Regulator allows Bell to carry on throttling; will review ISP practices

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) yesterday denied the Canadian Association of Internet Providers’ (CAIP) request that Bell Canada cease the internet traffic-shaping practices (a.k.a. bandwidth throttling) it has adopted for its wholesale Gateway Access Service. However, in the future, Bell Canada will be required to notify its wholesale customers at least 30 days in advance of making changes that impact on the performance of its Gateway Access Service. The CRTC has launched a proceeding to examine the current and possible future traffic management practices of Canadian ISPs, which will include a public hearing commencing on 6 July 2009. The Commission also plans to hold a public online consultation to discuss the issues related to internet traffic shaping.