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Government: Diviing Up the Cellphone Pie

by Barry Artiste | May 27, 2008 at 05:49 am | 389 views | 2 comments | 2 recommendations

Wireless The Wave of the Future for Consumers

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Opinion
Barry Artiste, Now Public Contributor

The Feds are auctioning Wireless Networks amongst the Big Telecommunications Giants, diviing up the provinces like so much pie.

Eager to get a Slice are telecommunications giants who will have to bid on the services they provide.

It is said Consumers should delay signing that intelligable cell phone contract, with more legalese and conditional loopholes that giver you a monthly sticker shock until the bidding war is over, as consumers are to be the winners in this Wireless Cookoff.

Options abound as wireless auction kicks offDavid George-Cosh, Canwest News ServicePublished: Tuesday, May 27, 2008
With one hand holding a pricey cellphone bill and another tied to a three-year contact, Canadians could soon be getting some relief as Industry Canada's wireless spectrum auction begins Tuesday.

Triggered by expensive data rates and stagnant competition, the door has been opened wide for Shaw Communications Inc., Manitoba Telecom Services Inc., Quebecor Inc., Globalive Communications Corp. and Data and Audio-Visual Enterprises (DAVE)Wireless to emerge as the country's new national wireless operators.

Industry Canada has set aside 40 megahertz, out of a total 105, for a new entrant to compete against established carriers - Rogers Communications Inc., Telus Corp. and BCE Inc.

The auction is expected to raise about $1.5 billion for the federal government. It is expected to close by the end of June.

Canadians will soon be treated to faster networks, a larger selection of handsets and much more affordable pricing structures that could cut in half the average cost of owning a cellphone from$60 a month, said industry consultant Mark Goldberg.

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eastvanray

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 11:01 on May 27th, 2008

Barry Artiste, I like this story. It's good stuff.

I have been with my carrier for about 10 years (telus). For about the last 6 of those years I have not been under any contract (they grandfathered the terms of my last contract). I have probably missed a payment 3 times in those 10 years and those late payments were all more than 6 years ago. I recently missed a payment. Not sure how as I normall pay all my bills online and on time. But I did. They didn't send me any notification by mail, email or txt. I found out my phone service had been cut off when I got an email from my auditor telling me I had to sign documents or my company would be charged for filing our financials late. Sure enough my cell phone was dead. I contacted them and all they could say was it is automatic - no human decision involved. If you are late they cut off your service. Even the manager was unappologetic.

So this auction comes as great news for me. Telus is losing a 10 year customer soon. Maybe this new competition will kick our oligopolistic wireless industry in the ass. I have also since switched my home phone service from Telus. Good riddence!

Barry Artiste

at 14:43 on May 27th, 2008

Thanks for the great commentary on your trials with Telus. EastVan this is certainly an issue when carriers treat us as endless money
machines, Their Scamming rules and regs, which they never tell you
about, or use so much confusing baffle gabbery, that we have not a clue
what we signed, Hopefully these new rules will put some competition on
the auction table and give Canadians a break. Did you know in the USA
you call across the country anyday and anytime for pennies. Try that
even calling in the city and see how much they ding you, Big Bucks,