June 10th, 2002, 05:28 PM
Think twice before downloading
Sean O'Shea
Global Television
Wednesday, June 05, 2002
High speed Internet service. It's a premium priced product with virtually no limits.
Surf as much as you like and download as many files as you want. But change is on the horizon, thanks to something called bit capping.
Chris Weisdorf, of Residential Broadband Users' Association said, "Bit capping means the implementation of limits on uploading and downloading for subscribers every month."
Weisdorf heads up a consumers group that opposes limits imposed by Bell Sympatico this month.
Weisdorf said, "By implementing the bit caps they're in effect raising the price of the service."
Unlimited access? Not any more. Under the new bit capping rules, you can upload or download the equivalent of about eight CDs worth of information every month. After that, you have to pay the Internet company again.
Bell Sympatico charges $44.95 a month for high speed service, which includes five gigabytes worth of uploading and downloading. Under the new rules, if you exceed the limit, you'll pay 7.90 for every extra gigabyte, those new charges could make that monthly charge quite expensive.
But in announcing the new rate structure, Bell described the changes as giving "more personal choice and control for Sympatico Internet Customers."
Ninety per cent of customers use 1.5 gigabytes of less, according to Bell, so only a small percentage of users would get billed extra.
Chris Weisdorft says that number will go up.
Weisdorf said, "It will seriously influence your bill if you take advantage of your connection, even if you do this at four in the morning."
His group has started an online petition to protest against the changes. Unlimited Internet he says, should stay that way.
For more information:
http://www.petitiononline.com/carrick/petition.html
© Copyright 2002 Global Television
Think twice before downloading
Sean O'Shea
Global Television
Wednesday, June 05, 2002
High speed Internet service. It's a premium priced product with virtually no limits.
Surf as much as you like and download as many files as you want. But change is on the horizon, thanks to something called bit capping.
Chris Weisdorf, of Residential Broadband Users' Association said, "Bit capping means the implementation of limits on uploading and downloading for subscribers every month."
Weisdorf heads up a consumers group that opposes limits imposed by Bell Sympatico this month.
Weisdorf said, "By implementing the bit caps they're in effect raising the price of the service."
Unlimited access? Not any more. Under the new bit capping rules, you can upload or download the equivalent of about eight CDs worth of information every month. After that, you have to pay the Internet company again.
Bell Sympatico charges $44.95 a month for high speed service, which includes five gigabytes worth of uploading and downloading. Under the new rules, if you exceed the limit, you'll pay 7.90 for every extra gigabyte, those new charges could make that monthly charge quite expensive.
But in announcing the new rate structure, Bell described the changes as giving "more personal choice and control for Sympatico Internet Customers."
Ninety per cent of customers use 1.5 gigabytes of less, according to Bell, so only a small percentage of users would get billed extra.
Chris Weisdorft says that number will go up.
Weisdorf said, "It will seriously influence your bill if you take advantage of your connection, even if you do this at four in the morning."
His group has started an online petition to protest against the changes. Unlimited Internet he says, should stay that way.
For more information:
http://www.petitiononline.com/carrick/petition.html
© Copyright 2002 Global Television
Genius
Posts: 783 
June 10th, 2002, 10:50 PM
they want to make sure that thier site promotes the stuff rogers wants to see promoted.
They don't want to hear anything about how digital and BEV suck, because they have only Canadian Content.
Rather, than see real competition, they used the courts and CRTC to keep competition out.
I have read a lot of people raving about digital, clearly you've never had the benefit of seeing the DTV channels, and all their options. Rogers and BEV couldn't stand the competition so they got a court ruling.
The interesting thing is that now that the 2 companies have that ruling, both companies are instituting changes in their services, and not for the better.
Is it me or is the timing merely a coincidence?
they want to make sure that thier site promotes the stuff rogers wants to see promoted.
They don't want to hear anything about how digital and BEV suck, because they have only Canadian Content.
Rather, than see real competition, they used the courts and CRTC to keep competition out.
I have read a lot of people raving about digital, clearly you've never had the benefit of seeing the DTV channels, and all their options. Rogers and BEV couldn't stand the competition so they got a court ruling.
The interesting thing is that now that the 2 companies have that ruling, both companies are instituting changes in their services, and not for the better.
Is it me or is the timing merely a coincidence?
Genius
Posts: 783
June 10th, 2002, 11:16 PM
I see where you are coming from GF. I have seen DTV before, it's an excellent service. but not available in Canada.
Both companies own television broadcast services, both own monopolies in the broadband internet services, more or less.
it's sad to see, but services will be worse, and we will suffer the consequences.
By the way, the 90 percent figure can't be correct. Most internet users I know have some type of file sharing program install, and most i know run it 24 hours a day, 7 days a week... Which would make the 90 percent figure completely unrealistic.
-sean
I see where you are coming from GF. I have seen DTV before, it's an excellent service. but not available in Canada.
Both companies own television broadcast services, both own monopolies in the broadband internet services, more or less.
it's sad to see, but services will be worse, and we will suffer the consequences.
By the way, the 90 percent figure can't be correct. Most internet users I know have some type of file sharing program install, and most i know run it 24 hours a day, 7 days a week... Which would make the 90 percent figure completely unrealistic.
-sean
