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What Canada Can Teach the US About Net Neutrality
blottsie writes If there are two ways in which the Internet is similar in the United States and Canada, it's that it's slow and expensive in both places relative to many developed countries. The big difference, however, is that Canada is looking into doing something about it. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission—the northern equivalent of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)— is examining how the wholesale market, where smaller Internet service providers (ISPs) use parts of bigger companies' networks to sell their own services, should operate in the years ahead. The industry reaction to this proposal provides insights to the potential consequences of re-classifying broadband in the U.S. as a Title II public utility.
Sorry, aboot the fact I'm an AC Canadian eh.
Bud, in Canada, there are two main companies: Shaw and Telus. Telus does adsl and Shaw does cable. Alright, time for a beer eh, brb....Okay back! Sorry about that!
Shaw and Telus have stingy rates and stingy services. Only a hose-head would use them. However, there are other companies who use Shaw's cable and Telus' lines and provide a service through them for a MUCH cheaper rate. That leaves more money for your pet beaver, and groceries like bacon and poutine.
For example: A company called Lightspeed offers 6 MBPS/1MBPS ADSL for only $29.95 where as Telus' cheapest plan is $58/month for 15 MBPS and probably offers the same speeds due to caps and availability. If you really want the 15MBPS, it is still much cheaper to go with lightspeed. Lightspeed uses the EXACT same infrastructure as telus for 3/5s the cost. F*ckin eh bud! Take your computer out for a rip! When you first hook up internet to your igloo, usually Lightspeed will even send a Telus contractor to hook it up directly to your outer wall.
Same goes for Shaw, there are a few companies (including lightspeed) who sublet cable companies. Probably is, when there is a hockey game and everyone is using cable, your internet becomes as slow as frozen maple syrup. So usually everyone uses ADSL.
Sources:
http://www.lightspeed.ca/personal/ratesadsl.html
http://www.telus.com/en/ab/internet/plans/internet-15/
If you Take Off to the Great White North, you better get 'er done with Lightspeed.
Sorry I did not use 20,000 words. Sorry!
It's what happens when you mix basic net with acidic net.