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Heh, figures. Well, he might've gotten an iPod or a monitor. They offer "free" gifts if you sign up for long enough. (Not available to current subscribers, though...) Btw, I have no idea how he would have to pay $40/month... If he had a special rate for the 3.0/.65 connection it would go up to $40.95, though.

Ok, while I agree that the concept of entering contracts without a way to know is bad, unlike what the article said, the cancellation fee IS advertised under the "some conditions apply" links here http://www.mytelus.com/internet/highspeed/display. do and to make it easier for people those links go to http://www.mytelus.com/internet/highspeed/includes /popup_mice.vm?type=lite and it does say "Cancellation fee applies to early Rate Protection plan termination." rather clearly. I agree with the point that being able to enter contracts without knowing is silly, however I wish TFA would get the facts straight when saying things like that the cancellation fee is not mentioned anywhere.

Ok, while I agree that the concept of entering contracts without a way to know is bad, unlike what the article said, the cancellation fee IS advertised under the "some conditions apply" links here http://www.mytelus.com/internet/highspeed/display. do and to make it easier for people those links go to http://www.mytelus.com/internet/highspeed/includes /popup_mice.vm?type=lite and it does say "Cancellation fee applies to early Rate Protection plan termination." rather clearly. I agree with the point that being able to enter contracts without knowing is silly, however I wish TFA would get the facts straight when saying things like that the cancellation fee is not mentioned anywhere.

Just because telus's individual customer service member didn't have a photographic recall of every customer sign up and made a mistaken assumption (assuming at first they had signed up over the phone, then again that they had used the automated set up) doesn't mean they're wrong.

It's not like this guys parents pulled their computer out of the box, connected to an open wireless network and then a guy knocked on their door with a bill for 50 bucks, telling them that if they didn't pay they'd be subject to a $200 cancellation fee for getting out of the contract.

At some point somewhere along the line his parents must have said "we want this service. We agree to pay for it. Here's what we want."

I haven't tried to get that far in the Telus world (I don't want to look for a valid address or phone number for the ordering form, but they certainly don't seem to be hiding the fact that you're signing up for a contract. Look here http://www.telusmobility.com/on/promotions/index.s html and see how basically every activation special inlcudes the asterix saying it applies only for a contract of so long a duration.

Check http://www.mytelus.com/internet/highspeed/display. do where everything includes a link right below it including the terms and conditions (ie, "some conditions apply")

I wasn't able to get past the high speed sign up page without picking a length for my price "protection plan."

We're not talking about policemen pulling you over and handing you a bill for road services, or waking up in a hotel room next to a nice note saying "our cameras indicated you looked out the window. Viewing the beach is an added $10 fee." We're talking about someone agreeing to buy service, and then not liking the terms.

Whether or not the terms could have been more obvious I don't know seeing as how we don't know exactly what the plan was called that they signed up for, what the terms were at that time, etc.

BUT there are some parts where this story falls apart. First and most glaringly, almost any consumer would realize that an agreement for a discounted first year, with a higher rate following it means you're locked in for more than a year. He says his grandparents were members for "about a year" which, in the traditional construction means not a year (otherwise he would have said "over a year.")

No customer of even remote sophistication is going to believe that the company is going to offer a discounted rate for people who are members for 11 or fewer months, while sticking it to customers who stay for periods longer than a year.

They're going to have a hard time arguing (assuming the court is filled with smarter people than most of the slashdotters on this thread of course) that they believed they signed up for service that gives them a discount on regular service for leaving before one year is up, but charges them extra for the same service if they don't switch to another company before the end of the year.

As far as proving the agreement was entered into, there's tons of proof. There's the admission that they signed up for service, the fact that someone must have given Telus some money or banking information during the signup or when the first bill rolled around, the fact that someone must have given Telus the address to send the modem to. It's not like they just opened their door, saw a Telus modem sitting there and thought "hey, lets hook this up and see if this gives us internet" and even if they had, then you have the bigger problem of explaining why these people thought the company would give them a free modem if they had never asked for it.

Proof is on Telus's side. Proof says that GPs knew they were entering into an agreement, that they enjoyed the agreement for some time, that they had no problem with the agreement.

What is not proven is that the terms were in any

I have some sympathy for your story because the individuals were elderly and as such are in a demographic that is frequently taken advantage of. However, Telus has offered this program for several years now, and they don't try to mask it or hide it as much as other major telecoms will.

If you sign up for Telus internet service you are typically offered two things:
    - the option for free stuff (modem, ipod, monitor, etc.)
    - a 2 or 3 year 'Rate Protection Plan'

Both of those should set off alarm bells.

If a company is offering you free goods - it's not free. Always ask why it's free. This has been true forever and your grandparents should have been aware of this.

If a company offers a deal that includes a specified time in the agreement, it's a fixed term contract. There is no reason why a company would specify a time unless you are signing a fixed term contract.

To add to that, all of the literature on the rate plans clearly indicates that 'some conditions apply.'
You can see their rate plans here: http://www.mytelus.com/internet/highspeed/prices.d o They aren't hiding (much) and they make it fairly obvious what you are getting into. They also offer the option to not get the free stuff or the 3-year protection plan and they don't make it difficult for you to do so.

All-in-all, your Grandparents signed up for a service and signed up for a contract. They weren't tricked or lied to, but they may have been taken advantage of. Sadly, taking advantage of people that don't know better is not a criminal offence, it's just our world works.

can you sign up for a monthly internet service without entering in and agreeing to a contract?

http://www.mytelus.com/internet/highspeed/faqs-rpp .do

France legalizing file sharing and Canada legalizing group sex:
http://www.mytelus.com/news/article.do?pageID=news _home&articleID=2125712

It sure is dull to be an American

TELUS defends their actions in terms of not allowing access to "harfmful"/legally questionable (in their opinion) content like pictures of employees who cross the picket lines and the site encouraging people to "jam the phone lines" at TELUS. In their Terms of Service for their internet service, TELUS does say:

45. You acknowledge that TELUS has no obligation to censor or monitor use of the TELUS Internet Services by you, any customer or any third party, including, without limitation, any obligation to censor or monitor any content, material or other information sent, received or accessible through the TELUS Internet Services or the Internet. However, you agree that TELUS has the right to, without notice, monitor use of the TELUS Internet Services and monitor, review and retain such content, material or information if TELUS believes in good faith that such activity is reasonably necessary to provide the TELUS Internet Services to customers, ensure adherence to or enforce the terms of this Agreement, comply with any laws or regulations, respond to any allegation of illegal conduct or claimed violation of third party rights, or protect itself or others.

They've been blocking 80 for non business customers for years. Since the Cadvision takeover (2000?) anyway. Residential: $36.95, Business: $89.95. The future is monopoly.

You acknowledge that the TELUS Internet Services provide access to content, information and materials that are uncensored. You acknowledge that some of the content, information and material that is available through the TELUS Internet Services and the Internet may be inaccurate, offensive, harmful or in violation of applicable laws. TELUS recommends that minors using the TELUS Internet Services be supervised by an adult.

A contract is a contract, but only between Ferengi. - Rule of acquisition #17.

1:TELUS reserves the right to amend this Agreement at its sole discretion, at any time.
http://www.mytelus.com/internet/policies/TISAA.do

11: You agree to pay all costs incurred by TELUS in the collection of any delinquent charges due under this Agreement or in the enforcement of this Agreement including, without limitation, lawyers' fees.
18: You acknowledge that such general practices and limits may differ for different portions of the TELUS Internet Services and may be set at different levels for different users based upon factors that may be determined in TELUS' sole discretion.
40: You acknowledge and agree that TELUS shall not be responsible or liable to you or any third party for any suspension, restriction or termination of your account.

C'mon, bill, you've worked for a phone company, you've seen the size of their legal budgets.
Did you really think they would leave themselves open to claims?

Looking at http://www.mytelus.com/internet/policies/TISAA.do I see

Content Warning

37. You acknowledge that the TELUS Internet Services provide access to content, information and materials that are uncensored. You acknowledge that some of the content, information and material that is available through the TELUS Internet Services and the Internet may be inaccurate, offensive, harmful or in violation of applicable laws. TELUS recommends that minors using the TELUS Internet Services be supervised by an adult.

Would this not be a simple breach of contract matter then?

site blocked to telus isp customers by telus (this is seen directly, not through proxy)

blocked site seen through the proxy that they recommend

Telus corporate home page (this is the isp home page)

Telus fair use policy (part of agreement with telus isp customers)

site blocked to telus isp customers by telus (this is seen directly, not through proxy)

blocked site seen through the proxy that they recommend

Telus corporate home page (this is the isp home page)

Telus fair use policy (part of agreement with telus isp customers)

Here in Vancouver we have Shaw selling Lite always on cable connections that are "up to 5x faster than dial up" for $25CDN ($20.29 US today) and Telus selling regular DSL for $30 CDN ($24.35 US today) if you sign up for a year. Sounds like what you're looking for. Too bad your local companies don't have something like that.

Hopefully prices will come down for you guys. Prices may come down for us now that Shaw (cable company) is offering digital cable phone services in cities like Calgary, Alberta to completely remove Telus from the loop. Competition is good :)

As of February 1, 2005, persons buying electronic equipment in Alberta are subject to paying a fee ranging from $5 (Laptops) to $45 (46"+ TV)

It came as quite a surprise to most. I received a fax about a week before it became effective and about 2 days before I heard it mentioned on the news.

Electronic Recycling Products and fees

I have ADSL from Telus, the local phone company.

On well-connected sites I routinely hit 1.5 MBPS downstream (handy for new Linux kernels :-), and my line would support 9 MBPS if I was prepared to fork over the $$$. It costs me about $CDN 30.00 a month.

I own my modem, though Telus would happily rent me one for 5 bucks a month.

...laura

[Ashcroft] said the Motion Picture Association of America estimates that 2.6 billion songs, movies and software programs are illegally distributed over the Internet every month.

That's like asking Halliburton, "How much money do you need to rebuild Iraq?" The MPAA is hardly unbiased. It's in their own best interest to inflate that number.

I'd estimate that 550 million albums are sold in the US each year. [Source data] Say 8 songs per albumn, average. That comes to 4.4 billion songs per year, while the MPAA is claiming 2.6 billion per month are infringed. Yeah, they lump music, movies, and software all into one, but that's just a rough estimate, and I figure more music is downloaded than movies, just because of the bandwidth issues. Still, I don't find that 2.6 billion figure at all credible.

Close. This decision is not surprising as the movie is propaganda, which Moore readily admits.
This is blatantly false. Michael Moore says the movie is fact-based and not propaganda. You're spreading a lie. Where are your references?
My reference: Michael Moore says Fahrenheit 9/11 is fact, not propaganda -Michael

Telus, a big ISP in Canada, specifically advertises by saying "Download music for free!" Not only that, but for signing up, you get a free MP3 player.

Yes, the "billionaire corp" is "really fighting for their right to charge you $24.95/mo so you can download stuff for 'free'".

Vip

I've got a bus DSL line with my local ISP/Telco. It runs just over $80 per month. I've got a couple websites hosted out of my place with no issues from the ISP, but the're not even close to high volume sites.

Lots of people are mentioning the 20/5 GB cap for this service and I was wondering if anybody has Telus DSL with their (insanely low, in my oppinion) cap of 5/1 GB cap. Do they ever come after you after that? I avoided them like the plague when I came to Alberta.

All i can say is that 20/5 GB is pretty good compared to Telus DSL.

I love google... It is my home page in my browser. I use it 100 times a day. But sometimes the results don't cut it, or seem to be in a different direction than what I am looking for.

Does anyone have recommendations to some good alternative engines? I used to use altavista, askjeeves, hotbot... but I don't remember the last time I got really useful results from them (maybe cuz I haven't used them for a couple years). What about those apps that you can download that search numerous engines?

It is interesting (scary?) to see how much a business can be affected by the algorithms and voodoo of an entity such as google. What I find about myself as well, is that if I am looking for a store or business that provides a certain good or service, I always go to google (or mytelus, gag...) to search for it. I don't think I even go to any sort of specialty shops or businesses anymore unless I have found that they have a web site that doesn't repulse me. Anyone else find themselves falling into these sorts of habits?

The Flash click to play extension is great, but it doesn't block all flash. From the actual file: /* Doesn't work for tags, which are less common than tags - bug 190970 */

So, it doesn't block flash like the the ones often seen here.

Our ADSL is way cheaper and way faster than yours. And more importantly, the big providers are trying to kill each other at any cost. So they're selling a $45 service for only $30, funded primarily by their shareholders and their respective monopolies on cable and telephone service.

One place that does this is here. It sucks but then again I don't do business with them.

It's Five GB down, One GB up according to this page.

It's not really actively enforced. I've downloaded 10 gigs, uploaded 5 gigs in one month, and was not contacted. I suspect it there's for the heaviest abusers, the ones saturating their line 24/7 with FTP servers.

I have Telus ADSL, and they are completely upfront about what what you get. I don't do much streaming media and thus haven't come close (yet) to the 6 GB/month download cap, but since I live less than a kilometer from the CO, I routinely bounce off the 1.5 MBPS download speed cap on well-connected sites.

Just don't ask me what it's like to be a Linux user on Telus, OK? :-(

...laura

Friday, Oct 24, 2003 Car's 'black box' convicts Montreal driver
Quebec police won a dangerous-driving conviction Friday using evidence from the "black box" in the car, a first in the province.
The black box or event data recorder (EDR), which automatically records a car's speed and other information, showed Eric Gauthier was driving at least 131 km/h when he hit another car in downtown Montreal in April of 2001.
Yacine Zinet, 19, was killed in the crash.
There were no witnesses, but police used the black box in 20-year-old Gauthier's car to determine his speed and build a case against him.
Here's the rest: http://www.mytelus.com/news/article.do?pageID=cbc/ canada_home&articleID=1441967

I'm also in Canada, and have good experience with both Shaw and Telus. For the non-Canadian viewers, Shaw is a cable company, Telus is a Telco. Neither Shaw or Telus have market penetration throughout all of Canada.

Your basic Shaw account for cable modem, 1 DHCP IP, email, and unlimited surfing is approx. $37.95/mo. Bandwidth is something like 2.5Mbps down, up to 512kbps up. Homepage: http://www.shaw.ca. Pricing page: http://www.shaw.ca/Tmplt.asp?pageID=647

Your basic Telus account for ADSL, 2 DHCP IPs, email, and unlimited surfing is $39.95/mo. Bandwidth is something like 1.5Mbps down, 512kbps up. Home page: http://www.telus.com. Pricing page: http://www.mytelus.com/internet/highspeed/adslquic kconnect.do

Since Shaw is cable, and cable modems have a larger span, they are more often used in rural areas.

Lots of mom-and-pop shops operate in rural parts of Canada. They are hit and miss, although are more often 'miss'. The last thing our corporate customers in rural areas need is the advice of a mom-and-pop shop - albeit good intentioned advice - it generally is worth what it cost (nothing) and often sends customers down the wrong direction.

Both Telus & Shaw provide 24hour tech support. It's reasonable. Support on either Telus or Shaw broadband is most certainly not like having a fiber optic connection, but then at $2,500/mo for fiber and aprrox. $40/mo for broadband, it's somewhat less expensive too ;)

To the original poster: unless you had to pay for build costs (in which case, it's yer own fault for wanting to live in a rural area - you didn't seriously think you get the benefits of the big city AND the country, that'd be like having your cake and eating it too)..

$40/mo is a good price in my not so humble opinion ;)

(for the American viewers, $40/mo Canadian is about $25/mo USD)

I'm sick of the news media ignoring Iran just because the government and their goons won't let any Western media take pictures. There were protests around the world and all the media report about Iran today is those unfortunate twins!

Here's the information on the satellite uplink jamming. The jammed TV stations include NITV and Azadi TV.

For information on today's protests in which 100,000 came out in Tehran, there is information from the BBC and the Jerusalem Post.

First-hand accounts of today's events have been posted on sympathetic websites like Iran va Jahan and SMCCDI.

Information on Internet censorship can be found here (parrotting the Iranian government line that it was all about sex) and more objective articles here and here.

c)Pro-American regimes are what we're fighting against in many cases (or the degredation of Americanistic countries).

A noble fight. But please don't lose sight of the rest of humanity's wish for even a smidgen of the developed world's freedom.

TELUS.net in Canada has been offering games that can be downloaded as a subscription service for over 6 months now.

You can find information at TELUS.net Games