Write to your MP. The CRTC needs to be taken out and shot*

These are the best rates available from all carriers. And all levels of government say that ICT competitiveness is key factor in Canada's future economic prosperity. Ya. Right. I would like to say that Canada is a 3rd world country when it comes to Mobile ICT, except you can clearly see from this chart that even *Rwanda* has orders of magnitude better Mobile Data service than Canada. All figures are in CAD.

supporting links:

www.vodafone.co.nz/pricing_plans/broadband.jsp?st=ourserv...
www.t-mobile.com/shop/plans/default.aspx
powervision.sprint.com/mobilebroadband/plans/index.html
www.terracom.rw/services/internet/evdo/pricing.php
www.telstra.com.au/business/products/internetanddata/mobi...
www.telusmobility.com/on/business_solutions/connect_megab...
www.bell.ca/shop/en_CA_AB/Sme.Sol.Wireless.Internet.Plans...
www.fido.ca/portal/en/domore/options.shtml
www.shoprogers.com/business/wireless/plans_services/busin...

*the institution of the CRTC and figuratively speaking I mean. Not the actual people whom we can probably assume are either only ineffective, plainly ignorant, just following orders of their corporate lobbyests, or some combination of the above.

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Comments

roland says:

sad but true
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

nep says:

This is making me cry.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Brian.LeRoux says:

Brutal.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

gabe says:

+1
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

bmann says:

I redid this for just Canada and for 1GB of usage:

Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Duane Storey says:

That's some expensive porn.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Tom Purves says:

Thanks for all comments and favourites! Note, you can also see this posted on my blogcheck here

or digg this story if you want to spread the word.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

DBarefoot says:

It blew two years ago:

www.darrenbarefoot.com/archives/2005/10/gprs- is-a-joke.html

And it still blows.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

mikepreiksaitis says:

it's a sad state of affairs. i don't understand how these companies can get away with it!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Andre Deminiac says:

Telus spends more on advirtising than the others combined, yet it has the cheapest rates (for Canada). Interesting.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

great chart

But for the record... this has absolutely nothing to do with the CRTC.

crtc.gc.ca/RapidsCCM/warning.asp?page=cellEng .htm&lang=E

"You may not be aware that the CRTC does not regulate the rates, quality of service or business practices of cellular (wireless) service providers and cannot pursue complaints on these matters on your behalf. For information on where to lodge a complaint, read our Fact Sheet about Cellular (Wireless) Telephone Services.

To obtain this information, read the Fact Sheet www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/INFO_SHT/t1021.htm"

So it's unfair to blame them, especially considering the blame lies entirely within the companies... who profit from this.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

bmann says:

Yeah, +1 to m3mn0n. I skipped over any mention of the CRTC: the focus here really is the short sightedness of the companies involved, that 100,000 customers at a lower cost is more money than 1,000 customers at a high cost (never mind the network effects of lots of people doing interesting things with mobile data, which intuitively would lead to even more revenue).

I may do another post today that explores this a bit: can the CRTC help? I think government support / intervention is the only likely option, given the cost of infrastructure buildout here in Canada.

What if the CRTC had blocked the sale of Fido to Rogers?

Something to think about....(and maybe change the inflammatory title).

Update: Can the CRTC help?
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

vasta says:

Thanks for sharing this. Blogged about it. I've told my friends on Digg to digg your post as well.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Leila__ says:

sad. sad. sad.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

groundctrl says:

f'n pathetic
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

mackinaw says:

this definitely needs more attention.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Graham Fair says:

This needs a lot more attention. Regulation is fine, but regulation doesn't swap out corporate culture, or the greedy nature of Canadian wireless providers.

But even among the blue-bar providers, Vodafone customers in the UK still end up paying over 2x the going rate that Vodafone NZ customers do. I'm guessing that the graph calculates prices in CDN currency. It might be useful to do the graph showing local currency rates as well.

As for regulation... I'd much rather have competition. A shame Vodafone hasn't come here. They could focus on Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver / lower mainland and have plenty of customers.

Maybe we will all just have to set up WiMax networks and try to create a community carrier. :)
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

rakerman says:

I paid $227 for 4MB of data on my Rogers cellphone :(

Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

bsharwood says:

Just read the SeaBoard report. Says it all, despite CWTA propoganda.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

MarkKristenBenEve says:

My plan with T-Mobile in the US provides unlimited data for $19.99 a month. The unlimited plan covers my trips to Canada also, but I believe they do check to make sure you're not abusing the system and always using the phone in Canada!

I also have a phone plan in Ireland with Vodafone Ireland and it seems to be just as expensive as Canada, if not more so. In a few days in Ireland, I am charged as much for data as T-Mobile charges me for a month, and I do not even use data much over there.

Unlimited mobile data means that I use services like Google Maps for directions, Skype for instant messaging, and email a *lot* more than I would if I was worring about cost. It really drives productivity, and, through usage of mobile apps, innovation.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

ummacles says:

That's just the point, m3mn0n; the CRTC DOES need to regulate such costs, is if this is how companies are going to treat people.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

gmcmullen says:

I've started a Facebook group to help deal with this:

ubc.facebook.com/profile.php?id=21013300

I'm going to write up a template letter that can be sent to the CRTC and MPs as well, and I'm hoping to get a bit of media attention through the CBC.
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

Clickety Clack says:

I hate to further bum you out, but it's actually more like $10 / mo for unlimited internet with Sprint, $20 for AT&T here in the US.
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

KiwiSurfer says:

I have to say that I'm suprised to see VFNZ as the cheapest as I am one of their customers. They are not at all the cheapest, I know of other networks out of NZ that have cheaper rates -- including many UK and US networks providing unlimited data. And note that the default plan for all VFNZ customers charges NZD10.00/MB which is about USD6.50/MB -- not cheap at all!
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

salah musallam says:

Write to the Competition bureau of canada.

www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/internet/index.cf m?itemID=130...
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

ipub says:

what a shame for canadian people....I am so sad of this situation...
Posted 24 months ago. ( permalink )

malocite says:

The CRTC however are complicit in this as they do nothing to get these companies to lower their rates. The CRTC could tie the sale or purchase of a TV station to the lowering of the rates, or what have you. There are ways.
Posted 22 months ago. ( permalink )

nimbot says:

Ridiculous..
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

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Write to your MP. The CRTC needs to be taken out and shot*

Comments

roland says:

nep says:

Brian.LeRoux says:

gabe says:

bmann says:

Duane Storey says:

Tom Purves says:

DBarefoot says:

mikepreiksaitis says:

Andre Deminiac says:

m3mn0n says:

bmann says:

vasta says:

Leila__ says:

groundctrl says:

mackinaw says:

Graham Fair says:

rakerman says:

bsharwood says:

MarkKristenBenEve says:

ummacles says:

gmcmullen says:

Clickety Clack says:

KiwiSurfer says:

salah musallam says:

ipub says:

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