. yes, he singlehandled did this... to canada. FFS....

:eyes:

[Fumesucker]

3. BOHICA

Bend Over Here It Comes Again

[formercia]

4. "...and $2.35 for the country's French-speaking region. "

Those French speaking routers must be awfully expensive. lol

[alterfurz]

11. maybe it's all those extra accent marks-?

[Curmudgeoness]

5. Don't worry folks, the USA doesn't think Canada can do things right.

They will not emulate this----just like they will not emulate their health care system. No worries.

[dkf]

7. Netflix haters?

[KamaAina]

8. "discourage Canadians from watching TV... on the internet instead of CTV, which Bell now owns"

Sound familiar? Bell : Comcast :: CTV : NBC. :scared:

[gateley]

9. Whatever it takes to shut down free speech and free thinking. nt

[kenny blankenship]

10. Every year, the candy bar will get smaller

and the price still goes up anyway.

Year 2000, you can do anything with your PC and internet connection.
Year 2020, you will only be allowed to connect to the internet with your approved-vendor, DRM-compliant, un-jailbroken "appliance". TV will have disappeared, but they will have succeeded in killing the internet by turning it into TV.

[donco]

12. Here is what I pay for Hughesnet

for my satellite service in the woods of Missouri now.If I want to avoid dialup this is what I have to payl

Current plan is ProPlus 1.6 Mbps / 250 Kbps $79.99 Per month Download Allowance= 425 MB

Where i am at i only get one bar on my cell phone ,Verizon.I guess its the penalty that i have to pay for living in the woods on ten acres.But when on the skinny road coming home, i want to stop and give the guys laying the cable a hand so i can get some decent high speed before they start throwing dirt in my face.
:hi:

[Swede]

13. I get my internet from the people's internet company.

Sasktel,which has no plans to implement this scheme.

[CanSocDem]

14. I hope you're right.

Just the same, the harper gov'ts underhanded attempts to stifle the peoples voice is getting worrisome. Not to mention their like-minded compatriots in charge of Sasktel.

.