A Proposal for Equitable Internet
Low-income people across Canada, while isolating at home, urgently need unlimited internet access and affordable wireless plans to stay connected to vital services and everyday life.
1. Home Internet
CRTC and the telecom industry needs to do the following during the “pandemic and recovery period” and for 6 months thereafter.
For low-income Canadians and "fixed-income seniors": Offer all “low-income Canadians” and “fixed-income seniors” FREE “retail Internet access services” in accordance with the technical requirements of the federal “Connecting Families” program, but without regard to the household eligibility requirements.
For all customers:
1) Unlimited data at no extra cost;
2) No overage charge” for data use;
3) No price increases;
4) No disconnection for non-payment, arrears or any other reasons.
2. Cell Phone - Wireless Service Providers (WSP)
For “low-income” customers and “fixed-income seniors”: All WSP should offer all “low-income” customers and “fixedincome seniors” the following:
“mobile wireless services”, a $30/month post-paid plan Included: Phone number and voice calling (unlimited Canada-wide); texting (unlimited Canada-wide);
Internet data (10 GB/month) at LTE (4G) speed. No “data overage” charges. Term: 1 year (no bundling).
Device: Customer to bring their own access device (BYOD) and no credit check.
No changes to plan or additional add-ons or price increases (including no charges for customer service calls or charges for paper bills) during the term of plan - which is 1 year.
For all customers:
1) Doubling of all “data caps” at no extra cost;
2) No “overage charge” for data use;
3) No price increases;
4) No disconnection for non-payment, arrears or any other reasons
Written by ACORN Canada