Reduction of the costs of wireless services: Canadians invited to speak

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QMI agency

Thursday, 22 march, 2018 18:23

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Thursday, 22 march, 2018 18:23

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OTTAWA | prices of data plans in the country remain high, and the Council of radio-television and telecommunications commission (CRTC) has the firm intention to make it more affordable.

In this regard, a consultation has just been set in motion by the CRTC believes that if such plans were more prevalent, Canadians would then have a greater choice in terms of “mobile wireless services, innovative and affordable”.

This consultation was “to determine the precise characteristics of the data-only plans at a lower cost. The CRTC is also seeking comments on the specific rules that should be established, where appropriate, to ensure that these packages are accessible to the greatest number of Canadians possible,” said the organization on Thursday.

The three major national providers – Telus, Bell and Rogers – are invited to submit proposals for packages of data, “only at lower cost”, and this, by 23 April. The public will then be able to make comments.

Before his departure, the ex-chairman Jean-Pierre Blais had indicated that if the situation does not change, the CRTC would intervene to increase competition in the wireless sector. He had flayed the cell phone companies and did not exclude the possibility that the regulatory agency could reduce the costs, raise the ceilings for the use of data and foster innovation.

On Thursday, the new boss has insisted on the need to have a greater choice of wireless services. “Today’s decision will see the introduction of data-only plans at a lower cost across Canada in addition to final rates reduced for the roaming service wholesale”, said Ian Scott, president and chief executive officer of the CRTC.

Roaming wholesale

On this last question, the CRTC has just ruled on the question of the rates that Bell Mobility, Rogers and Telus will charge for the smaller wireless carriers for their roaming services on a wholesale basis. The organization considered that the level of competition between the three giants of telecom was insufficient.

The Council maintains that “these final rates will facilitate sustainable competition within the wireless services market, which will benefit Canadians while maintaining investments in high quality networks”.

The Trudeau government welcomed this decision, an “additional step that will result in a reduction of roaming tariffs for wholesale approved, which will vary between 44% and 99%”, a-t-you know.

“The decision taken by the CRTC today is a step in the right direction, but there is still more to do”, stressed the minister of Innovation, Science and economic Development, Navdeep Bains.