With Bell backing down on Internet billing, it just might not become an election issue (but it probably should be)
The hordes of angry Internet users who were outraged about the CRTC’s decision on usage-based billing (UBB) chalked up a minor win yesterday. Bell announced a new pricing plan that would allow independent Internet service providers to buy wholesale access in large chunks without having to pass on the caps and overage charges Bell was insisting on. (The previous policy could have been summed up as “do what we say and thank us for the privilege.”) Many observers, however, say it’s not enough.
To wit, here is Bell critic Michael Geist:
My primary take-away from Bell’s backtrack is to note how it affirms that there are two paths to keeping dominant market players from taking advantage of their position to the detriment of consumers and smaller businesses. The first is competition—with enough competition, dominant players become less dominant and are forced to respond with better pricing and services. The second—which arises in the absence of such competition—is regulatory or political pressure.
Bell’s backtrack, which is entirely the result of political and public pressure (the independent ISPs were powerless and the regulator approved the wholesale UBB approach), is a reminder that Canada still does not have a sufficiently competitive environment to effect change. Instead, Canada still needs regulatory or political pressure to help foster a more competitive outcome.
So anyone who read this news and didn’t think it was an election story is missing something. Bell and Rogers are, after all, federally regulated companies, and both would probably prefer to hide for a bit during the election and hope that no party decides to beat them like a drum to get voters to come looking to see what all the noise is. Purely on marketing grounds, this is a smart move by Bell. And even if regulation doesn’t push it further, this is a good news story for consumers.
Now, one question remains: where are the rest of the telecom giants on all this? It’s yet unclear, but we’re pretty confident that if Rogers would just stop throttling World of Warcraft, Canada’s telecom aristocracy could probably sail through this pesky election without too much trouble.
• UBB is Dead. Long Live UBB [MichaelGeist.ca]
• Bell backs off on Internet billing [Toronto Star]
• BCE backtracks on plan for Internet usage billing [Globe and Mail]
• Oops: major Canadian ISP admits throttling World of Warcraft [Ars Technica]
&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Bell-Backs-Down-on-UBB-Money.jpg&description=The hordes of angry Internet users who were outraged about the CRTC’s decision on usage-based billing (UBB) chalked up a minor win yesterday. Bell announced a new pricing plan that would allow independent Internet service providers to buy wholesale access in large chunks without having to pass on the caps and overage charges Bell was insisting on. (The previous policy could have been summed up as “do what we say and thank us for the privilege.”) Many observers, however, say it’s not enough.
To wit, here is Bell critic Michael Geist:
My primary take-away from Bell's backtrack is to note how it affirms that there are two paths to keeping dominant market players from taking advantage of their position to the detriment of consumers and smaller businesses. The first is competition—with enough competition, dominant players become less dominant and are forced to respond with better pricing and services. The second—which arises in the absence of such competition—is regulatory or political pressure.
Bell's backtrack, which is entirely the result of political and public pressure (the independent ISPs were powerless and the regulator approved the wholesale UBB approach), is a reminder that Canada still does not have a sufficiently competitive environment to effect change. Instead, Canada still needs regulatory or political pressure to help foster a more competitive outcome.
So anyone who read this news and didn’t think it was an election story is missing something. Bell and Rogers are, after all, federally regulated companies, and both would probably prefer to hide for a bit during the election and hope that no party decides to beat them like a drum to get voters to come looking to see what all the noise is. Purely on marketing grounds, this is a smart move by Bell. And even if regulation doesn’t push it further, this is a good news story for consumers.
Now, one question remains: where are the rest of the telecom giants on all this? It’s yet unclear, but we’re pretty confident that if Rogers would just stop throttling World of Warcraft, Canada’s telecom aristocracy could probably sail through this pesky election without too much trouble.
• UBB is Dead. Long Live UBB [MichaelGeist.ca]
• Bell backs off on Internet billing [Toronto Star]
• BCE backtracks on plan for Internet usage billing [Globe and Mail]
• Oops: major Canadian ISP admits throttling World of Warcraft [Ars Technica]){kind=link}
A bad customer servcies is an ongoing event with Bell as well.
The top 3 “Canada’s Worst Cell Phone Bill” belong to Bell, Rogers, Virgin and next no matter how their spin doctors lie about it, make false promises to change it they all are still bad in reality. I have dealt with bad Bell, Bad Rogers and bad Virgin even as of recently and had been on the CBC radio, TV as well complaining rightfully about Rogers too.. Now I am having problem with Virgin Mobile customer service departments.. http://postedat.wordpress.com/2011/03/01/virgin-mobile-canada/
I to have received such a head ack from both bell and Virgin my contract with bell was 120 a month for a package plan and every month its almost. 300.00 dollars.When i cal them its the same lie after lie,my phone didnt even work 4 3 months and they woundnt even credit me.My mom needed an amubulance but my phone didnt work,if it wasnt for my neibouger 2see her throw the window she woundnt b here today.I was suppose 2 get high speed ,i have low speed.Promise after Promise,there suppoe 2 come fix the problem months went by and nobody came,but yet they call me 4 money.AS for virgin what a scam,my monthly charges was suppose to b 35.00 a month with no contact,then i find out that i was put on a contact,my bills 4 the first 2 months werent even 35.00,like 65.00,i payed, then june 2012 all of a sudden my bill from may 24 to june 28 is 190.79 what the )*&^%^%&&^.When i have a paper stating i will pay 35.00 a month,weres all these charges coming from and the werdiest thing is that the last month i had my phone turned off and thats the month thats the most money.What a scam,im so sick and tired of this ####Even the phone i had bought from virgin doesn’t even work,i called them,they said they were going to send me a temperary phone,i have not received that still.But yet the month i have a broken phone is the month my bill is over 190.00 when its suppose 2 b 35.00 a month.And yes the person whom had mentioned that he cant even get in there wedsite,your right ,i tried cheaking my account,theres no way, it always says try later.#### them and there scams.