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News tagged: Shaw


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Canadian ISP Bell is urging the Canadian government to reshape NAFTA so it forces broadband ISPs to filter copyright-infringing websites off of the internet. Many ISPs have fought being put in the position of content nanny, but Rob Malcolmson, Bell’s Senior Vice-President Regulatory Affairs, urged the Canadian government to create an independent group tasked with maintaining a blacklist of pirate sites ISPs would then be required to filter. Traditionally, such restrictions are mandated by local courts, which then demand ISPs restrict access to certain websites.

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Creating a government-run blacklist ISPs then are forced to adhere to, Malcolmson claimed, would make NAFTA as a trade agreement "work better." The comments were made during a hearing before the Standing Committee on International Trade on NAFTA.

“We would like to see measures put in place whereby all Internet service providers are required to block consumer access to pirated websites. In our view, that is the only way to stop it,” Malcolmson said. “In our view, it would be an independent agency that would be charged with that task. You certainly would not want the ISPs acting as censors as to what content is pirate content,” the lobbyist added.

“But, surely, an independent third party agency could be formed, could create a blacklist of pirate sites, and then the ISPs would be required to block it. That is at a high level how we would see it unfolding, perhaps overseen by a regulator like the CRTC.”

Canadian law professor Micheal Geist isn't particularly impressed by the proposal. He notes that Bell's position is notably different from that of Rogers, which argued at the hearing that changes to Canadian copyright law should come through an open, public process, not behind closed doors in a trade negotiation.

"Notably, Bell does not discuss that Canada already has a provision in the Copyright Act that allows rights holders to target websites that enable infringement," notes Geist. "Incredibly, Bell’s proposal involves no court oversight, hoping to create a mandatory system for blocking websites that excludes the due process that comes from judicial review," he said.

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Canada appears eager to follow the United States down the regulatory capture rabbit hole. The Canadian government has appointed former Telus executive Ian Scott to run the agency, a decision that is worrying many consumer advocates.

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While the United States is poised to gut its own net neutrality rules sometime in the next month, Canadian regulators just doubled down on protecting it -- and have now created some of the toughest net neutrality rules in the world. Canadian regulators had already passed functional net neutrality rules that prohibited blocking and other blatantly anti-competitive behaviors.

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Canadian regulators have declared that all Canadian consumers should have access to uncapped broadband service at a minimum speed of 50 Mbps downstream, 10 Mbps up. According to the government announcement, the CRTC has proclaimed that broadband access Internet service is now considered "a basic telecommunications service for all Canadians." The ruling also sets aside a $750 million fund to help shore up connectivity to more rural and underserved broadband communities.

According to government statistics from last year, 82% of Canadians have access to speeds of 50 Mbps downstream, 10 Mbps upstream.

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Last year the Canadian government demanded that Canadian TV providers begin offering cheaper "skinny" bundles of channels starting in March, and the option for consumers to buy individual channels starting December 1 (aka today). But cable companies like Rogers, Bell and Shaw unsurprisingly tap danced around the new requirements by either refusing to advertise the options, or by saddling them with so many surcharges and rental fees as to make them as unappealing as possible to potential "cord trimmers."

Users in our Rogers forum for example lamented the fact that the company's new government-mandated "skinny" service simply isn't worth it once you do the math.

"If you want the basic + just sports, it'll cost you $61 + taxes + equipment fees," notes DSLReports.com member BGB See Profile.

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Much like the United States, Canada has net net neutrality rules, but it didn't bother to specifically ban zero rating -- or the practice of letting some content bypass user usage caps. Net neutrality advocates warn that this practice gives incumbent ISPs an unfair market advantage, resulting in some content getting preferential treatment.

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Shomi, we hardly knew ye. Canadian ISPs Shaw and Rogers say they're shutting down the streaming video service after tepid interest from consumers in the offering.

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Last year the Canadian government demanded that Canadian TV providers begin offering cheaper "skinny" bundles of channels starting this month, and the option to buy individual channels starting in December. But the country's cable operators have unsurprisingly been tap dancing around the rules by either refusing to advertise the options, or by saddling them with so many surcharges and rental fees as to make sure they're far from a bargain once the customer actually gets their bill.

Users in our Rogers forum for example lament the fact that the company's new government-mandated "skinny" service simply isn't worth it.

"If you want the basic + just sports, it'll cost you $61 + taxes + equipment fees," notes DSLReports.com member BGB See Profile.

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Canadian regulator the CRTC is downplaying the fact that its plan to bring cheaper TV options to Canada appears to have backfired. As noted previously, the CRTC has crafted new rules that required Canadian cable operators offer new "skinny" bundles of TV channels starting at $25 by March 1.

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Last year the Canadian government demanded that Canadian TV providers begin offering cheaper "skinny" bundles of channels starting this month, and the option to buy individual channels starting in December. But the country's cable operators have unsurprisingly been tap dancing around the rules by either refusing to advertise the options, or by saddling them with so many surcharges and rental fees as to make sure they're far from a bargain once the customer actually gets their bill.

Users in our Rogers forum for example lament the fact that the company's new government-mandated "skinny" service simply isn't worth it.

"If you want the basic + just sports, it'll cost you $61 + taxes + equipment fees," notes DSLReports.com member BGB See Profile.

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This week is the deadline for Canadian cable companies to begin offering mandated "skinny bundles" under new Canadian regulatory rules. Under the new rules, companies must offer pared-down skinny bundles starting March 1, and must begin offering customers the choice of a la carte TV channels by December 1.

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