Canada's worst telecom price-gouging petition

[mss-ca]

If you are in Canada and had enough of price fixing by the big 3, please help us by joining the petition at: Stop The Cell Phone Squeeze | OpenMedia.ca

Message will be sent to:
Industry Minister Christian Paradis
Prime Minister Stephen Harper



NOTE: I have nothing to do with petition. I am just spreading the word. In Canada, we just stand there and do nothing.... we are stupid.

[BB10FTW]

Ya i have heard of some insane wireless phone bills and I do agree it is crazy but some of it is caused by the users lack of knowledge. Most times they have no idea about extra charges and roaming and data use, it's sick.

I'm signing and so should every other Canadian!

[SnoozerBold]

As an employee of Bell Canada I'm signing! Lol. (I work in engineering, nothing to do with sales / prices set) the rather lame excuse given and used most of the time is that there is a lot more land to cover with only a fraction on the population of the US which means you need more towers, have to lay more fiber and possibly remote switches in some areas. All which costs money and raises prices. But really, after our GSM 3G network was in place most of the groundwork for upgrading to LTE shouldn't be near as costly as moving to gsm/3g. However they're not going to pass any savings on to the consumer.

My biggest gripe is the THREE year contracts for subsidized phones. I wish it was 2 like the US. You can technically upgrade after 2 but for a fee and another 3 year contract.

For the record I get no discount on hardware but a discount on services.

[soljah12]

Signed!

Thanks OP for spreading the word.

[mss-ca]

Originally Posted by SnoozerBold

As an employee of Bell Canada I'm signing! Lol. (I work in engineering, nothing to do with sales / prices set) the rather lame excuse given and used most of the time is that there is a lot more land to cover with only a fraction on the population of the US which means you need more towers, have to lay more fiber and possibly remote switches in some areas. All which costs money and raises prices. But really, after our GSM 3G network was in place most of the groundwork for upgrading to LTE shouldn't be near as costly as moving to gsm/3g. However they're not going to pass any savings on to the consumer.

My biggest gripe is the THREE year contracts for subsidized phones. I wish it was 2 like the US. You can technically upgrade after 2 but for a fee and another 3 year contract.

For the record I get no discount on hardware but a discount on services.

My parents used to be engineers for communication industry in several different countries. My mom was a satellite engineer and my dad was a cable systems engineer. The these companies charge a lot not to keep the network running or pay their engineers or other workers, but to keep the CEO and the board members families rich. That's what p-i-s-s me off so bad.

[mss-ca]

Originally Posted by soljah12

Signed!

Thanks OP for spreading the word.

You are welcome.

[robsteve]

Are the BlackBerry plans more expensive here than the USA? I got the impression that some of us pay less than across the border. For example, the student BlackBerry Plans.

[alnamvet68]

I signed and I live in the French territories of the Affars and Issas.

[Rickroller]

Originally Posted by robsteve

Are the BlackBerry plans more expensive here than the USA? I got the impression that some of us pay less than across the border. For example, the student BlackBerry Plans.

I'll only use T-Mobile as an example..as that's the only one in the States i'm familiar with (I use their SIM card when travelling). I can get unlimited talk/text, and data for about $70-80/month. The unlimited talk includes nation wide calling..so basically no long distance charges.

Here in Canada..I'm paying around $150/month, for about 3000mins (which includes long distance), unlimited text, and 6GB of data. I've been a long time Telus customer, so my plan is actually a pretty good one in comparison to some i've heard about..but we're still paying basically double from our American counterparts.

[berklon]

Petitions are nice and everything (and I'll sign as well) but there's only one real effective way to send them a message - don't give them your money. Nothing is effective as voting with your wallet.

[Rickroller]

Originally Posted by berklon

Petitions are nice and everything (and I'll sign as well) but there's only one real effective way to send them a message - don't give them your money. Nothing is effective as voting with your wallet.

True..but i'm finding it harder and harder these days to find people who still use tin cans and string to communicate when out and about. And smoke signalling has been outlawed in parts of Canada now due to them "darned environmentalists"

We actually have no other choices if you want a cellphone. There are smaller companies like Koodo, Virgin etc, but they are just subsidiaries of the larger ones. So no matter who you use, you're feeding the big 3 in one way or another.

[dynot]

Originally Posted by Rickroller

True..but i'm finding it harder and harder these days to find people who still use tin cans and string to communicate when out and about. And smoke signalling has been outlawed in parts of Canada now due to them "darned environmentalists"

We actually have no other choices if you want a cellphone. There are smaller companies like Koodo, Virgin etc, but they are just subsidiaries of the larger ones. So no matter who you use, you're feeding the big 3 in one way or another.

I heard signing up to a US carrier is still cheaper than some plans here. That would probably be the best way to lower prices.

I heard in the news today that a commission is being set up to study the price discrepancies between the US and Canada for various consumer goods. Even though the CAD is practically at par we're still paying significantly more. Well, we know where that study is headed. But its the same thing....if enough people start shopping in the US, retailers will be forced to lower prices here.

[gbwalsh]

Just a note to anyone who signs the petition. They are also a shill for the Liberal party and you WILL get spammed.

PS the liberals wouldnt change anything they had 10+ years and the same increase in $$ happened.

[SnoozerBold]

The newer ones like Wind and Public mobile are on their own. Of course they have bad reception in some areas due to a lack of towers.

I pay $65 a month (before discount ) for 1gb of data, unlimeted SMS and MMS. 200 anytime mins and fab 10 which is 10 numbers anywhere in Canada I can call for free. I hardly use my phone as a phone so fab 10 does me fine and for as much as I'm on my bb I've never gotten close to 1gb of data.
Still it's damn expensive.

[Rickroller]

Originally Posted by dynot

I heard signing up to a US carrier is still cheaper than some plans here. That would probably be the best way to lower prices.

Trust me, i've considered it. But because it's an American phone provider, we'd either have to pay more for "roaming" data, as well as pay International rates for phone calls. Not to mention you'd then need an American phone number. To me (and many others I imagine) it wouldn't be worth the hassle of a new number, or forwarding your old number to the new american one, as well as paying all the extra international charges etc..to save what at this point would maybe $20-$30/month.

I've heard of rumours of T-Mobile trying to expand into Canada..but the big 3 have the governments balls in a vice I think, and i'm sure they lobby pretty hard to keep the American companies out.