Internet Usage Based Billing

[ZetaG]

Those living in Canada right now are probably hearing of the topic of what is often called "Metered Internet", or pay by the byte of over usage.

 

Now, this is not a new thing; The biggest telecoms in Canada have been using this billing structure for a few years. The issue is that they are trying to force their wholesale customers, the smaller companies which rent their bandwidth, to pay the same overages that they charge their own customers. What this means is that these smaller companies are forced to charge their own customers with the same model. In effect, almost everybody pays by the byte.

 

How do you feel about this?

 

 

EDIT: I should have used the search function. DOH!

[ZeeKoh]

Fail.

 

I think Onion beat you to it!

[Creed]

I think it is a horrible idea. It kinda ties into the whole controversy right now about the internet companies in the US giving better service to companies that pay more and same with customers, etc. Its stupid.

[Theo519]

I think it is a horrible idea. It kinda ties into the whole controversy right now about the internet companies in the US giving better service to companies that pay more and same with customers, etc. Its stupid.

 

the CRTC is in charge of accepting this request or denying it.

They decided to accept the request from the big companies (kickbacks cough cough) but Thankfully the government can over rule them and they said please change your minds or we will change it for you.

 

I have already gotten shafted but the big company. They called me and said they can save me money on my bill. I am happy for this... I ask about my internet speed (oh it will stay the same) and they saved me money $8 per month internet and $5 home phone

 

Well I get my usage emailed to me and they said I am almost at my max.(my month just started)

 

turns out instead of the 60 gig per month I now get 25 I was like WTF

 

they said they can add 40 gig per month for only $5 so now I am at 65 gigs per month and still saving $3 per month on internet.. but here is the kick to the nuts... 1 year contract... any bet the 40 gigs will be cranked up next year?

 

ALWAYS get them to send ANY offers in writing and look at them.

[ZetaG]

I would like for somebody to explain to me what the point is of charging overuse of increasingly higher throughput capabilities. What is the point if increasing, or maintaining our so called "high-quality" service of 20+ mb/s of bandwidth when we just use up the caps faster? If the companies are so stressed for bandwidth, how are they even capable of offering those speeds?

 

If the internet is not for people who download, then who is it for? Why do people who only check their email, and surf the web need any more than 5 mb/s lines? Why does Rogers charge 2x the price in overages on a 500 kb/s line than on a 3 mb, when 500 kb/s obviously does not tax their network nearly as much?

 

Rogers charges $5.00/GB overages for a 500 kb/s line, and $0.50 for a 70 mb/s line, which makes me question the point of this whole thing if not to simply milk us to death. The emphasis is not on why the costs for a 70 mb line is so low (we know what 5$/GB on a 70mb line would be like...), but why the 500 kbs line costs so much per GB?

 

There's not much question to me that forcing the smaller ISP's to use this model is any different.

[tipsy]

Cap on pr0n pew pew

[TheDuck]

Facebook, google, zynga and a lot of other companies make their money off of advertisements. Selling user preferences, history and whatever other information they can gleam off you. There is absolutely no reason why they would want people to spend less time on the internet, since it will cause them to lose money.

 

What I would like to know, why don't people stand up for themselves. Too bad people won't just 'boycott' those companies and spend their money elsewhere. Early internet companies used to charge by the minute. Granted this was at 56 kbps. America Online offered 'unlimited' for 20 bucks at 56 kbps. Google is building its own fiberoptic internet at 1 gbps speed. This business model of 'pay for how much you download' is against googles interests.

 

The next thing on the block, a tax on the internet itself. I believe the U.N. already has approved this tax, just hasn't implemented it yet. Its supposed to fund the U.N. army.

 

The shittiest part of all this, wait until someone hijacks your wireless internet. Or better yet, your server or email account. I know someone who had their linux server hacked, and was using this server to send out millions of spam mail. Have fun fighting this bill with the companies.

[Rabidraccoon]

The usage billing is probably a last grab at money before the next technology comes to the forefront. How long ago were we paying for long distance? Sure you may pay for the odd call if you don't feel like using Skype or something. But even if you do pay , it's not like the days when you would count the hours and calculate when you could call uncle Sven. All the new services like Netflix are changing the way you view media. It'll kill cable and satellite. Oh wait, they provide the feeds for the internet. It's in the their interests to clamp down on streaming Youtube, TV episodes, etc. The only option for net access is wireless but they have already done the pay for use on it. I give it 2 years max before it'll be opened up. Google may provide the free access like the Duck mentioned.

[daredevil]

I don't know why they cry so much over BW in the edge of fiber optics. I guess they want to make more profit.

 

My friend in Aussie has same issue. Is there any technical reason from country point of view of why BW should be limited?

[CSL]

IMO opinion the companies are raking it in as we speaks by charging more for higher speeds.

 

TBH In the US (NewYork) i paid 30 bucks a month for 24 meg dl and 3 up. In israel I pay the equivilent of 80 bucks for 20 dl and 1 up.

 

Its all about raking it in before it becomes obsolete.

[CroSsFiRe2009]

The usage billing is probably a last grab at money before the next technology comes to the forefront.

Going to dig this thread up a bit since as a Canadian on primus, UBB would've been the end of internet for me. from unlimited bandwidth@5mbps for 40$/month to 25gb cap is ridiculous.

 

As for b-hell? I highly doubt its the last money grab. Canadians are routinely screwed over in terms of pricing and options. B-hell(bell) or Robbers(rogers) are the two monopolistic giants in terms of mobile and internet service and they charge whatever the hell they want. With no government regulation(and no CRTC does not count) they'll squeeze every dollar out of you. My internet bill over the past few years has actually increased with the same speed/bandwidth. Also, CRTC is so deep in the pocket of bell/rogers that its completely useless now.

Edited March 5, 2011 by CroSsFiRe2009