Neutrality

Michael Geist on Rogers Neutrality Violations

Michael Geist via the Toronto Star is reporting on Rogers Net Neutrality violations. From the article:

Rogers’ traffic shaping practices have also raised concern among network neutrality advocates, who fear that the company could limit bandwidth to competing content or services. Some customers note that the bandwidth consumed by customers of Rogers’ Internet phone service does not count against the monthly cap, though the same is not true for competing Internet telephony services.

Further, traffic shaping of file-sharing applications . particularly those that use the BitTorrent protocol . targets a perfectly legal protocol that is relied upon by a growing number of small businesses. These include Canadian artists and film makers who use BitTorrent to circulate their work and open-source software developers who depend on BitTorrent to distribute their programs in a cost-effective manner.

In addition to the consumer and competition concerns, there is now speculation at my own university that the traffic shaping is rendering it difficult for University of Ottawa computer users to use email applications from home. [1]

The reports and activity by this carrier are not alone in Canada with most of the major ISPs engaging in some sort of Net Neutrality violations. Actions such as these by the carriers should underscore the need for strong Net Neutrality provisions to anyone concerned with telecommunications policy.

He goes on to state:

Notwithstanding the steady flow of complaints, the lack of transparency from Rogers, and the potential threat to core communications activities, there has seemingly been no action from any governmental authorities including industry minister Maxime Bernier, competition commissioner Sheridan Scott, or Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications chair Konrad von Finckenstein. In fact, earlier this month Bernier pushed forward with a telecommunications deregulation plan over the objection of a parliamentary committee that studied the issue.

1. Tortonto Star Article

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