U.S. changes to “net neutrality” may affect Canadians
BELLEVILLE – Canadian Internet consumers may have to pay more for membership-based websites such as Netflix and Spotify if planned changes in the U.S. come into effect.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission is proposing to repeal Obama-era net neutrality policies, according to a report by the FCC. Net neutrality stops Internet service providers from charging consumers extra for any kind of online data – including sites that they may be in competition with. Without it, providers could charge companies such as Netflix more for Netflix data being distributed at high speeds to the providers’ customers.
In turn, Netflix and other such sites might increase the fees they charge subscribers due to the extra costs they’ll pay to the Internet providers.
The report by the FCC says that the current system doesn’t provide Internet service providers with enough encouragement to invest in improvements to their services. Consequently, some types of investments have begun to decrease within the past two years, it says. The new system will change that, said Ajit Pai, the chief of the FCC.
“The FCC would simply require Internet service providers to be transparent about their practices so that consumers can buy the service plan that’s best for them,” said Pai in a report released Nov. 21.
A vote by the commission will happen on Dec. 14, according to the report.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters on Nov. 22 that he is concerned about changes to net neutrality in the States, and believes that net neutrality is essential to keeping freedom alive with the Internet.
Video by Lindsey Cooke, QNet News
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