A few days ago, OpenMedia helped our campaign partners at Demand Progress add the names of thousands of Internet users to a historic legal defense of the Net Neutrality rules that are currently being challenged in court by Big Telecom in the U.S. As you may recall, the rules being
Continue readingTag: Make The Switch
OpenMedia.ca: Are Canada’s Big Telecom giants hiring U.S. firms attacking VMedia Inc., a small Canadian ISP?
Why is a foreign, U.S.-based public relations firm attacking a small Canadian indie ISP, VMedia, Inc.? That’s a question some Canadians may be asking in response to a recent public debate over the direction of Canada’s digital future. Over the past few weeks, a debate about the future of independent
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Confirmed: Shaw rings in 2015 by charging higher prices for slower Internet
confirmed-shaw.png January 6, 2015 – Shaw today confirmed that it will be charging higher prices for slower Internet in 2015. Concerned Internet users warned of these price hikes back in December and confirmation today has sparked outrage online. The changes mean that new customers will need to choose between getting slower Internet speeds, or paying more for
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: CBC: Cord-cutting continues as Canadians ditch TV & landlines
More and more Canadians are ditching Big Telecom’s price gouging on phone and TV services. What about you? Article from The CBC More Canadians are abandoning traditional telephones and TV services, reflecting a growing trend prompted by changing lifestyles, according to a new study. read more
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Guest blog by Barry Shell – How Big Telecom makes trouble when switching Internet providers in Canada
Here’s a guest blog by OpenMedia.ca community member Barry Shell, who is writing to: “show everyone how Shaw and the other major Canadian Internet providers deliberately invent unnecessary obstacles to try to stop Canadians from getting lower-cost service from independent providers.” Imagine having to pay nearly $200 whenever you want
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: A pro-Internet Top 10 to do list for James Moore
Ensuring Canada has an accessible, affordable, surveillance-free, and open Internet is essential for our economy, culture, and global competitiveness. We now have a new, heavyweight Industry Minister in James Moore – someone with the power and influence to take on Canada’s entrenched Big Telecom giants. Expectations for Minister Moore are
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Progress In Canada’s High Internet Pricing — Indie ISPs lowering rates
Thanks to the hundreds of thousands of Canadians, it looks like independent ISPs like Teksavvy, Distributel, Acanac, and Start are finally gaining the ability to do what Canadians need them to do: provide independent affordable Internet services, and in so doing provide a check on Big Telecom price-gouging. For example,
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: How Telus lost its credibility.
Co-authored by Catherine Hart Canadians and even the CRTC[1] know our cell phone market is broken. Canadians pay some of the highest prices for some of the worst service in the industrialized world, and, as we showed in our recent report,[2] we’ve been subjected to systemic mistreatment by the Big
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Industry Minister appears to be feeling the heat over lack of cell phone choice in Canada
Industry Minister Christian Paradis appears to be feeling the heat – he’s announcing that the government will have new wireless infrastructure rules soon. This is a good sign. Paradis has dragged his feet long enough and now we need bold action. Demand choice for yourself and others at http://demandchoice.ca Article
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Huffington Post: The fight for Canadians’ personal information heads to court
Independent ISP TekSavvy has been granted additional time to notify Canadians that they could soon be implicated as part of an ongoing copyright crackdown. Although TekSavvy is not a defendant in the ongoing court case, it’s re-assuring to see efforts made by a service provider to help Canadians understand and
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Huffington Post: TekSavvy warns Canadians it has received requests for personal info
Independent Internet Service Provider TekSavvy has announced that an American film studio is demanding personal information of its Canadian customers – a motion that follows recent changes to Canadian copyright law. In response, TekSavvy is taking a stance that aims to protect Canadian privacy – stating that it will not
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Bell raises prices, Telus furthers usage limits: Big Telecom is hurting the Internet
This week, Canadians learned that big telecom company Telus will be further limiting how much its customers can use the Internet. Soon after, we learned that big telecom company Bell will be jacking up their prices for Internet. After fighting for Internet openness and affordability for years, the pro-Internet community
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Huffington Post: Telus introduces new Internet disservice
Telus has announced plans to cut back on user bandwidth for its Internet service starting early next year. This Internet disservice comes after Telus met with OpenMedia to state that they were wanting to make amends with Canadians. Now is the time for Canadians to take action in making the
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: WordsByNowak.com: Big Telecom pushing back on independent ISP speeds
Rogers is being accused of anti-competitive tactics by independent ISPs who are using its network. The dispute surrounds Rogers ‘speed-boosting’ without changes in price to customers – but not…
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Playing Games – Big Telecom continues to throttle Canadian Internet connections
Canadian citizens are paying for Internet access, but Big Telecom isn’t being completely open about the restrictions that they’ve been imposing. When Big Telecom was confronted about throttling …
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: The Globe and Mail: How to cut your Internet-phone bill
We’re making progress in having a transparent review of Big Telecom’s pricing practices for independent providers, but Canadian citizens are still being overcharged for everyday services. Let’s move forward together and put Big Telecom’s price-gouging behind us. Make the pledge to switch to an independent provider using our online tool
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Another victory for Canadians as CRTC calls for increased transparency
A CRTC decision came down on Friday for more transparency to how Big Telecom assigns wholesale rates and pricing. This is another sign of progress for the +500,000 Canadian citizens who spoke out through StopTheMeter.ca. Use our online tool at OpenMedia.ca/Switch to find independent providers in your area and read
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: The Gazette: Big Telecom ordered to open their books
After thousands of Canadians spoke out against Big Telecom’s price-gouging through StopTheMeter.ca, the CRTC has announced a decision that will lead to more transparency in Internet service costs. As Canadians get closer to finding out the true costs behind our Internet services, we’re also getting closer to a levelled playing
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: CRTC pushes Big Telecom to be more transparent, to set the stage for more choice for Canadians
Tariffs_100x100_120117.png Pro-Internet community lauds CRTC decision to open up Big Telecom’s costing process October 26, 2012 – The CRTC announced today that Big Telecom will have to make more of its costing process public. Much of the “confidential” information submitted by Big Telecom to establish wholesale rates will now be
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Online Services are great for Canadians, but threaten Big Telecom
Big telecom companies are feeling the squeeze as online services are offering Canadians alternative, cheaper ways to communicate and get access to diverse media content. These include video services like YouTube, AppleTV, and Netflix, and Internet-based social messaging services. These services provide an easily customizable and far more affordable alternative
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