Urgent - sign on-line cell phone price reduction petitions!

[Carrier]

Most pilots, particularly those who are on call such as Medevac pilots, have a cell phone. All in Canada are being ripped off by predatory pricing.

A group of upset consumers and an MP (David McGuinty - Bill C555) both have on-line petitions attempting to partly remedy the problems. Both have received considerable media coverage in the last few days. Canadians should have the same GSM cell phone services at the same rates that Celtel and others provide in numerous countries in Africa. It is disgraceful that Canada lags far behind the Third World when it comes to cell phone services and pricing. For several years up until last year Carrier and Mrs C were satisfied pay-as-you-go customers of Celtel and MTN. When we returned to Canada our tri-frequency GSM cell phones were put into storage because Canada was unable to offer cell phone services of the standards and at the rates we were used to in several countries in Africa. Along with those who are promoting and have signed these petitions we would like to get this changed to bring Canada up to the level that consumers in most of the world have been receiving for many years.

These two petitions are open for signature until tomorrow. Please sign both and add your voice to the pressure for improved cell phone services at reduced rates that are comparable to those available elsewhere in the world. Please inform your friends and colleagues. The sites for signing are:
http://www.RuinediPhone.com
http://www.DavidMcGuinty.com

[moocow]

That's weird because my Tri-Band Nokia from Hong Kong works perfectly fine in Vancouver, on Fido network. I also carry it with me down to Seattle and it works. The TV, Phone, Internet service of Canada is a complete joke. I fail to understand why the government won't allow for more competitions. Rogers, Bell, Telus all offer crap services. Why do I have to pay so much for cable TV and internet? While I'm staying in HK, I notice that I can get fiber to building or fiber to apartment building. I can use any HDTV set top box and don't have to buy one from the content provider (Shaw is a rip off) and just sign up for their services.

[Expat]

I have been in Afghanistan for four years now. I have always criticized our canadian system, which is a joke compared with what we have here.
We have four network operators, who cover 95% of the population. The system is simple. You buy a phone in an electronic store. You buy a sim card at one of the networks' office. Simcards are free, considering that you get credits worth the 15 dollar charge. You then buy credits on the street everywhere.
It costs me 10 dollars per month.
I also have a second phone, with a different sim card, for GPRS internet. GPRS is 20 USD per month.
Now that is a simple unregulated system. No contract, no monthly fees, you pay one cent per day, plus your calls, which are very cheap, because of the competition. If one company charges more than others, people will throw away their sim card, and change provider.

[Go Guns]

GSM coverage in Canada sucks, the CDMA network is far superior here. I'm on Telus' CDMA network and have unlimited data, Canadian long distance, text and voice to ten numbers, free evenings starting @ 1700 - 0700, free weekends, and 450 daytime minutes all for about $100 a month. Checking the American cell carriers, it seems pretty reasonably priced. I think people are just pissed they can't get a cheap Iphone.

[Tim Tam]

What, are you kidding me?

I could care less what they charge for cell phones. Don't like it, don't buy one..

If you need it for work, your employer will re-imburse you.

It is not a necessity to own a cell phone....

Have fun.......

[goates]

GSM coverage in Canada sucks, the CDMA network is far superior here. I'm on Telus' CDMA network and have unlimited data, Canadian long distance, text and voice to ten numbers, free evenings starting @ 1700 - 0700, free weekends, and 450 daytime minutes all for about $100 a month. Checking the American cell carriers, it seems pretty reasonably priced. I think people are just pissed they can't get a cheap Iphone.

Go compare it to Europe and elsewhere. Both Canada and the US have terrible cell phone plans, compared to the rest of the world. Some of it has to do with a small population and rather large geographic area, but this can't explain all of it.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/tech/ ... onomy.html

http://www.hereshow.ca/news_detail.asp?nid=1343

And GSM coverage works fine for me in all but the most remote areas. And in those areas my girlfriend's Telus phone doesn't do much better.

[old metal]

Only 12,000 people have signed the petition to remove the system access fee. That fee is a blatant cash grab. If you agree don't just read the posts, SIGN THE PETITION!

[Liquid Charlie]

Canada is indeed in the dark ages when it comes to mobile phones -- I have used both cdma and gsm -- yes cdma has better coverage in canada but the technology sucks and I have opted to gsm with an unlocked phone. There is something morally wrong with any company or technology that controls you. You might buy a cdma phone but you certainly don't own it -- try an activate on another carrier's network -- cdma was adopted in canada by the money grabbing corporations for only one reason -- total control why else would they go against the "world" standard -- GSM is too open and allows "free ranging" --

IPhone is all marketing -- typical apple has consumers hoodwinked (fkng ipods -- ask any dad -- just a money pit ) -- Nokia has had better phones with more features out long before the Iphone -- I have a nokia n95 which is now old technology but is even better than the iphone (except no touch screen -- the n98 is coming and it's dubbed the iphone killer) -- I have sim cards when I go out of the country and my at&t is $.10/minute -- no long distance -- no roaming charges and no prime time restrictions -- an email usually costs less that a sms message. In europe most carriers offer unlimited data - this opens the door for VOIP on the 3G networks to cut down on international long distance costs. Damn -- Canada has to enter at least the 20th century --

There is no reason one should have to pay long distance charges on a mobile phone or for incoming calls -- that is just robbery.

[fingersmac]

Looks like the mobile phone market in Canada will be seeing some new players. Curious how this will play out.

http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2008 ... ml?ref=rss

[SAR_YQQ]

Looks like CDMA in Canada is coming to an end - Bell and Telus have announced their intention to convert to GSM.

[xsbank]

Don't sign up for a new 3 year free phone right now....

[TFE731]

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/s ... TopStories

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/0807 ... tice_col_1

http://ca.news.finance.yahoo.com/s/2107 ... s-bid.html

[Expat]

They tend to put down Globalive, but my bets are on this guy. If he follows through with his business plan to install a 3G network, and use the pre-paid, un-locked phone system, he will kick a*s big time. That model is used throughout the world. It is the simplest, and most cost effective. No need for company stores, they just have to sell sim cards and top-up cards through convenience stores. Customers will buy their own unlocked phones on the internet, and bingo!
They can offer for 20 dollars a month, GPRS service, and Bell will have to lower its internet rates!
The existing big three will have to follow suite, and offer pre-paid unlocked plans.
The reason that cell phone penetration is so low in Canada is that their three year plans do not appeal to ordinary citizens, but to businesses, who are not really concerned with price. The third world has a higher penetration than Canada! Then we can thank the Middle-East for making this all possible, through their financing!

[Topspin]

Only 12,000 people have signed the petition to remove the system access fee. That fee is a blatant cash grab. If you agree don't just read the posts, SIGN THE PETITION!

What about the whole Idea of a locked phone?

[FL_CH]

If you take a minute to read the actual Bill...

Code: Select all

Within 30 days after the coming into force of this Act, the Governor in Council shall, by order, direct the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to gather information, seek input and make a report on competition, consumer-protection, and consumer-choice issues relating to telecommunication services, including
(a) an assessment of the means by which telecommunication service providers can be compelled:	
(iii) to stop locking cellular phones to a specific provider such that they cannot be used on another provider's network,