If you haven’t heard, Canada is switching to a metered billing plan for internet usage – a bill passed to make this ridiculous thing legal. What this means basically is that we (users of the internet in Canada) will have an incredibly low cap on internet – right now it’s being spoken of as 25 gigs a month. For every gig OVER this 25 gigs a month, we will be charged extra. The number right now, is $2 a gig.
That’s the jist of it. If you want specifics, please take a look at my friend David’s in depth post. It’s a fantastic read. You can also find more information here, and here.
My job requires me to download multiple games every single month in order to write about them. I also work from home, so I use my home internet. That does not include any internet I use for regular things like downloading movies, ipod apps, netflix, youtube, game play and game patching. That doesn’t include the multiple purchases from steam, etc. There is, quite frankly, NO WAY I will be able to afford to do my job with this cap in effect. I simpley can not afford to pay $2 extra for every gig I go over the cap, I don’t make enough money.
PLEASE speak up about this fellow Canadians. Contact your local government officials, sign the petitions going around and get involved. This is NOT ok to implement, the internet is supposed to becoming EASIER to access, not only for the rich who can afford it.
Please help out by spreading this news around to your fellow Canadians who may not be aware of these changes.
Another great post here by Darren from Common Sense Gamer – check it out.
It looks like the decision will be reversed, thank God.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/932571–ottawa-threatens-to-reverse-crtc-decision-on-internet-billing
Best wishes to all my brothers and sisters up north!
I agree this is a disgrace. But it’s only what we are seeing in other industries that make it impossible for workers/companies to sustain themselves. Imagine you’re a long distance haulier. With the rising fuel costs it’s almost impossible to sustain a profitable business. Again, I do not agree with this one bit and it’s a disgrace, but we are seeing extra profiteering everywhere in the west at the moment in order for Gov’ts to make more cash in the downturn. Sad but true.
Pretty soon, we’ll all to move to Asia to get decent internet. I’ve been following these various internet overcharging schemes on the blog http://www.stopthecap.com. Very despicable! I really hope Canada is able to get it turned back around or it is really going to not only affect people personally, but also negatively affect businesses, economics, innovation, etc. The internet is just as important as basic utilities for more and more people as so many livelihoods depend on it. The *only* entities that benefit from these caps are the big telecom/cable companies, and the politicians who take their bribes. These companies are creating monopolies that stifle competition. It needs to be stopped!
I don’t disagree with you. However, I can’t alter that situation. I can only offer up potential workarounds or solutions to the situation as is. Back in the late 90’s, I helped run a web design firm with two others – we needed broadband instead of dial-up. I ran it out of my home office at that time. I was able to claim 80% of the monthly costs for that as a legitimate business expense (along with the high end graphics PC, associated trade magazines, books, etc.).
When i was working for CR Gaming and later at Warcry as a games writer, I again itemized any expenses I had and filed taxes as a 1099 contractor here in the States. Meals while your onsite travelling that aren’t picked up by your publisher? That’s an expense. Miles spent driving to devs? Expense. Game copies or consoles or PCs you’re required to pick up in order to perform your work? Expense. Monthly game subs that aren’t covered by publisher press accounts? Well, you get the idea…
As a freelance games writer/reviewer, Stephanie should be looking into each and every option legally available to her – with or without this new law on the books.
Kendricke – As far as I know, she can claim it on her taxes, but that’s a long time to wait to get any kind of credit back that wouldn’t need to exist in the first place if we weren’t being gouged!
Obligatory disclaimer: I am not an attorney or an accountant.
I’m not sure on the tax codes or laws in Canada, but if you work for home as a self-employed game reviewer or tester, you should probably be able to get your expenses (i.e. – portion of your internet usage) that involves gaming. I know that here in the States, whenever I was self-employed or running a small business out of a home office, we were able to write off a portion of our utilities based on usage. Check with a tax authority in your area and see if you can’t do the same.
Lets see. No Netflix. No Hulu. No Digital Downloads (and especially when most companies are driving toward this model). Why would you do any of these things which would easily get you to your cap?
This could bankrupt the Internet market as a whole, not help it grow.
Stupidity is the key of all greed.
I agree this is ridiculous and like Tipa says it’s all about greed.
They’re trying to do this in the US, too, but Canada was seen as easier to manipulate and control. If Canada falls, the US will soon follow. Europe is already toying with similar things.
Their is nothing so good that greed cannot ruin it.
Wow … this really is ridiculous :(
The last time I had a gig-limit was about 10 years ago. Today I pay 30€/month for unlimited traffic on a 16Mbit-line + phone and cable-TV.
I can’t believe Canada would make something like this legal. Speak up, my Canadian friends!