Campaign for Democratic Media Supports CAIP Submission

Campaign for Democratic Media Supports CAIP Submission

CDM encourages Consumers to contact the CRTC in support of CAIP submission

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Vancouver, April 17, 2008: The Campaign for Democratic Media (CDM) applauds the recent submission by the Canadian Association of Internet Providers (CAIP) to the Canadian Radio-television Communications Commission (CRTC) demanding enforcement of net neutrality.

The group’s submission calls for Bell Canada to cease and desist in shaping or throttling traffic on its network.

CAIP raises a number of concerns with Bell’s traffic-shaping practices. By giving preference to its own customers and providing third-party businesses with limited internet service – contrary to CRTC policies – Bell is trying to limit healthy competition in the market. The CAIP describes the quality of service as “degraded beyond recognition,” with speed reduced in some cases by as much as 90 per cent. In addition, Bell is examining the data packets sent over the Internet to determine who and what gets priority, infringing on consumers’ privacy.

Campaign for Democratic Media National Co-ordinator Steve Anderson is encouraged by the move: “Large telecoms like Bell and Rogers have no right to limit Canadians' access to the Internet. Their policies are discriminatory and in no way benefit the average consumer. We hope these submissions will spur the CRTC into action and help establish some kind of public accountability. The Internet is an important resource and we all deserve equal access to it.”

CDM encourages Canadians to support the CAIP submission and net neutrality by participating in the Stop the Throttler campaign at http://stopthethrottler.ca.

Campaign for Democratic Media! is a national, non-profit, non-partisan media reform network working to increase informed public participation in Canadian media policy formation. They strive to generate policies that will produce a more competitive diverse and public service-oriented, media system with a strong non-profit and non-commercial sector.




Contact:

Steve Anderson

National Coordinator

Campaign For Democratic Media

[email protected]

Phone:(604) 837-5730