The CRTC will delay implementing its controversial ruling on Internet billing practices while it reviews the decision.

Commission Chairman Konrad von Finckenstein told a House of Commons committee on Thursday that the introduction of usage-based billing will be delayed for at least 60 days beyond the proposed March 1 start date.

This will give the regulator time to review the decision.

The move to allow major Internet service providers to change how they charge for data was made with the best interests of consumers in mind, he said.

But the decision produced much public complaint and the Harper government has been asking the commission to reconsider.

Industry Minister Tony Clement has said the government was ready to step in if the commission refused to take another look at the issue, and has been using Twitter to spread the word.

Von Finckenstein told the committee he had had no contact with Clement, and that the CRTC decided on its own to delay implementation of its ruling.

The original decision was to go into effect March 1, but now will be put off for at least two months.

Von Finckenstein said the review will seek to verify that the decision protects customers and penalizes only the minority of people who are heavy consumers of Internet services.

"We are convinced that Internet services are no different than other public utilities and the vast majority of Internet users should not be asked to subsidize a small minority of heavy users," he told the committee.

"For us, it is a question of fundamental fairness."

Most residential Internet customers already have usage-based billing.

Major companies like Bell and Rogers place a cap on how many gigabytes a person can download for a set fee, before additional charges are tacked on.

But smaller providers were able to offer unlimited plans because they didn't pay by the gigabyte for the data they buy off the larger companies. The CRTC ruling changed that.

Critics say the ruling stifles competition and small business.