Northwestel applies to increase data limits, but resumes overage charges

More internet usage at no cost could be on the horizon for many northerners, but they might not get their overage data waived.

Northwestel Inc. has applied to increase usage allowance in certain residential and business internet packages. However, it also plans to stop waiving data overages, which it has done since COVID-19 first hit the country three months ago.

The northern telecom giant made the application to Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), the regulatory body for internet providers, on June 2.

If approved, the change will come into effect July 1.

The company said theusage allowance increase will be for itsmost popular regulated and non-regulated internet packages.

If this plan is approved, "99 per cent" of residential internet customers will see a permanent increase in their monthly usage allowanceat no extra cost, the company added. The amount will vary based on each customer's plan, but couldrangebetween a seven to 100 per cent increase.

This also applies to its business customers, according to the application.

The changecomes as the territories begin to reopen after the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools and many businesses to shut down, and many residents began working or studyingfrom home.

Public schools are still shut down in all three territories and some post-secondary schools announced a shift towards more online courses in the upcoming fall semester. Government workers are still being instructed to work from home.

Back in March, as part of the company's COVID-19 relief measures, the CRTC approved an application from Northwestel to waive internet bandwidth caps for communities with cable internet service. In other communities, the move granted large increases in monthly data for users.

In an emailed statement, the company says its seeking for this latestinternet usage increase to be permanent.

It wrote in its application that it "observed a year-over-year increase in gigabits per terrestrial DSL subscriber," andthat its residential usage had increased from January to April.

"For these reasons, we believe that providing additional usage to the majority of our residential and business packages is needed at this time," the application readsin part.