Internet Pricing Hearings Underway

But the CRTC won't be reviewing what many say is the biggest concern for consumers – expensive plans and low download caps.

CRTC hearings on internet pricing models opened today in Gatineau, Que., with the broadcast regulator grilling Bell over its plans to charge smaller internet service providers relative to how much traffic they have on their networks. The commissioners questioned why Bell thinks it's necessary to charge independent ISPs, such as TekSavvy, at marked-up prices per gigabyte when study after study shows the cost per gigabyte is steadily decreasing. Bell said the practice will help it invest in new fibre-optic networks in major urban areas. The hearings, however, will totally overlook the practice of usage-based billing for its customers, which critics say the main ISPs – Bell, Rogers, Shaw, and Videotron – have used to generate revenue while limiting just how much Canadians can download each month. When compared to download caps in other countries, Canadians pay among the highest rates in the world for some of the lowest monthly limits.