Well no, it didn’t. But in the near future that statement could become reality and your internet bill could skyrocket through the roof.
Canada’s Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has passed about two days ago a bill that would require all internet service providers (ISPs) to not only charge a flat start-up fee for their services, but also charge accordingly to the amount of internet usage a client may utilize. The bill will legally be in effect on March 1, 2011.
Without a doubt there is already a huge outcry against this bill and multiple petitions have already started around the nation. Many ISPs will be forced to cut down the cap for monthly data usage from 200 gigabytes per month to a measly 25 gigabytes per month for their plans and for every gigabyte over ISPs may charge you $1.90 (and to no surprise, $2.35 if you live in Quebec.) This annoys anyone who frequently downloads music off iTunes, watch movies on Netflix, play games on Steam, or anyone who uses the internet often as 25 gigabytes is not a lot of downloading capacity for today’s netizens and any more than 25 gigabytes will cause your next bill to have a large number on it. Furthermore the ISPs may allow services such as music and movies to be available for a cheaper price, but it will be through their programming system such as Video On Demand, which severely handicaps the consumer’s freedom of choice.
Though the obvious side reaping the benefits are the ISPs (and maybe the government due to taxes), there are few aspects that do benefit some people. Most notably, people who do not use a lot of internet will now no longer need to pay the same amount as one who does use internet a lot and it makes sense that instead of all people paying a flat rate, people pay for how much they use. Moderates can accept the idea of usage-based billing, however they disagree with the high overage price and the low capped initial data limit. Many people are calling out for a lower base price, a higher data limit, and a lower overage price. However the bill is still relatively new and none of the major ISPs have announced any of their plans, so the issue remains quite ambiguous. If the flat rate is low and the overage price is reasonable, I think most people who agree it is fair to pay for the service you use. Whether this bill will even be grasped by the consumers can only be told in time.