OpenMedia.ca Asks Canada's Major Political Parties to Go on the Record for UBB

Posted by Steve Anderson on Thursday, March 3, 2011 - 17:59

This morning, OpenMedia.ca sent the following letters to the NDP, the Liberal Party, the Green Party, and the Conservative Party of Canada. Our goal is to move this discussion past rhetoric and into specific policy positions. If the political parties really support an affordable Internet, here's a good opportunity for them to stand and be counted. We will report back on their responses.

Dear Mr. Clement,

We write to you today to formally request that the Conservative Party endorse OpenMedia.ca/CIPPIC and other groups' call for the CRTC to broaden the scope of its usage-based billing proceeding (2011-77).

The CRTC has set up the review of usage-based billing so that it avoids touching the root cause of this price gouging. They're limiting their review so that many Canadians still end up with a pay-metered Internet. We've come too far to accept this.

Please call on the CRTC to include a comprehensive review of the regulatory framework applicable to all wholesale high-speed access services ("WHSAS") provided by incumbent local exchange carriers and cable carriers (collectively "incumbents") to their competitors, the use of UBB as a "Traffic Management Practice" ("ITMP"), and for the proceeding to include evidence, interrogatories, an online consultation, and a public hearing.

You must already be aware that there are over 470,000 signatures on the “Stop The Meter” petition that was launched to bring attention to the need for an open, accessible, and affordable Internet in Canada. You are likely also aware that citizens went out to communities across the country to educate their fellow Canadians about this issue for our National Day Of Action last Saturday. The magnitude of this demonstration of public concern is a truly historic Canadian event.

We hope we can count on the Conservative Party to help fix the fundamental structural issues in the Internet service market.

The upcoming hearing about usage-based billing (Internet metering) currently fails to address the root problems that have led to a metered Internet. We want to use this opportunity to find made-in-Canada solutions to the problems we're facing. We're calling for a complete overhaul of the regulatory framework for broadband competition in Canada.

In addition to driving up the price of consumer Internet service, usage-based billing would crush innovation, constrain Canada’s digital competitiveness and hand further control of media in Canada to a very small number of ‘Big Telecom’ companies.

We look forward to your response.

Regards,

Steve Anderson on behalf of OpenMedia.ca

Dear Mr. Garneau,

We write to you today to formally request that the Liberal Party endorse OpenMedia.ca/CIPPIC and other groups call for the CRTC to broaden the scope of its usage-based billing proceeding (2011-77).

The CRTC has set up the review of usage-based billing so it avoids touching the root cause of this price gouging. They're limiting their review so that many Canadians still end up with a pay-metered Internet. We've come too far to accept this.

Please call on the CRTC to include a comprehensive review of the regulatory framework applicable to all wholesale high-speed access services ("WHSAS") provided by incumbent local exchange carriers and cable carriers (collectively "incumbents") to their competitors, the use of UBB as a "Traffic Management Practice" ("ITMP") and for the proceeding to include evidence, interrogatories, an online consultation, and a public hearing.

You must already be aware that there are over 470,000 signatures on the “Stop The Meter” petition that was launched to bring attention to the need for an open, accessible, and affordable Internet in Canada. You are likely also aware that citizens went out to their local communities across the country to educate their fellow Canadians about this issue for our National Day Of Action last Saturday. The magnitude of this demonstration of public concern is a truly historic Canadian event.

We hope we can count on the Liberal Party to help fix the fundamental structural issues in the Internet service market.

We look forward to your response.

Regards,

Steve Anderson on behalf of OpenMedia.ca

Dear Mr. Angus,

We write to you today to formally request that the New Democratic Party endorse OpenMedia.ca/CIPPIC and other groups call for the CRTC to broaden the scope of its usage-based billing proceeding (2011-77).

Please call on the CRTC to include a comprehensive review of the regulatory framework applicable to all wholesale high-speed access services ("WHSAS") provided by incumbent local exchange carriers and cable carriers (collectively "incumbents") to their competitors, the use of UBB as a "Traffic Management Practice" ("ITMP") and for the proceeding to include evidence, interrogatories, an online consultation, and a public hearing.

You must already be aware that there are over 470,000 signatures on the “Stop The Meter” petition that was launched to bring attention to the need for an open, accessible, and affordable Internet in Canada. You are likely also aware that citizens went out to their local communities across the country to educate their fellow Canadians about this issue for our National Day Of Action last Saturday. The magnitude of this demonstration of public concern is a truly historic Canadian event.

We hope we can count on the New Democratic Party to help fix the fundamental structural issues in the Internet service market.

We look forward to your response.

Regards,

Steve Anderson on behalf of OpenMedia.ca

Dear Ms. May,

We write to you today to formally request that the Green Party endorse OpenMedia.ca/CIPPIC and other groups call for the CRTC to broaden the scope of its usage-based billing proceeding (2011-77).

Please call on the CRTC to include a comprehensive review of the regulatory framework applicable to all wholesale high-speed access services ("WHSAS") provided by incumbent local exchange carriers and cable carriers (collectively "incumbents") to their competitors, the use of UBB as a "Traffic Management Practice" ("ITMP") and for the proceeding to include evidence, interrogatories, an online consultation, and a public hearing.

You must already be aware that there are over 470,000 signatures on the “Stop The Meter” petition that was launched to bring attention to the need for an open, accessible, and affordable Internet in Canada. You are likely also aware that citizens went out to their local communities across the country to educate their fellow Canadians about this issue for our National Day Of Action last Saturday. The magnitude of this demonstration of public concern is a truly historic Canadian event.

We hope we can count on the Green Party to help fix the fundamental structural issues in the Internet service market.

In addition to driving up the price of consumer Internet service, usage-based billing would crush innovation, constrain Canada’s digital competitiveness and hand further control of media in Canada to
a very small number of ‘Big Telecom’ companies.

We look forward to your response.

Regards,

Steve Anderson on behalf of OpenMedia.ca

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