The motto of the CRTC, Canada’s telcom regulator is “Communications in the Public Interest”. Right.
If you live in Canada, write to your MP. The CRTC, as an institution, needs to be taken out and shot.*
This chart charts 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.
As I’ve noted in the chart, 500MB is about 100 minutes of usage at a Canadian Carrier’s maximum (advertised) download speed of 700kB/s (your mileage will vary, International carriers are typically twice or four times faster). 500MB is not a lot of data in the grand scheme of things, a few GB could make a better example but in that case the red bars would be completely off the charts.
If you don’t live in Canada but you or your small business depends on mobile connectivity or net neutrality in general, don’t come here.
If see these numbers makes you mad, then Digg this article and spread the word on your site.
(and leave a comment, what is mobile service like where you live? why do you think mobile data is important?)
Here is the complete data table including data speed and Caps for each of the services listed. You’ll notice Canadian carriers lag substantially in every category.
see also on this blog: Bell to charge you $3600 per hour for Wireless Internet access. (the situation has not changed in a while)
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…
*not literally of course, we are Canadian after all. (the CRTC is the Canadian regulator for radio, television, and telecomumnications). Here’s the Canadian Telecommunications Act that governs the CRTC. I like parts 7 a, b and c.
UPDATE May 2010: While the situation (and competition) has improved significantly in Canada since this post was first published, according to OECD data Canadians still pay among the highest cell phone bills in the world.
UPDATE December2007: For ongoing and more up to date coverage of the Canadian wireless industry, data rates, carriers, spectrum auctions, and mobile startups, I recommend WirelessNorth.ca
Pingback: Why no mobile Web 2.0 apps in Canada? -- Alec Saunders .LOG
Pingback: CyberTopo » Le Canada : un des pire pays en terme d’internet par Cellulaire?
Pingback: Jason Friesen {dot} ca » Blog Archive » Canada Cell Phone Companies Suck
Apollo, that is good news. sort of. Clearly the Rogers/Fido rates are not sustainable with an HSDPA offering. That said the rogers site as of currently today lists the HSDPA card as not yet available and these are still the best available posted rates.
Note that this plan would take Rogers rates from 40x New Zealand prices to “only” 5x as expensive. hooray…
Rogers also just announced (last week) a new Video phone package with great fanfare and wait for it… 10MB of included internet datatransfer in the base plan.
Apollo, that is good news. sort of. Clearly the Rogers/Fido rates are not sustainable with an HSDPA offering. That said the rogers site as of currently today lists the HSDPA card as not yet available and these are still the best available posted rates.
Note that this plan would take Rogers rates from 40x New Zealand prices to “only” 5x as expensive. hooray…
Rogers also just announced (last week) a new Video phone package with great fanfare and wait for it… 10MB of included internet datatransfer in the base plan.
Pingback: designisgood
The CRTC does not regulate the cellular phone industry. How that slipped under their radar in the 1980’s I’m not too sure.
http://crtc.gc.ca/RapidsCCM/warning.asp?page=cellEng.htm&lang=E
Unless you’ve got an NDP MP, you’re unlikely to get much action on this issue from them. The Liberals and Conservatives are very pro-business, which isn’t all bad, but unfortunately it seems to make them anti-consumer as well. As though the two were incompatible. (I think the NDP doesn’t have to worry about offending big telecom giants because they’ll never get into government federally!)
The CRTC does not regulate the cellular phone industry. How that slipped under their radar in the 1980’s I’m not too sure.
http://crtc.gc.ca/RapidsCCM/warning.asp?page=cellEng.htm&lang=E
Unless you’ve got an NDP MP, you’re unlikely to get much action on this issue from them. The Liberals and Conservatives are very pro-business, which isn’t all bad, but unfortunately it seems to make them anti-consumer as well. As though the two were incompatible. (I think the NDP doesn’t have to worry about offending big telecom giants because they’ll never get into government federally!)
The “Unlimited” Browser feature for $7 on Bell Mobility is for Mobile Browser only, eg. using your phones web browser feature, not true data that you can use on your laptop, etc.
I was just in Romania, one of the cellular providers there that I saw ads for offered 1GB/month for USD$35.00.
Would certainly be nice to see something like that here…
The “Unlimited” Browser feature for $7 on Bell Mobility is for Mobile Browser only, eg. using your phones web browser feature, not true data that you can use on your laptop, etc.
I was just in Romania, one of the cellular providers there that I saw ads for offered 1GB/month for USD$35.00.
Would certainly be nice to see something like that here…
Pingback: » Canada Worse than 3rd World Countries when it comes to Mobile Data Access at Just Another Mobile Monday
when it comes to both home/cellphone internet access. canada is terrible. anybody resides in canada would tell you the same thing.
high price & low service quality
when it comes to both home/cellphone internet access. canada is terrible. anybody resides in canada would tell you the same thing.
high price & low service quality
Pingback: Martin Cleaver, masterfully. » Blog Archive » The stupidity of Canadian Telcos with their exhoribitant data rates
Pingback: Canadian Wireless Data Access Worse than Third World Countries | LifeParticles
Pingback: goSammy » Canadian Wireless Providers are Charging Customers an Arm and a Leg with Mobile Access Data Plans
Pingback: Fat Mobil Content » batgirl wonder woman Canada Worse than 3rd World Countries when it comes to Mobile Data Access
what 3rd world r u talking about. canada is the 3RD WORLD. haha
what 3rd world r u talking about. canada is the 3RD WORLD. haha
Pingback: 13.vc » Blog Archive » Canada Worse than 3rd World Countries when it comes to Mobile Data Access
I completely agree, I bough t a BlackBerry Pearl for my wife on the black market (we’re on Rogers) and I was amazed at the costs of the data/email packages they are selling. In the end she’s just SMS’ing with it. paying 15 cents a pop. But the problem is that there is no consumer blackberry package in Canada. They all targeted at business users, who don’t mind paying that much cause if you’re a contractor it becomes a tax write off. And lets not talk about taxes in the Socialist Republic of Canada
I completely agree, I bough t a BlackBerry Pearl for my wife on the black market (we’re on Rogers) and I was amazed at the costs of the data/email packages they are selling. In the end she’s just SMS’ing with it. paying 15 cents a pop. But the problem is that there is no consumer blackberry package in Canada. They all targeted at business users, who don’t mind paying that much cause if you’re a contractor it becomes a tax write off. And lets not talk about taxes in the Socialist Republic of Canada
Hi all. I pay USD 20 for unlimited bis data, Movistar Chile.
Best,
Hi all. I pay USD 20 for unlimited bis data, Movistar Chile.
Best,
Pingback: Hamster in a wheel » Blog Archive » Canada Worse than 3rd World Countries when it comes to Mobile Data Access
This article hits the nail on the head. The carriers give us the crappiest phones (look at any other western countries line up of available models and try not to drool), and the worst in terms of data, their attitude seems to be “Shut the f*@k up, take what we give you and be happy we don’t charge you more for less”. It;s not as if our networks aren’t up to snuff if they could supply us that amount of data at an exorbitant price than they can do it for less as well (I mean they aren’t renting equipment for each time you download data). As telecommunication customers we are expected to just roll over and take it in the a$$ like good little peons, well I have had enough CRTC get off your collective behinds and star doing something about this price gouging. I am sick and tired of paying 15 dollars a month for 250 kbps
This article hits the nail on the head. The carriers give us the crappiest phones (look at any other western countries line up of available models and try not to drool), and the worst in terms of data, their attitude seems to be “Shut the f*@k up, take what we give you and be happy we don’t charge you more for less”. It;s not as if our networks aren’t up to snuff if they could supply us that amount of data at an exorbitant price than they can do it for less as well (I mean they aren’t renting equipment for each time you download data). As telecommunication customers we are expected to just roll over and take it in the a$$ like good little peons, well I have had enough CRTC get off your collective behinds and star doing something about this price gouging. I am sick and tired of paying 15 dollars a month for 250 kbps
Pingback: Prime News Blog » Blog Archive » wonder woman old Canada Worse than 3rd World Countries when it comes to Mobile Data Access
Great post, but what are we poor Canadians to do?
I’m currently using a Fido-branded hiptop, which has an unlmited data plan (in Canada only) for $20/month. But the data goes through a special proxy server and lately there have been lots of outages.
I fear that Fido’s parent company Rogers is starving hiptop users with bad service in the hopes that we’ll jump to another more expensive device 🙁
Great post, but what are we poor Canadians to do?
I’m currently using a Fido-branded hiptop, which has an unlmited data plan (in Canada only) for $20/month. But the data goes through a special proxy server and lately there have been lots of outages.
I fear that Fido’s parent company Rogers is starving hiptop users with bad service in the hopes that we’ll jump to another more expensive device 🙁
Pingback: Eloquation » Blog Archive » The Travesty of Canadian Mobile Data Rates
Pingback: BlackBerryCool » Canadian data pricing woes
#42 hits the nail on the head. Being a Canadian in the ‘boom’ province Alberta, It is widely known that the Cellular companies have the prices jacked because the corporates will pay and pay and pay then write it all off,. The taxpayers pay in the end, and these telecom’s almost went Income-trust! We have a province full of dumb tradesmen who equate wireless data transfer with Merlin’s magic. The oil barons will pay huge amounts for their service in remote locations even though we have one of the best hardware infrastructures, I work for a company that does just that $56,000 in one month for less than 500 users. Its obscene. I have seen teenaged girls rack up 2000$ monthly bills. Every time I read the New-York times and see the mobile adverts I cry, because the Americans have it good and cheap! BTW I refuse to cancel my mobile contract from the year 1999 because it was a better contract than what TELUS is offering now, even though they are my provider, the contract was through Clearnet, a company they bought out. ITS SICK! THAT WAS 8 YEARS AGO! TELUS, YOU JUST POSTED 6 BILLION $$$ GIVE ME A BREAK!!! This is an obvious case where privatization has failed ~ once again.
#42 hits the nail on the head. Being a Canadian in the ‘boom’ province Alberta, It is widely known that the Cellular companies have the prices jacked because the corporates will pay and pay and pay then write it all off,. The taxpayers pay in the end, and these telecom’s almost went Income-trust! We have a province full of dumb tradesmen who equate wireless data transfer with Merlin’s magic. The oil barons will pay huge amounts for their service in remote locations even though we have one of the best hardware infrastructures, I work for a company that does just that $56,000 in one month for less than 500 users. Its obscene. I have seen teenaged girls rack up 2000$ monthly bills. Every time I read the New-York times and see the mobile adverts I cry, because the Americans have it good and cheap! BTW I refuse to cancel my mobile contract from the year 1999 because it was a better contract than what TELUS is offering now, even though they are my provider, the contract was through Clearnet, a company they bought out. ITS SICK! THAT WAS 8 YEARS AGO! TELUS, YOU JUST POSTED 6 BILLION $$$ GIVE ME A BREAK!!! This is an obvious case where privatization has failed ~ once again.
Pingback: chowarmaan.com » Blog Archive » Wireless Data Rates
I’m tired of being nickel-and-dimed to death on my cell plan. Now that WNP is here, the Cell companies will have to compete for my business. I’m currently on Telus. They don’t allow me to do simple things like transfer my photos from the phone using a USB cable. I have to IM them to my email. I’m switching to Bell because my bill will drop by about $40/mo for similar services. Plus the signing bonus makes it all worthwhile.
I’m tired of being nickel-and-dimed to death on my cell plan. Now that WNP is here, the Cell companies will have to compete for my business. I’m currently on Telus. They don’t allow me to do simple things like transfer my photos from the phone using a USB cable. I have to IM them to my email. I’m switching to Bell because my bill will drop by about $40/mo for similar services. Plus the signing bonus makes it all worthwhile.
Pingback: Toadpark ...nocturnal and lovin' it
Ive been travelling worldwide now for about 6 years. I have kept a phone in Canada that entire time. I HATE rogers. I tried to cancel and plan with them for 8 months, all the while they were sending me new bills and referring it to collections. I have had them change my plans about 3 times without my consent to try to manipulate more money out of me. If you travel within Canada and need to use the phone even 15 mins a day, be prepared for no less than 500 dollar phone bill, its happened to me several times now. I have the biggest plan they offer and I still get these huge bills. Working in Afganistan I would be on the phone to the US and Canada as well as thousands of minutes locally and never have bigger than a 300 dollar bill. This goes for ANY 3rd world country I have travelled or worked in. Thats my RANT.
Ive been travelling worldwide now for about 6 years. I have kept a phone in Canada that entire time. I HATE rogers. I tried to cancel and plan with them for 8 months, all the while they were sending me new bills and referring it to collections. I have had them change my plans about 3 times without my consent to try to manipulate more money out of me. If you travel within Canada and need to use the phone even 15 mins a day, be prepared for no less than 500 dollar phone bill, its happened to me several times now. I have the biggest plan they offer and I still get these huge bills. Working in Afganistan I would be on the phone to the US and Canada as well as thousands of minutes locally and never have bigger than a 300 dollar bill. This goes for ANY 3rd world country I have travelled or worked in. Thats my RANT.
Thomas, I suggest you put this up at the top of this thread, maybe as an update to the original post.
It’s easy to take action. So please do it. Here’s who you write to:
Email Maxime Bernier, Minister of Industry Minister.Industry@ic.gc.ca
Email the Prime Minister: pm@pm.gc.ca
Find and email your member of parliament.
In addition my two cents: Historically, things were MUCH better. Only a few years ago you could get unlimited data for about $20/mo from Fido. This is gone. It was also available via Hiptop, as mentioned above. The interesting thing is that as the 3 (or 2 depending on how you look at it) companies that control all of Canada’s wireless communications realized they had an oligopoly they raised prices. Even SMS is 15 cents/message, while everywhere else in the world it averages 5 cents/message. We pay three times as much here as well. Please write your MP as well as the others above and let’s see if we can change things.
Thomas, I suggest you put this up at the top of this thread, maybe as an update to the original post.
It’s easy to take action. So please do it. Here’s who you write to:
Email Maxime Bernier, Minister of Industry Minister.Industry@ic.gc.ca
Email the Prime Minister: pm@pm.gc.ca
Find and email your member of parliament.
In addition my two cents: Historically, things were MUCH better. Only a few years ago you could get unlimited data for about $20/mo from Fido. This is gone. It was also available via Hiptop, as mentioned above. The interesting thing is that as the 3 (or 2 depending on how you look at it) companies that control all of Canada’s wireless communications realized they had an oligopoly they raised prices. Even SMS is 15 cents/message, while everywhere else in the world it averages 5 cents/message. We pay three times as much here as well. Please write your MP as well as the others above and let’s see if we can change things.
It’s not just the cost, there is a big problem with the quality of the service too. When I got my current phone it was my first with direct internet access, so I pressed the browser button and waited. A minute later there was still no sign of anything appearing so I hit cancel. I then tried again an hour later and the same. Then at the end of the month when my bill came in it had two $5 charges for data transfer!! They did cancel those charges when I phoned up to ‘comment’ on the service but as others have said above, I now make sure to never even accidentally startup the browser on my phone.
It’s not just the cost, there is a big problem with the quality of the service too. When I got my current phone it was my first with direct internet access, so I pressed the browser button and waited. A minute later there was still no sign of anything appearing so I hit cancel. I then tried again an hour later and the same. Then at the end of the month when my bill came in it had two $5 charges for data transfer!! They did cancel those charges when I phoned up to ‘comment’ on the service but as others have said above, I now make sure to never even accidentally startup the browser on my phone.
raiseaglass, you are confused. Canada does have a small population, but it has the world’s most urbanized population as well. With coverage in 6 cities, you have 50% of the country.
The phone people here are as lazy as everyone else. I love the great schools and free medical care, but crap like this just drives me bonkers.
The solution, of course, is to end local ownership of Telcos. Get Verizon and Cingular and Deutsch in here and stuff will be fixed tout de suite.
It’s why I will forever drool over the iPhone. It’s just irrelevant here.
raiseaglass, you are confused. Canada does have a small population, but it has the world’s most urbanized population as well. With coverage in 6 cities, you have 50% of the country.
The phone people here are as lazy as everyone else. I love the great schools and free medical care, but crap like this just drives me bonkers.
The solution, of course, is to end local ownership of Telcos. Get Verizon and Cingular and Deutsch in here and stuff will be fixed tout de suite.
It’s why I will forever drool over the iPhone. It’s just irrelevant here.
Pingback: robhyndman.com » Blog Archive » Canadian Mobile Data Rates
Pingback: links for 2007-04-10 | The Last Minute Blog
Pingback: im addicted » Blog Archive » Wireless pricing trends are ruining my hopes and dreams
I’m not going to disagree with how much Canadian data service sucks. It sucks. I’m not going to use it.
However, comparing Canadian prices with Rwandan prices is a little disingenuous without taking cost of living into account. $74 is a lot of money in Rwanda.