Well I think it is time to get rid of Bell

[Gerritt]

Bell customers to pay more to surf Net

By ALTHIA RAJ, Parliamentary Bureau

 

 

OTTAWA — Bell customers will be forced to pay more to surf the Net thanks to a ruling this week by the telecommunications regulator, consumer groups warned Friday.

 

“I do not see any benefits in this for Canadian consumers,” said Mel Fruitman, of the Consumers’ Association of Canada.

 

“Unless you are a very light user and are now paying more than you need to for what you are using, you are going to end up paying more,” he said.

 

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) decided Thursday Bell can impose usage-fee billing on its wholesale customers, companies such as Yak Communications and TekSavvy Solutions, as long as the media giant forces all its own customers to pay according to the same formula.

That means many Bell subscribers who still enjoy unlimited plans could be forced to pay based on how much they download each month.

 

Anthony Hemond of l’Union des consommateurs called it a “terrible decision” which would “certainly” lead to higher prices.

 

The CRTC said its decision ensures all Bell’s customers are treated the same.

 

But TekSavvy Solutions’ CEO Rocky Gaudrault said he will be forced to pay Bell more and his customers will be hit with higher bills because he “cannot absorb” the cost.

 

“We are not happy,” he said.

 

The CRTC noted almost all the individuals who voiced their opinions were “unanimously opposed” to Bell’s application.

 

Bell spokeswoman Jacqueline Michelis said the company has not yet decided what it will do.

 

“We are studying the decision,” she said.

 

The CRTC allowed cable companies to charge their wholesale customers per usage billing in 2006.

 

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[Handlebarz]

We just changed our plan with Bell they told the wife that we were on a plan that was no longer around and changed us to high speed light??? I still think its to much and will be looking for another place to provide us internet.

 

Does anyone here have any ideas where to look for better service?

 

Well I guess we have always been up and running but it ticked me off when they had a cheaper plan for both the internet and Express view but did not let us know that they had changed things I know for express view we were paying almost $10 more a month for less programing I think it was around $75 a month for what we had and the new package that has been in place for over a year since it was started was only $66 and you got extra theme packs but they sure don't tell you when they change things for the cheaper they just let you pay the extra. Any way the wife has changed the phone internet and tv and saved just shy of $50 a month but we are still looking for another place for each thing.

[danbouck]

I use bell for my home phone and that's all I will ever use them for again.

 

For internet I use www.295.ca Full high speed for $30/month and when times are tight I get dialup for $2.95/month

 

It's as fast as rogers and bell

[TC1OZ]

Anything DSL/ADSL is owned by bell at the end of the day. They have a monopoly on the telephone lines that we the public paid to build. Bell is the scum of the earth. That's just my two cents.

 

If you can go cable, do it. I use Cogeco for internet and use VOIP (primus) for telephone. You can't even compare the speed of cable to DSL... its not fair.

 

I just can't wait till we get fiber! Damn yankies are ahead of the game... I will always blame the CRTC for us being behind in communications technology...

[charlesn]

If you can go cable, do it. I use Cogeco for internet and use VOIP (primus) for telephone. You can't even compare the speed of cable to DSL... its not fair.

 

It's funny. I'd bet half the people would express the same feelings about Rogers cable. I kicked them to the curb and have never been happier.

 

I have the Bell IP TV product that is available only in a limited area as a test run I believe and get 25 MB download speeds according to speedtest.net

 

You're right - there is no comparison - unlike Rogers, my internet is pretty much ALWAYS up instead of dropping 4-5 times per day. The average user might not notice - but I need a steady connection for my home business and Bell has been rock solid for me by comparison. Of course I have an air card from Telus as well just in case because I know Ma Bell has no special love for me either.

[MCTFisher9120]

Parents just got this fancy bundle thing with Bell. Buddy came over a few weeks back installed and hooked up everything and left...not one problem yet even in the storm last night. We have our phone, internet(wireless works like a charm), and satellite together...I don't think there paying more than 110 a month for the service either.

 

I'm a happy camper

[Hooked]

Does this only effect people who had an unlimited plan? Because my up/down plan for the month is 65GB, I hope that isn't void cuz that is perfect for me.

[T Fisher]

I work for Ma Bell have been for 32 years. I get a 35% discount on all services that bell provides. Now ask me how many if I have a service from my humble company.

 

Hi speed........... Rogers

3 cell phones lines......... Rogers

Home phone........................Rogers

VIP TV PACKAGE........................Rogers

 

With my 35% discount at bell Rogers beat bell in priceing by 18%.

[Hooked]

I use bell for my home phone and that's all I will ever use them for again.

 

For internet I use www.295.ca Full high speed for $30/month and when times are tight I get dialup for $2.95/month

 

It's as fast as rogers and bell

 

Hey Dan I just checked out that site you provided. Looks like they use Hi-speed DSL, which means they will use Bell's infrastructure for Internet usage, just like Teksavvy. Looks like any DSL ISP will start hiking up their prices since they cannot absorb the cost with this recent change. But will likely change thier up/down per month as well.

Now if this change encompasses all people, that is HUGE!. Or people that just have unlimited up/download. I'm fine with 65GB cap/month, I just hope it stays that way. If it doesn't, I should be able to void my contract?

I actually get deflated every-time I read posts like this, haha.

[Mykester]

Something similar happened with me with Rogers. They downgraded our bandwith limit from 60 GB to 25 GB because they increased our speed by 3 (I didn't want faster internet in the first place). In order to avoid being screwed (around 1.3 GB are used up a day due to two computers, a sister who is addicted to youtube, and xbox live) we had to upgrade our plan.

[Gerritt]

All I know is that if I see a rate increase, I will have a new provider in short order.. as It is I pay WAY too much, given I have ExpressVu, Home Phone and Internet all through Bell.. I am seriously starting to consider Over the air HD, and basic cable,Internet with cable company (or cheap DSL) and go VOIP for phone,

 

I know Primus has decent pricing..

 

Anyways, my Bell rant is over.. They increase rates over and over, while shipping more and more jobs to Bangladesh, I makes me sick. All to appease their overload majority share holders.

 

 

 

 

 

G.

[Roy]

Gerritt, "That means many Bell subscribers who still enjoy unlimited plans could be forced to pay based on how much they download each month."

 

Somewhat akin to charging a child more for reading more at the library isn't it?

 

[Jer]

Parents just got this fancy bundle thing with Bell. Buddy came over a few weeks back installed and hooked up everything and left...not one problem yet even in the storm last night. We have our phone, internet(wireless works like a charm), and satellite together...I don't think there paying more than 110 a month for the service either.

 

I'm a happy camper

 

 

I would hazard a guess that they are paying much more than only $110 a month.

 

My Bell bundle costs just over $200 a month. That includes hi-speed internet, phone service including unlimited long-distance within Ontario, and Expressvu including the HD package. Just the satellite service alone is darn near $110 a month.

[splashhopper]

I work for Ma Bell have been for 32 years. I get a 35% discount on all services that bell provides. Now ask me how many if I have a service from my humble company.

 

Hi speed........... Rogers

3 cell phones lines......... Rogers

Home phone........................Rogers

VIP TV PACKAGE........................Rogers

 

With my 35% discount at bell Rogers beat bell in priceing by 18%.

 

I sure hope the Human resource department at Bell doesn't do a social network search for your name bro

 

And thanks for the heads up too.

Edited May 9, 2010 by splashhopper

[ch312]

bell is the WORST service provider out there for tv, internet, phones, etc. their customer service sucks, internet is much slower than rogers, and their prices are usually too high. its also common for them to make "mistakes" on cell phone bills resulting in people paying too much or spending a lot of time on the phone trying to correct the issue.

 

2 years ago we decided to get bell internet and home phone. no word of a lie, i spent about 5 HOURS total on the phone talking to 7 or 8 different people from bell trying to get an internet modem. i tried canceling the services a few days before the contract was up and they still tried charging me the $100 early cancellation fee

 

my current and previous employers use bell so i know all about them trying to steal money from cell phone customers...

[ch312]

I work for Ma Bell have been for 32 years. I get a 35% discount on all services that bell provides. Now ask me how many if I have a service from my humble company.

 

Hi speed........... Rogers

3 cell phones lines......... Rogers

Home phone........................Rogers

VIP TV PACKAGE........................Rogers

 

With my 35% discount at bell Rogers beat bell in priceing by 18%.

 

 

now that is funny...screw bell! haha

[Mykester]

Gerritt, "That means many Bell subscribers who still enjoy unlimited plans could be forced to pay based on how much they download each month."

 

Somewhat akin to charging a child more for reading more at the library isn't it?

 

Books aren't as expensive as bandwith.

[tonyb]

If it is usage based, then does that mean if you only visit the odd message board, and email that you would pay a few bucks per month for say less than 1GB of usage???

 

NOT LIKELY!

 

hahah...gotta love big business being in bed with the law makers.

 

It's like the gas station charging you $50 flat rate for the first 50L of fuel. So if you filled up your chainsaw, you'd pay the same as the guy filling up his SUV with 50L. Then any overage is billed per L at a set $ rate...

 

Seems rediculous when you use this analogy, doesn't it?

 

With more and more broadband content going online, including many television shows, is it any wonder they pull this so as to ensure profits from those folks ditching Satellite or Cable T.V. and getting their video content fix from the NET?

 

Tony

[solopaddler]

I finally rid myself completely of Bell a couple months ago.

When we moved to Grimsby we had a bundle package with Bell for all of our services.

 

Never again will I EVER use Bell for anything.

I'd rather resort to using smoke signals.

 

The litany of grief they caused our family, well let's just say I could write a book.

 

Bell is a joke.

[chessy]

we switched to acanac it is a awsome high speed . no bandwith at all

[danbouck]

no bandwith at all

 

I hope your not paying a lot

[chessy]

http://www.acanac.ca/DSL.html

 

24.95