Canada's Internet Among Best, Report Says 186
silentbrad writes "Canadians enjoy among the fastest, most widely available and least expensive broadband Internet in the developed world, says a report released Thursday. The report, based on the results of 52 million speed tests of broadband users across the G7 countries and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) membership, was produced by Montreal-based consulting firm Lemay Yates Associates Inc. on behalf of Rogers Communications Inc., the country's largest broadband service provider. It disputes the OECD's own report, published in July, that ranked Canada's high-speed Internet offerings significantly below those of other countries. The report comes days after the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission revealed a sharp jump in the number of complaints it has received regarding Internet traffic-management practices, or 'throttling' in recent months."
And it's about to get a little better — reader ForgedArtificer points out that Rogers has promised to end all throttling over their network by the end of the year.
Internet *access* (Score:0, Insightful)
Canada's Internet access is among the best. They do not have their own internet.
Re:Bell Canada (Score:3, Insightful)
Not that I can talk, Comcast caps me at 250GB.
And the report was paid for by... (Score:5, Insightful)
The report, based on the results of 52 million speed tests of broadband users across the G7 countries and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) membership, was produced by Montreal-based consulting firm Lemay Yates Associates Inc. on behalf of Rogers Communications Inc.
I think that alone says how big a grain of salt to take this report with.
So both are useless (Score:5, Insightful)
Hey, kids, create whichever study results you want simply by changing your methodologies!
Re:And the report was paid for by... (Score:5, Insightful)
Exactly. The international report, we're doing not so hot. The one funded by one of the largest communications companies in the country who has an interest in the status quo: we're awesome!
Gee, you think there might be some bias?
Bandwidth caps (Score:5, Insightful)
Typical entry-level plan in Canda:
http://www.videotron.com/service/internet-services/internet-access/basic-internet [videotron.com]
Cost: 29.95 CAD/month (29.97 USD/month)
Speed: 3 Mbps down, 800 Kbps up.
Cap: 5 gigabytes per month combined download+upload cap.
Best available plan in Estonia:
http://www.eq.ee/page.asp?p=45 [www.eq.ee]
Cost: 17,19 euros/month (22.60 USD/month)
Speed: From 16 to 64 Mbps down, 8 Mbps up.
Cap: None.
Re:And the report was paid for by... (Score:3, Insightful)
Gee, you think there might be some bias?
In both reports, sure. You aren't accepting the "international report" at face value either, are you?
Re:Not even close (Score:5, Insightful)
Depends on who you're comparing it against. I pay $42/mo for 12meg DSL with a 300GB cap, and unmetered usage between 2am and 8am. Compared to the US, that's *really* cheap. Compared to South Korea? You've gotta be kidding me.
That being said, it does depend on where you are. The FTTH service that Aliant sells on the east coast is *way* cheaper than DSL services in Ontario/Quebec. Still, I do have to ask what developed countries the "study" looked at, because anecdotally I know that many developed countries in Europe put Canada to shame.
Re:And the report was paid for by... (Score:5, Insightful)
the factual accuracy (or lack thereof) of either is irrelevant in making such a decision (in this case bias trumps).
CORRECT THIS ARTICLE (Score:5, Insightful)
As a Canadian, let me respond as soon as I finish being angry at the editor...
Seriously, why post the results of an oligarchical industry funded story as if fact? Seriously, what the hell, editors?
Let me put how offensive and misleading this is in perspective by changing the quote a tad:
"Americans enjoy among the fastest, most widely available and least expensive broadband Internet in the developed world, says a report released Thursday. The report, based on the results of 52 million speed tests of broadband users across the G7 countries and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) membership, was produced by NY-based consulting firm SomeGuy Associates Inc. on behalf of AT&T Communications Inc., the country's largest broadband service provider. It disputes the OECD's own report, published in July, that ranked Canada's high-speed Internet offerings significantly below those of other countries. The report comes days after the FCC revealed a sharp jump in the number of complaints it has received regarding Internet traffic-management practices, or 'throttling' in recent months."
By helping spread this FUD you are literally doing harm to us. Due diligence, do you speak it?
I've been visiting this site for a long time. I've not liked some of the things and mistakes I've seen posted here, but this is actually making me angry. Congratulations.
Re:Not even close (Score:5, Insightful)
I can confirm both of these posters. There are parts inside of my city where you can't get DSL or Cable still, because there isn't the infrastructure. This is a city of 70k people. What's annoying as hell? The "northern broadband initiative" which originally was the rural broadband initiative. Where they were supposed to be getting broadband to places just outside of cities, and all that. Of course now it's all dry, and rogers, bell, and other companies just took the money and ran like hell.
Canada is damned terrible for broadband.
Re:Not even close (Score:4, Insightful)
As a Canadian now living in Europe let me say Canada's internet is slower, more expensive and more restrictive than anything I've seen here. Most Canadians know this too, so at least this report will serve as a textbook example of buying results and why you should never trust a study without first looking at who paid for it.
Re:Bandwidth caps (Score:4, Insightful)
When many of the lines were laid by the government, no.
Even when considering cable, the lines have been laid down a long time ago by now and most of the network doesn't need to be replaced when new, faster tech arrives.
The answer is much easier: few telcos, price fixing (effectively if not legally speaking).