Is Ottawa Finally Putting an End to the Mobile Phone Service Tyranny in Canada?

[MaxPower]

Originally Posted by fotze

Holy Schnikes! I'm moving to Rwanada!

[GoinAllTheWay]

Great, I just signed a 3 yr contract with Telus in August. Might be worth buying it out if the rates get better.

[foofighter15]

maybe this will get the iPhone up here sooner

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by Deelow

Drinking that Telus Kool-Aid maybe.
I'm sure sales are good.

No they aren't, and shares are dropping all over the Canadian Telecom industry. In addition, it's not like I make commission or anything, I have no investment in Telus, as a matter of fact, I hate working there now. It used to be a good company but now they're too big for their britches. Perhaps losing half their clientel will help with the service issues they're having... As I said, I welcome the competition. Lower prices will be nice, even for myself. However, if you think people complain about dropped calls and a lack of coverage now, don't expect this move to drastically increase your coverage. In addition, you can expect more foreign people answering the phone as more companies go overseas for their call centres in order to help cut costs. You think customer service is bad now? Give it 5 years.

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

Great, I just signed a 3 yr contract with Telus in August. Might be worth buying it out if the rates get better.

You can change your rate plan. The contract doesn't lock you in to the rate plan if you find a plan that better suits your needs. In addition, you're more than welcome to call in every few months just to check and make sure you're on the best plan for your usage.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by FireFly

You can change your rate plan. The contract doesn't lock you in to the rate plan if you find a plan that better suits your needs. In addition, you're more than welcome to call in every few months just to check and make sure you're on the best plan for your usage.

Do you work for Telus, FireFly?

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

Do you work for Telus, FireFly?

Maybe....

[IntenseFan]

Originally Posted by flylock shox

Our country is so far behind in cell phone use it's ridiculous.

Agreed. But don't forget HD television, which lags behind in Canada for exactly the same reasons.

[fredr123]

Originally Posted by FireFly

In any case, when you cut everyone's profit margins in half, there's no way that there is as much money going into network improvements anymore.

I see. So once the spectrum auction takes place, Telus and Rogers and Bell are going to be reducing the tremendous levels of service they've been providing so far? You mean things could get even worse?

It's not going to make much sense for a new cellular company to set up shop in Canada and roll out nationwide. It's arguable whether any cell company in Canada is really nationwide anyway when you can't get a cell signal in certain parts of the province, but I digress. I think you'll see a few new companies popping up regionally and if you happen to live in those regions and do most of your calling in those areas, you'll benefit.

[dustygoon]

Originally Posted by FireFly

And you think splitting profits even more ways will help the infrastructure? Who is going to maintain the towers we already have when every company makes less money?

I welcome the new companies but I worry what it will mean overall for the infrastructure.

What infrastructure? Canadian coverage is too spotty in urban areas compared to other countries. There is no incentive to invest in infrastructure if there is no competition. Those tower assets should be spun off to a separate company. A solid return can be made on just owning towers in a competitive environment. Look at American Tower

click it and stick it

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by foofighter15

maybe this will get the iPhone up here sooner

Just go get one in the US.. But data rates need to come down in Canada.. it's just ridiculous.

FYI the unlocking process on the iPhone is a piece of cake.

[Hakan]

Foreign ownership controls are what's really hurting. Introduce some *real* competition and the cell phone industry will sort itself out of the usury that this current oligopoly is providing.

I wrote a letter to Prentice about this issue about 8 weeks ago. It was from my time in Bangladesh where cell phones rates are incredibly cheaper.

That quote from the Telus executive is just classic. What a ######.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by Hakan

Foreign ownership controls are what's really hurting. Introduce some *real* competition and the cell phone industry will sort itself out of the usury that this current oligopoly is providing.

I wrote a letter to Prentice about this issue about 8 weeks ago. It was from my time in Bangladesh where cell phones rates are incredibly cheaper.

That quote from the Telus executive is just classic. What a ######.

Agreed, at 33 million people Canada isn't a mature enough marketplace to warrent any real competition internally. We also have a weird obsession with having protected industries when it comes to communications. Whether that be TV/radio/or telephone. Judging from some clippings I've viewed lately if it were technically feasable the government would try to regulate internet content as well.

[STAMPEDRED]

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

Really? I thought you could only use Sasktel in Saskatchewan? An uncle of mine who lives in Saskatchewan uses an Alberta number for his cell phone throught Telus. He did it to avoid having to use Sasktel. Or so I thought.

Oh you better believe it!

Go to rogers.com and compare the same package in different provinces. I didn't believe it either until me brother-in-law was telling me what great rates he got with rogers and couldn't understand why I would be fuming about my roger's bill every month... with 20% off too!

Even with that discount, he was/is still far and away at a cheaper rate for more minutes even one province over!

[BBQorMILDEW]

Originally Posted by kermitology

Just go get one in the US.. But data rates need to come down in Canada.. it's just ridiculous.

FYI the unlocking process on the iPhone is a piece of cake.

I phone will be coming out in January.......... ps I am a corporate rep for Rogers....

[fredr123]

Originally Posted by BBQorMILDEW

I phone will be coming out in January.......... ps I am a corporate rep for Rogers....

Wouldn't it have made more sense to have it ready for Christmas? Everybody and their dog would have picked one up.

[BBQorMILDEW]

Originally Posted by fredr123

Wouldn't it have made more sense to have it ready for Christmas? Everybody and their dog would have picked one up.

\
It was originally planned for October but we couldn't get a deal with Apple on time. They have released in Europe and Aisa, Look for a huge sale coming up in the next couple months.

[fredr123]

Originally Posted by BBQorMILDEW

\
It was originally planned for October but we couldn't get a deal with Apple on time. They have released in Europe and Aisa, Look for a huge sale coming up in the next couple months.

Can we expect some reasonable data rates then? Or will the iPhone come with a complimentary tube of Astroglide?

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

The thing that worried me were the potential "new" buyers, Shaw and Quebecor being 2 who were named.

Quebecor? Man, if their phone service is anything like their Printing Presses, stay away....