Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 1, 2009
Public Consultation on the Throttling Practices of Canadian Internet Service Providers
OTTAWA – The Public Interest Advocacy Centre today welcomed the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s (CRTC) decision to create a public consultation on whether Canadian Internet Service Providers should be allowed to “throttle” or otherwise slow down or influence the Internet traffic passing through their networks. This is an aspect of the debate over what is known as “net neutrality”.
The CRTC launched an online public consultation on March 31, 2009, open until 30 April 2009 to solicit public comments in the course of a formal proceeding about the throttling issue. PIAC on behalf of several consumer groups has already made formal submissions, as have many other groups and ISPs, which you can read here .
To participate in the CRTC’s public consultation, you must create a username and login on their site. However, you may use a pseudonym or your real name. You must supply an e-mail address to confirm your username and be able to post comments and comment on other comments, rate their utility, etc. However, e-mail addresses will only be used for the purpose of confirming your ability to use the site and will be destroyed afterwards. These are the privacy terms:
All personal information collected by this site is used solely for the purposes of operating the online consultation. The final report submitted to the CRTC does not contain any personally identifiable information, including but not limited to email addresses and first and last names.
Please note that personal email addresses collected by this site are for the purposes of verifying participant registration, managing the login processes, and administering the online consultation process. Personal e-mail addresses collected by this site will be deleted after the consultation process has been completed. No other personally-identifiable information will be collected by the CRTC or by Nanos as part of this online consultation process.
“I think the CRTC realizes the importance of what the Internet means to consumers,” said John Lawford, counsel for PIAC, who argued that ISPs be prohibited from deciding what Internet traffic they let pass and how fast, on behalf of consumer groups Consumers Association of Canada, Canada Without Poverty (formally, the National Anti-Poverty Organization) and Option consommateurs. “Finally, individual Canadians can let the Commission know if they want the Internet to remain open and free to all applications and services or closed like the cellphone market and priced accordingly.”
The CRTC is expected to make a decision by Fall 2009. However, PIAC notes that consumers also may attend the oral public hearing on this matter, July 6-9, 2009 at the CRTC hearing in Gatineau, Quebec.
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For more information:
John Lawford
Counsel
Public Interest Advocacy Centre
ONE Nicholas Street, Suite 1204
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 7B7
(613) 562-4002×25
(613) 562-0007 (Fax)
jlawford@piac.ca