Usage-based billing, with conditions, approved by CRTC

OTTAWA – The CRTC has approved BCE’s plan to introduce usage-based billing, but only under certain conditions.Thursday’s decision means that Bell Aliant and Bell Canada can introduce new speed options, usage-based billing rates and levy excessive usage charges (together, UBB) for their wholesale residential gateway access services (GAS).While the Commission granted interim approval of the plan last October, this decision allows Bell to “implement its economic ITMP (Internet traffic management practices) only once it charges UBB rates to all its retail Internet service customers”. According to telecom analyst Mark Goldberg, this is not what Bell wanted, and in fact, may be viewed...