CRTC ruling on Bell Mobile TV

[malcolmk14]

I just got this SMS message from Bell:

Due to a CRTC ruling, data used for viewing with Mobile TV on our mobile network will be rated using standard rates effective April 29. Mobile TV will include 5 hours per month of Wi-Fi TV viewing (additional Wi-Fi viewing is $3/hour). Details: bell.ca/mobiletvupdates

One of the only reasons I signed up with Bell was for the unlimited data when viewing Mobile TV.

I don't know if I would have gone with Bell had it not been for the free unlimited Mobile TV viewing. I still have 7 months left on the contract I signed but this takes effect next week. Since they are changing the terms of my contract, is there any way this decision by the CRTC lets me out of it?

[HotHotHeat]

Nope.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Probably, if you were to sue on it. But let's face it, you're not going to, so they're probably going to just say "no".

[psicodude]

I am sure you can count on Bell to do the right and honest thing here and just up your plan for free.


Hahahahaha. Yeah, right.

[SuperMatt18]

I don't think the CRTC is going to let you out of it when they are the ones that made the rule that Bell has to enforce it.

CRTC keeps trying to fix things for the customers but 90% of the time they make it worse.

[EldrickOnIce]

We are supposed to be concerned about ensuring net neutrality. Things like this, Crave TV data usage not counting toward home bandwidth cap, etc all violate net neutrality.
Or something

[ken0042]

I would recommend writing to the CRTC to complain. Include the fact that all 3 of the major carriers are also television providers, so there is no concern towards unfair competition.

Next thing you know they will rule Shaw has to take down all of their wifi hotspots, as that is also an advantage they bring.

[Finger Cookin]

Seems to me like this is a necessary step on the way to making all of these alternative streaming services available to any TV subscriber. Wasn't there a ruling on this recently? Like Crave and Shomi would need to be available to anyone, not just the specific companies' existing TV customers?

[SuperMatt18]

Yeah it is a net neutrality play.

So you are not allowed to have preferred data rates for certain services and it was deemed that the mobile tv platform was a preferred data rate for Bell's own service.

It causes concerns since it provides an advantage over other streaming services that don't get the same benefit.