p2pnet - rss feed: Bell Canada traffic shaping: update III
p2pnet news | Freedom:- “Traffic shaping” by Canadian ISPs must be investigated by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), says the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE).
“The National Union has become increasingly concerned about the issue of network neutrality and Canada’s lack of action to protect consumers and producers of Internet material,” NUPGE president James Clancy states in a letter to CRTC chairman Konrad Von Finckenstein.
The Bell Sympatico traffic “management” debacle was first revealed by p2pnet in November, 2007, and now, “I am writing to you regarding recent revelations of Internet ‘traffic shaping’ being conducted by Rogers Communications and Bell Canada,” clancy writes, going on >>>
On behalf of the National Union of Public and General Employees, one of Canada’s largest trade unions, I am asking the CRTC to conduct an investigation into these practices and the implications for Canadian consumers.
The National Union has become increasingly concerned about the issue of network neutrality and Canada’s lack of action to protect consumers and producers of Internet material. Accompanying this letter is a copy of our recent report The Internet: accessibility and net neutrality.
This past week it was reported that Bell Canada, without advance warning of its intention, will be ‘throttling’ Internet access for Sympatico users who utilize file sharing software during peak hours. Bell’s reluctant admission of its plans follows Rogers’ equally hesitant partial disclosure that it is traffic shaping.
I would point out that the file sharing software, for example BitTorrent, is legal and there are many legitimate uses for it. Indeed, this past week the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation announced it was making episodes of Canada’s Next Great Prime Minister, free and without restriction, for download using BitTorrent. This means that those Canadians, who are Bell or Rogers Internet service subscribers, wishing to download this show from their public broadcaster will be hampered in their efforts.
It is important to note that Bell and Rogers are not the first cases in Canada of an Internet service provider interfering with customer access to web content. Perhaps the most notorious example is that of Telus blocking access to the website of its striking workers (along with hundreds of other websites).
Our neighbours to the south are taking this form of interference in Internet service very seriously. The Federal Communications Commission in the United States is conducting an investigation into the blocking of legal peer-to-peer file sharing services by Comcast and other Internet service providers. This follows a complaint and petition filed by members of the SavetheInternet.com Coalition and a number of Internet law scholars from leading American universities.
The actions of the Coalition were in response to an article that appeared in the Associated Press about Comcast’s actions. After initial denials that they had engaged in blocking Internet traffic, they eventually admitted to having done so.
Comcast is acting in a manner that violates the reasonable right of Internet users to access the software and content of their choice. The company is blocking legal peer-to-peer file sharing networks, such as BitTorrent and Gnutella, and business applications such as Lotus Notes. This is even in violation of Comcast’s own ‘Internet Policy Statement.’
These Internet Service Providers are, with little or no public accountability, implementing measures that will discriminate against the use of legal software for legitimate uses. This is unacceptable. The potential for violations of the privacy rights of users is clear. The continued silence on these matters by the CRTC and the Canadian government violates the trust the Canadian people have placed in you.
On behalf of the 340,000 members of the National Union I am asking the CRTC to conduct an investigation into those Internet Service Providers who are utilizing these discriminatory practices. Such an investigation should be public and open to input from Canadians.
The Internet promises a great deal of benefit to Canadians. Historically our government has made a considerable investment into developing and implementing communications technologies, including the Internet. The CRTC needs to act to ensure the intention of this public investment is realized – an Internet that is open and accessible to all Canadians.
I look forward to hearing your response to this matter.
Sincerely yours,
James Clancy
National President
On April 7 Bell will implement its traffic shaping across its entire network, said p2pnet yesterday, going on:
“It might have been a virtual fait accompli by now had not p2pnet’s ‘Ottawa Gal,’ and Canadian ISP TekSavvy first blown the whistle in November, 2007.
“With the story now receiving widespread coverage, p2pnet has unconfirmed reports a new explosion is ready to occur, and one with even more severe implications for net neutrality.
“The explosion will include a stop-sell on Bell’s current $25 Unlimited Usage Plan, says an official March 13 document seen by p2pnet.
It states >>>
The Unlimited Usage Plan will still be available in your ordering tools until further notice; however, we ask that you not sell this plan to a customer under any circumstance. All incentives/payouts related to selling this plan are being discontinued.
If a customer insists on receiving unlimited usage, please soft transfer them immediately to the SCS Usage Queue via the A2A transfer application.
Please note that the 30 GB Usage Insurance Plan @ $10/month remains available to High Speed, Ultra, Performance, Optimax & Max customers.
Just how badly are users affected?
Below are three graphs compiled by TekSavvy.
Campaign for Democratic Media put together a YouTube video which adequately sums up the situation.
Stay tuned.
NUPGE - NUPGE asks CRTC to investigate Internet ‘traffic shaping’, March 28, 2008
traffic “management” debacle - Bell download throttling: update, March 27, 2008
first revealed - Bell Sympatico P2P Black List, November 3, 2007
p2pnet - New Bell Canada scandal looms, March 30, 2008
Bell download throttling: update
Bell Canada and The Letter: update II
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Net access blocked by government restrictions? Use Psiphon from the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto. Go here for details. Download here.
March 31st, 2008 at 11:50 am
We can not relly on corrupted and rogue businesses to cover our internet need. It is time to look at other way to go on internet. There is others ways.