Digital Home Thoughts: Hope For Small ISPs in Canada

"As confirmed by Industry Minister Tony Clement on Twitter, the government plans to overturn the recent CRTC decision that effectively imposed usage-based internet billing if the agency doesn't back down and "go back to the drawing board." Citing a senior government official, The Toronto Star further reports that the reversal could come as early as next week."

Since the Canadian government's announcement about its opposal to the recent UBB implementation, the CRTC has issued a statement saying that they have delayed the enforcement date by 60 days while it reviews the decision. Will the brouhaha quiet down in 60 days? Will the CRTC reverse its decision? Will any changes by made to the current structure for UBB? It is hard to say, since by the wording of the CRTC statement, they seem adamant that their ruling is the correct one. Throughout the past few weeks that the Canadian UBB issue has been covered in the media I have seen people and arguments for both sides, each with some valid points. From all of that, I have taken away two main thoughts.

First, Canadians seem quite passionate about their access to the Internet. The threat of potential high costs for Internet tickled a nerve among people and if you were to believe the media,, there were thousands, if not millions, willing to stand up and protest the changes. We do live in a digital age, and being cut off, or the threat of increased rates can significantly affect how we do business or even handle our personal lives. I also think that the recent events in Egypt where they went through an Internet blackout, may have scared more Canadians into action.

Second, the management of DSL wholesale and Bell is a complex issue. Bell Canada is a privately owned company, but has benefitted from having had a monopoly and being a Crown corporation. Does the government have the right to dictate what private business does? Does its subidies to companies like Bell mean that Bell is controlled by politicians, not business-people? How much help should the government give small business and ensure competition?

With the increasing importance of the Internet in our daily lives, I believe that this issue will continue to plague Canadians (including me!) for years to come. Oddly enough, it reminds me of the days back when dial-up was much more common, and there were dozens if not hundreds of ISPs, each in firece competition with each other. How the world has changed.