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Rogers Joins Telus In Seeking National Regulation

Posted by Unknown on from the cheaper-to-buy-off-one-set-of-politicians dept.

silentbrad writes "Canada's largest mobile service provider is urging the federal telecom regulator to implement a mandatory national consumer protection code (PDF; actual filing with the CRTC) in order to defuse the threat posed by a growing hotchpotch of provincial regulations for wireless services. Rogers Communications Inc. submitted that proposal to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission in an application late Thursday. In doing so, Rogers becomes the second major carrier to ask the CRTC to resume active regulation of the terms and conditions for wireless service contracts, a practice it largely abandoned during the 1990s. Nonetheless, those regulatory powers, while latent, remain in the Telecommunications Act, meaning the CRTC can still exercise its authority over those matters."

9 of 53 comments (clear)

  1. Oooh by symbolset · · Score: 5, Insightful

    When groups of incumbent telecom providers gather together to protect consumers, it's usually to protect consumers from the distraction of non-incumbent providers striving to provide superior and less expensive service.

    --
    Help stamp out iliturcy.
    1. Re:Oooh by SeaFox · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Yup. They want a convenient one-stop-shop for all their politician-purchasing needs. Plus, it's more difficult to bribe local leaders who might personally be effected by the Telco's tyranny and have their own interest in seeing more competition.

    2. Re:Oooh by zill · · Score: 5, Informative

      They want a convenient one-stop-shop for all their politician-purchasing needs.

      "Purchasing" isn't exactly the right term here. The CRTC chairman was an Assistant Director at Bell and a President at Rogers. He's still technically working for Rogers and Bell, except at a fancier government office that's all.

  2. It's all about the contracts by canowhoopass.com · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Getting the cheap/free cellphone in Canada often involves signing up for long 3 year plan with huge penalties if you quit early.

    I'm not sure of all the provinces, but I know that both Quebec and Manitoba have new laws in place requiring better contract disclosure and limiting those penalties.

    I suspect that Rogers and Telus are afraid the other provinces will enact the same or stronger legislation.

    1. Re:It's all about the contracts by realityimpaired · · Score: 4, Informative

      Ontario has one up for debate with tri-party support in the legislature right now. While the specifics are different, the essentials are the same as the Manitoba law. One thing I'm particularly fond of is the changes to the early termination fees, which they're looking at turning into an extra charge on your monthly bill. Essentially like the Koodo Tab, only with it being a real charge on top of the monthly fees, so that when you're not on a contract, you pay less.

      Rogers probably realizes they can't win this one. In the long run, every province will go this way. What they probably want is for the CRTC to enact a national policy so that they don't get stuck with the administrative hassle that is having 12 separate contract fee and termination structures.

    2. Re:It's all about the contracts by CastrTroy · · Score: 3, Insightful

      If you live in a major city, there's always Wind, Mobilicity, or any of the other in-the-city providers. Their rates are amazing, especially if you use data. The downside is that their rates are only good if you're within the city limits. Many people I know think that's a big problem. But personally, for the few times a year I leave the city, I'm happy paying the roaming rates, or just not using my cell phone. If I was in the position where I had to use my phone a lot, like for a job, my employer would be covering the fees, and they can use whichever provider they want. But for personal use, I'd much rather stay away from RoBellus

      --

      Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
  3. Sounds delicious by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    A "hotchpotch" is a mutton stew. Do you mean a "hodgepodge"? :-)
    Lesson: Never edit when you're hungry :-)

  4. Re:Surprising. by Digital+Vomit · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You're missing the fact that the CRTC is a captured regulator.

    --
    Modern copyright is theft of culture from everyone and it retards the progress of the useful arts and sciences.
  5. Keep out competition by EmperorOfCanada · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I have zero doubt that this is a ploy to create a system where newcomers have to "respect" a regulatory regime that would make newcomers behave just like the incumbents.

    One of the things that the old players probably fear the most is newcomers doing "evil" things such as offering data at a low price without making the customer first sign up for a bunch of crap they don't want. Also I can see them somehow figuring out a ruleset that makes 3 year contracts a de-facto standard.

    In Atlantic Canada I am counting the days until I can dump Telus for one of the two new players coming this spring.