🚀 go-pugleaf

On 03/02/2011 7:22 AM, James Warren wrote:
> On 02/02/2011 11:32 PM, Fatty Arbuckle wrote:
>> I was one of the ~250,000 Internet users who signed the
>> petition -- even
>> though I'd be hard pressed to use 1 GB a month, I don't like
>> the CRTC
>> supporting Bell's monopoly. In Canada, we rarely seem to
>> enforce our
>> anti-trust laws. It's the one thing the USA does better than us
>> -- bust up
>> monopolies. Anyhow, looks like the bit torrent guys are safe
>> for awhile! :-)
>>
>>
>> http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20110202/ubb-crtc-unlimited-internet-billing-110202/
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> The federal government expects CRTC chairman Konrad von
>> Finckenstein to
>> overturn his ruling that effectively kills unlimited Internet
>> download
>> packages, CTV News has learned.
>>
>> A senior official told CTV News that the "CRTC chairman should
>> be under no
>> illusion that the prime minister and the Industry minister will
>> reverse the
>> decision unless the CRTC does it itself."
>>
>> >snip<
>>
>
> I signed the petition too. I did it because the internet of the
> not too
> distant future will be the source for most of our information,
> news, TV
> programming and leisure activities. Everything will integrate.
> Imposing
> limits will just slow down the inevitable progress.
>
I fully agree James and I also signed the petition.  I would add 
that the not too distant future you speak of has actually 
arrived.  For many many people the internet *is* their source of 
information, TV programming and leisure activities.  That is 
exactly why there has been such a loud opposition to the CRTC 
ruling.  I think it is particularly sad that organizations such 
as the CRTC have been allowed to support monopolies for many 
years, to the extent that we now need governments to help us 
break those monopolies.  I say 'good on the government' in this case.

Having said that, there is also a need to treat internet 
customers more fairly.  Those who use up large amounts of 
bandwidth to download their 'freebies' should not be subsidized 
by those who use the resource in a more frugal manner.  I think 
there needs to be some research done to establish the average 
bandwidth usage of domestic customers.  Add 20% to that figure 
and use the result to establish the point at which those who 
insist on downloading large amounts of 'free' movies and the like 
begin paying extra.  IOW, I think there should be a bandwidth cap 
but it shouldn't be established by the big monopolies such as 
Bell.  Maybe it's something the CRTC ought to be giving some 
thought to instead of rubber stamping the demands of big monopolies.

Carter