Lostconfused
Member
For a few months. UBB is coming to cable a bit later.Entropia said:
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Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!
Usage Based Billing approved, Canadian govt shoots it down, more developments to come
- Thread starter Anony
- Start date
firehawk12
Subete no aware
Riptwo said:
Other than CTV.ca, which is peripherally related by being owned by the same conglomerate, is there a Bell owned streaming service?
Besides, look at that image. I just don't see a reality where I'll have to pay extra to go to Amazon.ca or BBC.co.uk. Maybe I'm being naive, but I think that's just silly.
Oh wow... i was just thinking of switching to Teksavvy in march, but for Cable.
How much will 25GB on these new companies cost? I think 9.95-14.95 would be KIND of fair to give to customers. How will UBB affect overage caps? I know people were on bell specifically because their overage capped at $30. Meaning they could get unlimited fast internet for about $80-$100 a month. Is that affected in any way with this new legislation?
Will they be offering higer bandwidth tiers? Will they be allowed to offer the the same up to 80GB bandwidth insurance Bell offers to their own customers?
The average user doesn't use more than 10-15GBs a month to be honest, but people who post here aren't your average user. Netflix and other streaming download services. Game demo's, MMO's etc are getting larger. Patches for games, windows and even Anti-virus programs are getting larger as well. Not to mention if you do A Lot of video calling. Even 60GB isn't enough.
I personally don't watch actual TV, and I spend 60% of my time on the internet either on Youtube, doing video calling with friends and watching shows online. That alone eats up alot of bandwidth. I'm usually just BARELY under cap @ 125GBs and That's with me restricting myself. I don't download torrents, I don't download movies or music.
How much will 25GB on these new companies cost? I think 9.95-14.95 would be KIND of fair to give to customers. How will UBB affect overage caps? I know people were on bell specifically because their overage capped at $30. Meaning they could get unlimited fast internet for about $80-$100 a month. Is that affected in any way with this new legislation?
Will they be offering higer bandwidth tiers? Will they be allowed to offer the the same up to 80GB bandwidth insurance Bell offers to their own customers?
The average user doesn't use more than 10-15GBs a month to be honest, but people who post here aren't your average user. Netflix and other streaming download services. Game demo's, MMO's etc are getting larger. Patches for games, windows and even Anti-virus programs are getting larger as well. Not to mention if you do A Lot of video calling. Even 60GB isn't enough.
I personally don't watch actual TV, and I spend 60% of my time on the internet either on Youtube, doing video calling with friends and watching shows online. That alone eats up alot of bandwidth. I'm usually just BARELY under cap @ 125GBs and That's with me restricting myself. I don't download torrents, I don't download movies or music.
squatingyeti
non-sanctioned troll
Tiktaalik said:
LOL, first I read the NPD and I was wondering how they would limit their analysis of the situation to the first paragraph of their report.
SolarPowered
Member
This thread actually convinced me to download a bandwidth monitor so that I have an idea of how many gigs I burn through per month.
What software do you guys use?
What software do you guys use?
Zombie James
Banned
Castor Krieg
Banned
I have a question: so was it like some ISPs went to regulatory body to get OK for this idea, and they got it? Won't there be any other ISP that will try to get more clients by offering more cap/no cap at all?
The issue is that they would have to run all their own cable to do so, since the major telecom companies own almost all the lines that are currently there.Castor Krieg said:
Since that's very expensive, Canada's government basically granted a free monopoly to the telecom companies.
dream
Member
Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew
Banned
My average usage is 300GB. I guess this is what happens when you have 4 brothers, 4 PCs with 2 of them steam-friendly, 2 PS3, 4 iPhones and 1 Xbox360; with subscription to Netflix.Nirolak said:
I'm so fucked...
somuchwater
Member
I'm not in favour of UBB at all, but it seems worth pointing out that Teksavvy etc. are able to lease unbundled loops from Bell i.e. Bell runs the FTTN (Fiber-to-the-node) network, and resellers lease the DSL loops that run from those nodes to the home. When they do that, they are not subject to UBB charges. This is coming straight from Bell media relations.
Whether that is financially viable, I am not at all sure. Another problem is that those unbundled loops don't always reach people's homes, so resellers are forced to use Bell's lines, since they are the only available.
Whether that is financially viable, I am not at all sure. Another problem is that those unbundled loops don't always reach people's homes, so resellers are forced to use Bell's lines, since they are the only available.
Emailed my Conservative MP Peter Goldring(vomited in my mouth abit there)... and used http://openmedia.ca/meter to send an email to some dick called "Industry Minister Tony Clement", while signing the petition awhile back. Now to leave a bag of feces and set it on fire somewhere...
firehawk12
Subete no aware
I'm surprised someone hasn't gone Gonzo and held a public wake for broadband in Canada. Surely you could get a priest who is hip to technology to hold the service. 
I'm almost glad I haven't been hip to DD-services and haven't really migrated my lifestyle to DD (Steam, Netflix, etc.), so I'll have less of a system shock than most if this goes live and sticks for the coming years. But man, even I feel threatened at 25gb/month.
I can only imagine how hurt and furious some of you are who DO use those services on a much more regular basis.
This fucking sucks.
I can only imagine how hurt and furious some of you are who DO use those services on a much more regular basis.
This fucking sucks.
sweetvar26
Member
This is so fucked. A regret of me moving from the States to Canada six years ago, LOL.
On another note, I emailed the local MP here.
On another note, I emailed the local MP here.
Zombie James
Banned
Jinaar said:
Over 60K signed the petition? I could have sworn it was 50K just a few hours ago... now that's momentum.
I NEED SCISSORS
Banned
I pity you Canadian porn lovers. 
Kabuki Quantum Lover
Member
I'm absolutely livid. Every expletive I could think of has just been uttered.
Super_Chicken
Member
Om3ga said:
For those who are unaware pricing is roughly:
Bell: $50ish a month for 12-16mbps down, 1mbps up. Cap is 50-75gb with a fee from 1-2$ per gb over the cap max of $60 (recently changed from $30 as of Jan 2010).
Rogers: $60ish a month for 15mbps down, 1 up. Cap is 80 gb. $1.50 for each gb over up to $50 I believe.
I just got a letter from bell in the mail saying:
Dear <me>,
Effective MArch 2011, there will be a change to your usage-based billing plan. An extreme usage fee of $1.00 per GB for usage exceeding 300GB per month will apply.
...
If you wish to modify or cancel your service as a result of this change, please call...
Sincerely,
Senior VP of Customer Service
To add, neither bell or rogers websites run smoothly. I recently switched from Bell to Tek Savvy. I'm still getting billed by Bell, when I called them their response was "yeah, our online billing is essentially broken..." and credited me my money back. Imagine how our actual internet service will be in a few years from now once TS and others will have to bill us the same way. Not to mention they can lower the caps and raise the fees whenever they like.
Haint
Member
Magnus said:
The biggest cable provider (Comcast) has a 250GB cap. A lot of regional cable co's probably also have 100-250GB caps. I'm not sure how often or strictly they're enforced, but they exist in the legalese. This will all change dramatically (for the worse) very soon. Most markets are monopolized, and every cable co is chomping at the bit to get away with unreasonably low caps and paid use. Mobile is pretty horrible. AT&T have no unlimited plan, Verizon will most likely drop theirs sometime this year, and T-Mobile throttles their unlimited plan to sub-dialup modem speeds after 5GB. Not sure what Sprint does, their coverage is horrible outside the most major of metros.
Northern Telephone is the Division of Bell Aliant in Northern Ontario. They are the only option for a large area here. The current cap is set at 35 GB, but I don't think it is ever enforced. I know that I should have gone over it at some point by now. As bad as telecommunications are in the cities of this country, the rural areas are even worse. There have been no substantial speed upgrades to our service here in over six years. It has been 5mbps down and 1mbps up since DSL was introduced to the area.
Luckily, my MP, Charlie Angus, is seemingly one of the more outspoken on the subject. Unfortunately he represents a part of the country full of old people who don't give a shit about this. A representative of his is coming to my workplace tomorrow, hopefully they could suggest some more offices to send letters to or something.
Luckily, my MP, Charlie Angus, is seemingly one of the more outspoken on the subject. Unfortunately he represents a part of the country full of old people who don't give a shit about this. A representative of his is coming to my workplace tomorrow, hopefully they could suggest some more offices to send letters to or something.
Super_Chicken
Member
Reallink said:
We don't have mobile unlimited data either, just 100mb, 500mb, 1gb, 6gb. We do have unlimited sms, mms.
Discotheque
Banned
Sending a letter to my MP about this. Obviously none of this will make much of a difference, but still it should be done.
Kind of hard to sound civilized about this. I keep resisting the urge to throw in 'cunt' every 5 words.
Kind of hard to sound civilized about this. I keep resisting the urge to throw in 'cunt' every 5 words.
Zombie James
Banned
Super_Chicken said:
Unless you go with Wind or Mobilicity.
It's rather unfortunate. I'm currently living at my parents place with teksavvy and use about 120GB a month. When I move out (in March actually hah) I'm going to have to switch to Cogeco. With either company the prices will be similiar but the downstream on cogecos plans are much higher.
I'm sickened by the lack of media attention about this whole thing, and the failure of the media to properly explain it when they do focus on it. Not surprised by the CRTC though after the WIND controversy.
I'm sickened by the lack of media attention about this whole thing, and the failure of the media to properly explain it when they do focus on it. Not surprised by the CRTC though after the WIND controversy.
ScrabbleDude
Member
I wonder if this means they are upping the cap to 300.Super_Chicken said:
MattyGrovesOrMe
Member
Here's a nice breakdown from Peter Nowak, journalist/author (and former CBC games writer!) who has covered the issue of UBB in Canada in a critical light.
From his blog: "Metered Internet a Colossal Failure"
From his blog: "Metered Internet a Colossal Failure"
Frankfurter
Member
25GB... wtf is this shit? I downloaded like 25GB worth of steam stuff in the last 3 hours...
TouchMyBox
Member
dream said:
Yeah, try pirate Sixteen Candles at 60 KB/s after throttling.
No, you'll instead rent it on Bell Fib!
Speaking of Wind, let them know you'd pay for an internet and / or IPTV service if it were available in your area. They are supposed to be expanding into that market this year and remain the last great hope for Canadian internet.
I just made a post on their community forum. Comment on it or make your own.
http://www.windmobile.ca/community/ideas/detail/38065/
I just made a post on their community forum. Comment on it or make your own.
http://www.windmobile.ca/community/ideas/detail/38065/
M3Freak
Banned
I emailed the Liberal MP in my area. I told her if they don't start openly stating UBB is wrong and that it must by struck down, I won't vote Liberal ever again. In fact, the Pirate Party of Canada has my vote, but since they don't have a candidate in my area, I'm going to have to vote NDP. I've never voted NDP.
I hate mega corps trying to control the intertubes. I hate stupid politicians even more who don't understand just how important the Internet is.
I hate mega corps trying to control the intertubes. I hate stupid politicians even more who don't understand just how important the Internet is.
Littleberu
Banned
Maddog said:
They can, and will, provide a cap higher than 25gb. However, they'll have to raise the price of your subscription or contract.
Bell and any cable provider are still able to offer the services without charging for bandwidth usage. However, third party cable provider like Tekksavy will get charged for UBB later this year, too.