The CRTC sides with big telcos, but the fight isn’t over yet

Yesterday the CRTC (Canada’s equivalent of the FCC) ruled that Bell Canada could employ “traffic shaping” to protect the integrity of their network.

NowPublic has this clear and concise comment on what it means to us:

The CRTC just dealt a devastating blow to anyone invovled in Canadian new media as well as anyone who uses the web in this country. Their latest ruling will have negative consquences for new media start ups in Canada because it confers even more advantage to big established media at the expense of small media.
link: CRTC rules against Canadian web customers

In their press release, SaveOurNet breaks the news and gives us ways to take action CRTC sides with Big Telecom and Fails Online Consumers | SaveOurNet.ca, while Gillian Shaw of the Sun let us know later in the day that the CRTC will be having hearing this summer and is taking submissions:

The CRTC is asking for submissions and the questions it is considering relate to: — Changes in bandwidth consumption that may lead to network congestion — Internet traffic management practices based on technical solutions or business models that are currently available or may be developed in the future — The impact of such practices on end-users The CRTC also said it will be trying to establish “the criteria to be used in the event that specific traffic management practices need to be authorized.” Comments have to go to the CRTC by Feb. 16. Fill in the CRTC’s online form at available through http://support.crtc.gc.ca/crtcsubmissionmu/forms/main.aspx?lang=e write to the Secretary General, CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0N2 or fax 819-994-0218.
link: Digital Life

As I said earlier this week,we need to not only inform the CRTC of our stance, but our MPs as well, because in a minority government every bit of pressure from the other parties helps.

It seems odd to me that a government with such strong business sense would be so anti business and innovation.

Tagged as: crtc, net neutrality