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I doubt anyone who has ever had to deal with one of the big 3 in Canada (Rogers, Telus, or Bell) would argue against this point. Canadians really need to push f

I doubt anyone who has ever had to deal with one of the big 3 in Canada (Rogers, Telus, or Bell) would argue against this point. Canadians really need to push for an open system that allows foreign competition to enter the marketplace. Until we do, the status quo is simply going to continue to press the advantage they have at the expense of the Canadian consumers.

JonLim 15y ago
I would love to have an idea of what we CAN do. This is the one thing in my life where I can't vote with my wallet. I only really have three viable choices for wireless right now: Rogers, Bell, and Telus.
- mmphosis 15y ago
  I would propose opening up your wireless network, adding to the mesh, and creating more networks. Build out as much fiber and cable locally, close to home. Link up your community with like minded individuals seeking another choice for internet. With enough big community networks in place, there is no need to pay big phone/cable corporations.
- mladenkovacevic 15y ago
  Have you tried one of the small guys struggling to compete against the big 3? Mobilicity, Wind or Public Mobile. I am with Mobilicity and pay $35 for unlimited everything (one of the amzing early plans they had.. you can still get he same for $40 or so) and that includes data, global text messaging and North American long distance.A couple of caveats are that plans are metro-area limited so if you go out of any of their zones (Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, Calgary...) you are roaming at about 25 cents per minute and if you need fast data forget it (highest I get is about 3Mbit/s). Some changes are coming though so all of us with the little carriers are kinda unsure what's going to happen - Mobilicity's CEO was just fired, CRTC declared that the small guys have to bid for the same LTE spectrum along with the big 3 (which is what the main Wind investor in the article above is complaining about).
  - JonLim 15y ago
    I really wanted to go with Wind when they came out, but none of the new providers would let me use an iPhone on their system, which meant that they were instantly out of the running. Sounds silly I know, but I want to keep using the phone I'm using.
ataggart 15y ago
The problem is so many of those inclined to oppose the government-protected big 3 cartel are also the same sort who think the solution to every problem is a government monopoly. Any push for change would not move to a more open system, but would at most replace it with a Crown Corporation.

JonLim 15y ago

I would love to have an idea of what we CAN do. This is the one thing in my life where I can't vote with my wallet. I only really have three viable choices for wireless right now: Rogers, Bell, and Telus.

mmphosis 15y ago
I would propose opening up your wireless network, adding to the mesh, and creating more networks. Build out as much fiber and cable locally, close to home. Link up your community with like minded individuals seeking another choice for internet. With enough big community networks in place, there is no need to pay big phone/cable corporations.
mladenkovacevic 15y ago
Have you tried one of the small guys struggling to compete against the big 3? Mobilicity, Wind or Public Mobile. I am with Mobilicity and pay $35 for unlimited everything (one of the amzing early plans they had.. you can still get he same for $40 or so) and that includes data, global text messaging and North American long distance.A couple of caveats are that plans are metro-area limited so if you go out of any of their zones (Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, Calgary...) you are roaming at about 25 cents per minute and if you need fast data forget it (highest I get is about 3Mbit/s). Some changes are coming though so all of us with the little carriers are kinda unsure what's going to happen - Mobilicity's CEO was just fired, CRTC declared that the small guys have to bid for the same LTE spectrum along with the big 3 (which is what the main Wind investor in the article above is complaining about).
- JonLim 15y ago
  I really wanted to go with Wind when they came out, but none of the new providers would let me use an iPhone on their system, which meant that they were instantly out of the running. Sounds silly I know, but I want to keep using the phone I'm using.

ataggart 15y ago

The problem is so many of those inclined to oppose the government-protected big 3 cartel are also the same sort who think the solution to every problem is a government monopoly. Any push for change would not move to a more open system, but would at most replace it with a Crown Corporation.