CRTC asks wireless providers to justify post-data cap throttling

The CRTC has asked several telecoms to explain how their throttling of wireless speeds once customers exceed their data allotments doesn’t violate the commission’s regulatory policy on internet traffic management practices (ITMPs). In a June 28 letter posted to its website this week, the regulator issued requests for information to eight telecoms related to their use of ITMPs. That includes questions to Shaw Communications Inc.’s Freedom Mobile, Rogers Communications Inc. regarding its Chatr flanker brand, and BCE Inc.’s Bell MTS and Lucky Mobile about throttling mobile speeds after customers reach their data caps. “Address, with rationale and data, why these practices should not be considered to amount to blocking the delivery of content or Internet traffic to an end-user,” the letter said. “Your answer should include information to explain, for example, how the reduced speed does not cause degradation to the service to such an extent that it would amount to controlling the content and influencing the meaning and purpose of the telecommunications in question.” Such practices have become more widespread in the industry in just the past few weeks, after Rogers introduced “no overage” plans that slow down speeds after customers reach their data limit instead of charging overage fees. Rogers’ competitors quickly followed with similar promos, which Telus Corp. has now made permanent. The CRTC also asked Bragg Communications Inc.’s Eastlink to justify its limiting of speeds for customers of its Rural Connect service using Netflix Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s YouTube to “maximum burst speeds of 500 Kbps,” and those using peer-to-peer applications to 128 Kbps download and 80 Kbps upload. It asked Northwestel about its use of a product that prioritizes “time-sensitive protocols such as real time video and voice applications while deprioritizing filesharing protocols (bit torrents) during peak times of congestion.” The CRTC also had questions for Telus, Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron, Xplornet Communications Inc. and TekSavvy Solutions Inc. regarding their use of ITMPs. In the same letter, the CRTC also directed eight internet service providers to make information about their usage of ITMPs more prominent on their websites. The regulator first asked ISPs about their traffic management and differential pricing practices last fall. In a follow-up letter posted to its website this week, the CRTC noted its 2009 regulatory policy on ITMPs requires providers to disclose information related to technical ITMPs “to their retail customers, clearly and prominently on their websites.” It said that the responses it received from most of the telecoms it surveyed in the fall indicated that most, with the exception of Cogeco Inc. and Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp., didn’t meet those standards. “Commission staff notes that such information is generally available in an ISP’s fair use policy or terms of service,” the letter said. “However, Commission staff also notes that in most cases it is not provided or referred to on web pages that describe actual retail Internet service offerings where speeds are described, and where it is, it is not done in a sufficiently clear and prominent manner that would allow consumers to be adequately informed about these ITMPs and their impact on retail Internet services.” It told Bell, Eastlink, Rogers, Shaw, TekSavvy, Telus, Videotron and Xplornet to change their disclosure practices and report back to the commission by July 29.

CRTC asks wireless providers to justify post-data cap throttling

Brief | July 4, 2019

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CRTC asks wireless providers to justify post-data cap throttling

Brief | July 4, 2019

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