Georgia Straight | NDP slams CRTC's approval of usage-based billing for Internet service

By Stephen Hui for the Georgia Straight

The NDP’s digital-issues critic says a decision by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to allow usage-based billing threatens access to the Internet.

According to Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus, usage-based billing is unfair to consumers and could be used by large Internet service providers to limit competition from third-party ISPs and online media sources, such as Netflix.

“We’ve seen this all before with cell phones,” Angus said in a press release today (January 20). “Allowing the Internet Service Providers to ding you every time you download is a rip-off. Canada is already falling behind other countries in terms of choice, accessibility and pricing for the Internet.”

Angus called for “clear rules that put consumers first”.

The NDP’s release was applauded by OpenMedia.ca, a nonprofit organization that’s been campaigning against usage-based billing, also known as Internet metering. Read more »

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