Canada Just Ruled to Uphold Net Neutrality

[Tennis]

On Thursday afternoon, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), the country's federal telecom regulator, dropped a bombshell ruling on the status of net neutrality—the principle that all web services should be treated equally by providers. And, blessedly, it's good news.

The CRTC ruled that "[internet] service providers should treat data traffic equally to foster consumer choice, innovation and the free exchange of ideas," a CRTC news release states. What this means is that service providers won't be able to privilege certain services over others—say, YouTube or Apple Music—by letting you use them without dinging your data plan. This is a practice generally known as "zero-rating" or differential pricing.


Differential pricing contradicts the principle of net neutrality because it allows service providers to leverage their privileged position to decide which services are most attractive to their customers, effectively discriminating against others.

The CRTC's decision is welcome news as its sister organization in the US, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), is right now starting to roll back some of its previous commitments to net neutrality.

The CRTC ruling originated from complaints against Quebec-based provider Videotron's unlimited music streaming service, which launched in 2015. The service allowed subscribers to stream music from third-party apps without it counting against their data plans.

Those complaints sparked a series of hearings on the practice of differential pricing. At the time of the hearings in the fall of last year, two of Canada's "big three" telecom providers came out in support of differential pricing—Telus and Bell—while Rogers was the sole dissenting voice among the trio.

The CRTC also ruled on the Videotron case today, and in line with its decision on net neutrality and its new framework for evaluating differential pricing schemes—also published on Thursday—it ordered Videotron to come into compliance with the law, which is a nice way of saying it should stop offering its unlimited music service as it stands. The company has yet to release a public statement responding to the order.

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/a...net-neutrality

Great to see.
Hopefully this can inspire other countries to follow suit.

[Myjawsmissin]

It sounds like you're all for the CRTC to shit on Videotron for offering unlimited music service that DOESN'T impact ones data.. So why are you happy about fucking people over?

[Anevers]

Must be nice to have government that isn't willing to sell everything to the highest bidder.

[Jtbrig7390]

It sounds like you're all for the CRTC to shit on Videotron for offering unlimited music service that DOESN'T impact ones data.. So why are you happy about fucking people over?

The only one Net Neutrality fuck's over is greedy ass company's.

[Heladys]

Must be nice to have government that isn't willing to sell everything to the highest bidder.

Nah, they're far too busy selling everything to the lowest-bidding business friends of people in office.

[DarkAztaroth]

The only one Net Neutrality fuck's over is greedy ass company's.

Well, Videotron is currently offering a service for free music streaming on cellphone data that is compatible with probably a dozen music apps. Their ruling specifically states that isps won't be allowed to discount data usage from specific services. (it was aimed at that service specifically)

I work for that company... Can you believe how much of a shitstorm it will be if we cut off people's unlimited data and those that are not up to date or have been unable to be contacted end up using their data plan up without knowing ? ... That's scary to me. Not sure how that's gonna work out...

I can see how that service would affect more minor music streaming apps, but damn, that's a loss for everyone else.

[Skroe]

No Tenn, nobody cares. Net Neutrality? That's so 2014.

What we do care about is more happenings on the Barcelona City Council. That's news.

[Tijuana]

No Tenn, nobody cares. Net Neutrality? That's so 2014.

What we do care about is more happenings on the Barcelona City Council. That's news.

ZING! top kek

[Zandalarian Paladin]

Its good on the cover, but ultimately it's just a way for these companies to leverage more money from your pockets.

I just hope it won't backfire too much, even though fundamentally, net neutrality is a good thing.

[Tyrianth]

Woo, once again CRTC showing that's not completely useless.

- - - Updated - - -

Well, Videotron is currently offering a service for free music streaming on cellphone data that is compatible with probably a dozen music apps. Their ruling specifically states that isps won't be allowed to discount data usage from specific services. (it was aimed at that service specifically)

I work for that company... Can you believe how much of a shitstorm it will be if we cut off people's unlimited data and those that are not up to date or have been unable to be contacted end up using their data plan up without knowing ? ... That's scary to me. Not sure how that's gonna work out...

I can see how that service would affect more minor music streaming apps, but damn, that's a loss for everyone else.

Maybe Videotron should start offering data plans at reasonable rates, as per the CRTC recommendation.

[paralleluniverse]

That's because Canada has a left-wing government, not a corporatist shill like Trump who has appointed FCC commissioners to kill net neutrality.

[Tyrianth]

That's because Canada has a left-wing government, not a corporatist shill like Trump who has appointed FCC commissioners to kill net neutrality.

While the CRTC has it's fair share of problems, their stance on Net Neutrality should be applauded.

They have an excellent online presence in the community, which leads me to believe that they actually understand how things like the internet work.

https://www.reddit.com/r/canada/comm...ue_to_protect/

[Independent voter]

Net neutrality == Netflix subsidy

Netflix is like half of all internet traffic by now.

[Elim Garak]

Anything that any government does is bad. If it looks like government did/does something good - look deeper.

[minteK917]

Maybe Videotron should start offering data plans at reasonable rates, as per the CRTC recommendation.

It is, its actually less expansive then Bell... I get 10 GB data on my cellphone and unlimited music download for $67 with a free g7 because its my 3rd smart phone with them. A base bell 500 MB mobile internet plan is $47.

[Tyrianth]

It is, its actually less expansive then Bell... I get 10 GB data on my cellphone and unlimited music download for $67 with a free g7. A base bell 500 MB mobile internet plan is $47.

Which is good, though if their customers still aren't happy with that amount of data they might have to go even cheaper. Which may draw customers from other companies creating actual competition in the Canadian Telecomm market.

Telecomms should not get to prioritize your internet usage. If they can charge less for one service, they can charge extra for another.

[minteK917]

Which is good, though if their customers still aren't happy with that amount of data they might have to go even cheaper. Which may draw customers from other companies creating actual competition in the Canadian Telecomm market.

Telecomms should not get to prioritize your internet usage. If they can charge less for one service, they can charge extra for another.

No see thats the thing videotron is bound to a contract others like bell and rogers arent. They are not allowed to offer international services. So if you travel you actually gotta buy time with another company. So in short the law suit was just to ruin one company having the upper hand on one market by offering lower prices and unlimited music from apps. They are only present in the province of Quebec.

[Jastall]

It sounds like you're all for the CRTC to shit on Videotron for offering unlimited music service that DOESN'T impact ones data.. So why are you happy about fucking people over?

I'll start crying for Videotron when they offer data plans that don't cost me my firstborn. Not that they're alone in this, but we pay through the nose for internet in Canada.

[satimy]

That's because Canada has a left-wing government, not a corporatist shill like Trump who has appointed FCC commissioners to kill net neutrality.

You realize the CEOs and BOD of all these evil corps are like 99% left wing

[minteK917]

I'll start crying for Videotron when they offer data plans that don't cost me my firstborn. Not that they're alone in this, but we pay through the nose for internet in Canada.

They all cost about the same thing. Videotron was on the lower side of this and offered unlimited music download.. as a consumer if you live in the one province videotron is allowed to work, this is not good.