CTRC Orders Big ISPs To Provide Matching Speeds For Resellers 91
Meshach writes "In Canada there has been a regulatory decision rendered by the CRTC ordering ISPs to provide the same speed to resellers as they do for their own customers. 'Smaller internet providers such as Teksavvy and Execulink had argued that without requirements to offer matching speeds, the big companies would put them out of business. Bell and Telus are selling internet connections of up to 25 and 15 megabits per second respectively over newer fibre-based networks, but smaller providers can typically offer speeds of no more than five megabits per second over older copper-based infrastructure. After holding a public hearing earlier this year, the CRTC now says it will allow phone companies to charge smaller providers an extra 10-per-cent mark-up to use their newer infrastructure in order to recoup the costs of their investments. The regulator also said it would require cable companies to modify their existing internet access services to make it easier for smaller, "alternative" providers to connect to them.'"
Hmmm... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:About Canada (Score:5, Insightful)
Someone modded you funny, but that *is* the operating environment in Canada.
Re:About Canada (Score:3, Insightful)
There's always been competition in the DSL market, thanks to the CRTC. For many people though, this is not enough as it's often a case of a choice between cable or DSL. If your phone isn't up to scratch, then you have no or little choice of ISP. That sucks.
Canada used to be a leader with high speed internet, but has fallen behind in recent years. Why are the DSL resellers limited to the speeds they were offering four years ago? It's about time they were offering ADSL2+, which, ignoring the story's comment about newer fibre based networks, offers up to 25/2.5mbs over phone lines. Not everybody can get that speed of course, but I've just switched over from ADSL to ADSL2+ in London (UK, not ON), and at 3km from the exchange, I'm getting higher speeds than the these resellers in Canada offer.
Re:About Canada (Score:2, Insightful)
And who's fault is that? If the newcomer is privately held they don't have to accept an offer. They have no one to answer to like shareholders in that situation. It's simply human greed and an unwillingness to try to change the system by staying that causes the competition to fall apart then.
Re:About Canada (Score:4, Insightful)
What are you talking about? The CRTC nearly always sides with Bell. They allowed them to throttle their resellers and imposed a 60 Gb cap on their resellers (which will take effect once Bell discontinues all their unlimited contracts). The CRTC seems determined to put the Bell resellers out of business but for some reason I can't fathom decided to throw them a bone in this case. Maybe this has something to do with just how unpopular the CRTC is among Canadians, with an online petition that has over 10,000 signatures [dissolvethecrtc.ca].
Re:About Canada (Score:3, Insightful)
Maybe this has something to do with just how unpopular the CRTC is among Canadians, with an online petition that has over 10,000 signatures [dissolvethecrtc.ca].
Dude. The "Help nominate William Shatner for Governor General of Canada" Facebook group has over 40,000 votes. I'm not a big fan of the CRTC either, but let's keep things in perspective here ....
FIBE (Score:2, Insightful)
They should rule against Bell Canada for pretending to have fiber services with their DSL "Fibe" network