Internet billing

[Guest zipperzone]

There was a report on the evening news tonight that Internet Service Providers, in Canada, are going to start billing according to your usage instead of the current system of flat rate billing.

When I checked my mail today there was a bill from my IPS (Shaw Cable) for $26.88 described as "Charges since your previous invoice". My previous invoice was for the period Mar 15 - Jun 14, which I promptly paid in March. So I can only assume they have started to charge under the new system and this invoice is for Mar 15 - Apr 15 overage.

Should i find this to be the case I will be DRASTICALLY cutting back on my internet usage. It's not that I can't afford it but on principle alone I refuse to pay any more than the already hefty monthly charge. I should ad that I don't watch movies or TV on the web, my biggest usage would be in looking for pictures of you know what. That might be coming to an end. :excl:

I'd would very much like to know what your monthly internet bill is so I can judge just how much we are being hosed in Canada.

[Guest BeachBoy]

That is the saddest fucking thing. I have a friend who travels to Italy a lot, and he said they have these Internet keys there that you pay for for a month - and it's either like 10 hours a day for that month, or you get a certain speed up to a certain amount and then it gets slow as shit.

Anyway, he was complaining how it's so backwards there - but it looks like the almighty dollar wins out in the end, as they find new ways to gouge us.

I really feel like no one is paying attention to the fact that people are working very, very hard to find ways to make money off of providing Internet access - not by helping the customers, but by hurting them (like your story). They will nickel and dime us to death, until something happens that makes people mad, and by then it will be too late to do anything about it.

The Internet is the single most important thing to happen in the world since I don't even know when. Everyone should have access to the Internet, and it should be free or cost as little as possible.

[BiBottomBoy]

So it looks like I'll download the regular not the HDTV version of CockZilla Inside Big Jim Slade 8.

Rats.

[TampaYankee]

There was a report on the evening news tonight that Internet Service Providers, in Canada, are going to start billing according to your usage instead of the current system of flat rate billing.

I'd would very much like to know what your monthly internet bill is so I can judge just how much we are being hosed in Canada.

This is a return to the early days of the internet when AOL and Compuserve charged by hour-based plans. It was quite expensive.

Can't say I'm surprised that providers would try to reinstitute this model. Any way to ring more money out of users. It will cripple the internet if it is allowed to succeed. Time will tell.

BTW, I pay about $50 /mo for an intermediate speed tier service.

[OneFinger]

Up until a couple months ago I paid $27 / month for unlimited internet service from my local phone company. But, their service kept getting slower and slower. Plus, there were frequent outages ranging from several minutes to several hours.

I fired them and got a 4G hotspot from Sprint. Very happy with their unlimited service. My current employer offered to pay the cost for this since I'm frequently traveling on business. So, I don't pay for internet service.

I'm old enough to remember when ISPs charged on a usage basis. I hope they never return to that. Plus, can you imagine how much more internet surfing will be done at work where it's "free"?? That's only going to make things more difficult for employers and turn them into internet police.

[TampaYankee]

Plus, can you imagine how much more internet surfing will be done at work where it's "free"??

I doubt that. Tracking and monitoring software has come a long way since then.

[BiBottomBoy]

As has blocking software.

Who would want to lose their jobs for downloading Game Of Thrones at work?