The stakes couldn't be higher | Weekly News Update from OpenMedia.ca

Hello, 

Here's Lindsey with your update:

Big news: telecom giants and repressive regimes around the world are teaming up to make the Internet more expensive, surveilled, and censored. The stakes couldn't be higher! Take action here now. 

For the Internet, 

- The OpenMedia.ca Team

---

Recent News

A surprise attack

Wow. Telecom giants and repressive regimes are teaming up to use a little-known UN agency to make the Internet more expensive,1 surveilled,2 and censored.3

We need you to take a stand as part of a global community right now.

Internet freedom means connection with loved ones, open innovation, and free expression without interference by Big Telecom or repressive governments. All this is under threat right now, but you can make a difference in just a few seconds.

You are part of what’s shaping up to be the largest movement in history, and the stakes couldn't be higher. Read more »

 

Unlocking Canada's Wireless Code

Canada’s wireless market has long been locked up by the Big Three giants at Rogers, Bell, and Telus who have mislead Canadians into accepting substandard customer service. It’s a chokehold that has confined the growth of smaller competitors and one that continues to set the rules on what service is adopted as being ‘fair’ – even when its not.

Last month, decision-makers at the CRTC invited Canadians to provide input on constructing a new wireless code for Big Telecom to adhere to, essentially putting the keys to their unruly kingdom in your hand. In response to this call for Canadians to speak out, we established an online tool at CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca as a way for you to share with the CRTC what you’d like to see change about Big Telecom cell phone service and why. Read more »

 

WordsByNowak.com: Big Telecom pushing back on independent ISP speeds

Rogers is being accused of anti-competitive tactics by independent ISPs who are using its network. The dispute surrounds Rogers 'speed-boosting' without changes in price to customers – but not allowing independent providers to access the same speeds without first paying additional costs.

These costs aren't just being payed by indie ISPs, they're being passed down to Canadians. Let Big Telecom know that Canadians won't stand for their Internet tampering; make the switch to an indie ISP at OpenMedia.ca/Switch.

Article by Pete Nowak

After a period of relative public calm, the internet access wars are ratcheting up once again with the CRTC being asked to intervene in a dispute between independent service providers and Rogers.

This time it’s the Canadian Network Operators Consortium, an affiliation of indie ISPs, accusing Rogers of trying to unfairly charge more for higher-speed services. CNOC says Rogers recently boosted download and upload speeds for its own retail customers without any price increases, a move that is supposed to automatically result in those same speeds being made available to independent ISPs who use parts of its network. CNOC says Rogers is offering its members those higher speeds, but only at an additional cost. Read more »

 

The Globe and Mail: The high costs of Arctic broadband

Canadians in the north are on the brink of a digital divide as aging networks, service outages and prohibitive costs all continue to affect everyday communications services. It's a struggle that is attributed to a dominant monopoly by Northwestel – a Bell subsidiary – that has been criticized in the past for mismanaging government funding.

We've put together an Action Plan to remedy this digital disconnect, working to establish an open and affordable Internet for all. Learn more and share it with your MP at OpenMedia.ca/Plan.

Article by Peter Nowak for The Globe and Mail:

When Peter Jackson was making The Lord of the Rings trilogy, his iPod racked up some serious frequent-flyer miles. The device journeyed around the world multiple times as the director shuttled music for the films between his home and shooting locations in New Zealand and his studio in London.

With the high cost of Internet bandwidth in New Zealand at the time, it was the only realistic way to move the data around. Over the course of production, Jackson sent 1.5 terabytes of data back and forth via courier. Each trip, carrying 30 gigabytes, took about two days. The process added lengthy delays to the production of the films, which would go on to win multiple Academy Awards.

More than a decade later, Canadians and businesses in the north know the director’s pain. Poor services and especially high prices are interfering with their ability to join the rest of the world’s burgeoning digital economy. Read more »

 

The Toronto Star: How Canadians reclaimed the public interest on digital policy

Canadians have long been speaking out to safeguard affordable access to our communications – but only recently are we seeing digital policy decision-makers at the CRTC beginning to put public interest first.

Canadians are in the drivers seat and we need to tell the CRTC which direction to take. Share your CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca and help enact a new wireless code for Canada - we'll be bringing your horror stories to Big Telecom Telus this week and report back with what they have to say.

Article by Michael Geist

The fall of 2007 was a particularly bleak period for Canadians concerned with digital policies. The government had just issued a policy direction to the CRTC to adopt a hands-off regulatory approach even as consumer prices for Internet and wireless services were increasing. Meanwhile, the Department of Public Safety held a semi-secret consultation on Internet surveillance where mandatory disclosure of subscriber information was assumed. Read more »

 

Bringing Big Telecom down to earth: Help us create a new set of rules for Canada's telecom giants

If you had the chance – what would you say to the heads of Canada’s Big Telecom giants?

It’s a tiring process trying to talk with someone – anyone – from within Big Telecom who seems to empathize with or understand Canadians. We’ve been a conduit for citizen concerns from the beginning with our StopTheMeter.ca campaign; and we’re still continuing on today with our call for Canadians to reshape our wireless market by sharing their CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca.

We’ve been reading your horror stories and we know that you’re angry. We need new rules that apply to all Big Telecom companies equally – rules that are upheld and followed, instead of avoided. What should these rules be?

Don’t just tell us, tell Telus. Read more »

 

Telling your Cell Phone Horror Stories

For the past few weeks we've been asking you to share your CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca to tell decision-makers at the CRTC what steps to take in fixing our broken telecom market.

Now, we're looking to feature some of the most engaging comments we've received from Canadians with regards to price-gouging, contracts, customer service and more. If you haven't already, tell your story and let's create a new wireless code that puts Canadians first. Read more »

 

Playing Games – Big Telecom continues to throttle Canadian Internet connections

Canadian citizens are paying for Internet access, but Big Telecom isn't being completely open about the restrictions that they've been imposing. When Big Telecom was confronted about throttling Canadians' Internet connections last year, they made a promise to change their ways by this year's end.

Read on for an overview of what the Canadian Gamers Organization has found out and how your Internet connection could be affected. To make the switch from Big Telecom to an independent provider in your area, visit OpenMedia.ca/Switch

Blog authored by Teresa Murphy & Jason Koblovsky

In 2011, the Canadian Gamers Organization (CGO) submitted a complaint on Internet throttling stating that the CRTC was not taking consumer interests to heart. Since then, we’ve made it clear that consumer rights were not adequately being protected by the Commission concerning its policies on Internet Traffic Management Practices (ITMPs). Read more »

---