Andy Kaplan-Myrth
@kaplanmyrth
(he/him) Telecom lawyer in Ottawa, Internet policy and competition advocate. I work at TekSavvy; views here are my own. Also at @andykm@mstdn.ca
TekSavvy Transparency Report, Q1 2022
Do you ever wonder how your ISP uses personal info, including what they tell police? Every 3 months, @TekSavvyBuzz publishes a Transparency Report detailing requests from law enforcement for customer information. Today we're reporting on Q1 2022 #privacy 🧵👇🏼
Quebecor bought VMedia, the latest independent competitor to get Katamaried
The independent Internet service industry is in crisis in Canada because of anti-competition decisions by the regulator (@CRTCeng) and the government's lack of action and urgency. The latest evidence: incumbent Quebecor has acquired competitor @VMedia. 🧵
twitter.com/CarttCa/status/1552411512110817282
1. VMedia was a wholesale-based ISP (now a flanker), similar in many ways (but not as awesome ;-) as TekSavvy, and many other independent competitors. They were also a disruptive and innovative force in TV services, dragging licensed TV kicking and screaming onto the Internet.
TekSavvy Transparency Report, Q4 2021
Another quarter, another Transparency Report from @TekSavvyBuzz, documenting requests we got from law enforcement for our customers' information, and how we protect their #privacy. Today we published our report covering October to December 2021. 🧵 teksavvy.com/policies/legal-stuff/transparency-report/
2022 Government decisions on wholesale rates petitions
The government's decisions last week on Internet affordability and telecom policy are too little too late. Consumers and competitors needed rate relief, and they needed it years ago or (at the latest) right now; instead, they got no price relief at all. Rant🧵⤵
1. For years, big telecom has inflated costs for independent competitors, while squeezing them in the market. The only way to stop them is to reduce rates and strengthen competition. The gov had a rare opportunity to do that, but last week the government just... took a pass.
TekSavvy Transparency Report, April 2022
Hey look, @TekSavvyBuzz published another Quarterly #Transparency Report, documenting requests we got from law enforcement for our customers' information, and how we protect their #privacy. Today we published our report covering July to Sept 2021. 🧵 teksavvy.com/policies/legal-stuff/transparency-report/
TekSavvy Transparency Report, January 2022
Every 3 months, @TekSavvyBuzz publishes a Quarterly #Transparency Report documenting requests we got from law enforcement for our customers' information, and how we protect their #privacy. Today we published our report covering Apr to June 2021. 🧵teksavvy.com/policies/legal-stuff/transparency-report/
TekSavvy Transparency Report, October 2021
Every 3 months, @TekSavvyBuzz publishes a Quarterly #Transparency Report documenting requests we got from law enforcement for our customers' information, and how we protect their #privacy. Today we published our report covering January to March 2021. teksavvy.com/policies/legal-stuff/transparency-report/
Canada's regressive policy to address the digital gap for low income consumers
The government of Canada announced an improved program for affordable Internet for low-income seniors and families, called Connecting Families 2.0. As Good as this goal is, the way it is being done is a case study in regressive policymaking. 🧵⤵ twitter.com/NewsroomGC/status/1425453738358153217.
To be clear, people need access to affordable high-speed Internet services, and it is appropriate for government to play a role. How to accomplish that goal is a policy choice. The OG Connecting Families helped some folks. This reboot will help more people at higher speeds. 1/16
That time Bell and the CRTC Chair had a private meeting over beers
This is extremely disturbing: After a contentious and critical 4-yr proceeding, Bell appealed back to the CRTC on Dec 13. Less than a week later, Dec 19, the same Bell exec who oversaw wholesale for a decade, Mirko Bibic, met for beers alone with the Chair of the CRTC, Ian Scott. twitter.com/StarBusiness/status/1403678486686932992
I've met with CRTC staff and Commissioners. Let me tell you how that generally goes: They start every meeting by saying they will not discuss any file that is open before the Commission. We point out that EVERYTHING is in an open file before the Commission. They ¯\_(ツ)_/¯