Canada's Attempt to Force Cheaper TV Has Failed Canadian regulator the CRTC is downplaying the fact that its plan to bring cheaper TV options to Canada appears to have backfired. As noted previously, the CRTC recently crafted new rules that required Canadian cable operators offer "skinny" bundles of TV channels starting at $25 by March 1 of last year. But cable operators being what they are, many have either hidden the options from consumers, or have saddled them with a variety of below-the-line fees and device rental charges, defeating the entire point.

This outcome required that the CRTC to hold cable operators feet to the fire, but so far there's been no indication that this will be happening. Even less now that Canada has appointed someone cozy with cable operators to lead its regulatory operations. As a result, news outlets are calling Canada's efforts to improve the nation's over-priced TV services "an epic fail," noting that even similarly predator companies in the States have done a better job offering over the top streaming options (DirecTV Now, Sling TV), even if many of those (Verizon's Custom TV) still fail to offer real value once fees and other caveats are factored in. All told, the skinny discount Utopia the Canadian government promised has failed to materialize: quote: Insiders say Canadian subscribers haven't warmed to "skinny" TV bundles because Canadian cable and telco giants -- who, like their American counterparts, are feeling the competitive heat from cheaper streaming TV services -- have been protecting their bottom line, rather than offering flexible, affordable alternatives to expensive, cable packages. Shocking, indeed. The question remains: would the Canadian government's efforts actually worked if it had followed through and actually held cable companies accountable? Or was the effort always a fool's errand, and regulators should instead focus their efforts on making broadband more competitive and affordable to help fuel the rise of streaming alternatives? All told, the skinny discount Utopia the Canadian government promised has failed to materialize:Shocking, indeed. The question remains: would the Canadian government's efforts actually worked if it had followed through and actually held cable companies accountable? Or was the effort always a fool's errand, and regulators should instead focus their efforts on making broadband more competitive and affordable to help fuel the rise of streaming alternatives?







News Jump Charter Relaunches Free 60-day Internet And Wi-Fi Offer; NCTA: FCC Should Stick With 25/3 Speed Threshold; + more news Comcast Shuts Off Internet for Subs Who Were Sold Service Illegally; AT&T, Verizon Team To Stop T-Mobile 5G; + more news California Defends Its Net Neutrality Law; AT&T's Traffic Up 20% Despite Data Traffic Actually Being Down; + more news Are The Comcast-Charter X1 Talks Dead In The Water?; AT&T May Offer Phone Plans With Ads For Discounts; + more news Europe's Top Court: Net Neutrality Rules Bar Zero Rating; ViacomCBS To Rebrand CBS All Access As Paramount+; + more news Verizon To Buy Reseller TracFone For $7B; 5G Not The Competitive Threat To Cable Many Thought It Would Be; + more news MS.Wants Records From AT&T On $300M Project; Google Fiber Outages In Austin, Houston, Other Texan Cities; + more news States With The Biggest Decreases In Speed; AT&T Hopes You'll Forget Its Fight Against Accurate Maps; + more news AT&T's CEO Has A Familiar $olution To US Broadband Woes; EarthLink Files Suit Against Charter; + more news 5G Doesn't Live Up To Hype, AT&T's 5G Slower Than Its 4G; Cord-Cutting Now In 37% of Broadband Households; + more news ---------------------- this week last week most discussed

Most recommended from 18 comments

thehammer86

join:2015-10-18 7 recommendations thehammer86 Member Get a life! Cancel your cable.



Go to the park.



See a concert.



No one's forcing you to watch the Leafs lose it in the 3rd period. nfotiu

join:2009-01-25 2 recommendations nfotiu Member The back end is where they should have stepped in Simply banning the practice of content owners dictating which package their channels are available on could go along way to fixing cable tv. If an RSN wants to charge $7, fine, then let the cable company/dish decide if they want to include it in a package or offer it in a standalone package. There's enough competition in tv providers with usually a local phone and cable company, 2 Satellite companies and now some OTT offerings that they could compete on price and attractive bundles. Carriage dispute blackouts would end and people wouldn't have to be stuck paying for expensive channels they don't want.