The Big Squeeze ... BCE digging deeper in pockets

[XBR_II]

Got this in my mail box earlier this morning; it confirms what others have previously mentioned here on this forum. I wonder who's next on the BCE hit list.... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

Dear Valued Member,

To keep pace with our customers' evolving Internet usage needs,
Bell Canada, like all Internet service providers, must continually
invest in expanding and upgrading our network.

Effective July 4, 2002, your monthly rate for Bell Sympatico
High Speed Edition(TM) Internet service will increase to $44.95 --
still one of the lowest rates for high speed access in North America.

Also, effective July 4, 2002, your monthly rate for Sympatico
High Speed Edition service will allow 5 Gigabytes (GB) download
and 5 Gigabytes (GB) upload of bandwidth activity. If your
bandwidth activity exceeds either 5 GB download or 5 GB upload,
an additional charge of $7.95 per GB will be applied to your
Sympatico account...."

[jconnor]

Yeah. We kinda knew that was coming as the cable guys have been nudging the rate up as well. I guess they've decided that they aren't going to beat each other up over price anymore. Not crazy about it, but I can't go back to dial up! I'll have to find some other BCE service to cut back on to balance things out!

[ratovan]

Sign up to the HSE/Long distance bundle. its 44.95 a month for high speed(modem included) AND 120min long distance a month(Canada or US or some international) I asked them outright and the said they have no plans in the forseeable future to raise the price of the bundle.

I don't use a lot of long distance so for me this is a pretty sweet deal. I pay the same for High Speed but get LD thrown in...

[XBR_II]

Well, at this stage, it's kinda moot. I'll be cancelling my phone service and internet account when I move next month. At that point, I'll be switching to MT&T's M Power service, which operates *three* times faster than Bell's HS product and offers unlimited upload and download privledges. Currently, M Power costs $38.95 a month if you are a MT&T long distance subscriber. Much better value for the money.

[mikealex]

Don't take this the wrong way, but were you really expecting to pay the same rate for your HSE forever? Inflation is a fact of life. Rogers raised the rate on my cable modem by $5 last month. First increase in the 3 years I have had the service, so I don't feel I should complain.

Now, what I would be unhappy about though, is the bandwidth cap. Also $7.95 / GB is pretty steep for exceeding that cap. That isn't simply raising the price, that's changng the rules. I know their EUA says they can, but it still stinks. Much the same as I complained to Rogers when they started charging me an extra $10 for not being a Cable TV subscriber (they call it an "outlet fee").

[XBR_II]

No, to the contrary, as a BCE shareholder, it warms my black heart /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

So long as Rogers and BCE battle it out for market share, consumers will do ok. But there has to come a time when both parties seek to maximize profitability rather than growth at all cost, and that time appears to be drawing near. It's pretty hard to beat Bell at this game; they're masters of the python embrace. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

[RUU]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

Now, what I would be unhappy about though, is the bandwidth cap.

<hr></blockquote>
Get ready to be unhappy, mike. Rogers has already stated that as soon as Sympatico officially announces their cap, they (Rogers) would follow, though no one knows what the limit or extra charges will be at this time.

[MCIBUS]

Well I don't have Rogers High Speed or Bell High Speed Sympatico, I heard Rogers is change their Cable Internet Service. apparently there going to a two teir system for internet:
High Speed
Light Speed(or some thing like that not sure of the exact name)

I'm not sure exactly what the difference is between the two but if I read correctly High Speed is going for $44.95 and the other one is going for $24.95.

PEACE UP TOM /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

[RUU]

Tom, Rogers "Lite" is just going to be a slower service than their regular cable modem service (probably with a lower cap, also). I believe Bell will also be offering a "Lite" service also with slower speeds and a lower cap (other DSL services are already offering this)

[Wyatt_Earp]

My father has the Shaw Lite Speed which for the most part seems almost as fast as my Telus High Speed (I'm sure it is slower just not that noticable). In my opinion for $24.95 ($29.95 if you don't have basic cable) this service is an incredible value compared to most dial-up services. Since my new house is being built outside of the existing Telus highspeed service area I have to switch to Shaw but will probably opt to go with the litespeed and save the $15 on the highspeed.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Slower It's a Shame it is about 96K!!!! (from the Website that they use to mesure your speed.... when I first Subs to "Lite" I was kinda dissapointed. and They told me at no Charge I could Upgrade to H-S now for $20 I've got faster than X2 T1...
(I don't care If the Cable is Shared... I never experienced a Slight degradation in my HS service)