In India, in 2000, the 1min voice, cost about 6/7 Rs.(for both incoming and outgoing)
Today, incoming is free on all carriers from anywhere in the world, outgoing costs about 10-20 paise (India’s eq of cents).

I had an unlimited voice and data access plan for around $40 a month. I could use video, voice and browse the internet, and here it costs me $40 just to get incoming free (local only).

Sad to see, that a country like Canada, with all its resources (economic and social) is not outraged by this daylight robbery initiated and maintained for the interest of the few. People are held hostage to a mobile service here (3 years agreements anyone?), essentially robbing people of any cost benefits associated with connecting you to the network over 3 years. It’s about time that we recognise that some services like cellular services, water, food are essential goods and there should a cap on the amount of profitability allowed on these items.

I moved to Ottawa from the States five years ago. When I went looking for a new mobile provider for my wife and me I was literally mortified at the state of the Canadian market. In 2003 I had more minutes than I could really use, nationwide roaming, no long distance, free voice mail, etc, etc - all of this at a very reasonable price point.

Five years later you would think that the Canadian market would have caught up. Not a chance. Personally, I haven’t seen any changes of any significance at all.

By nature, I’m a pretty laid back guy, but, man, do I get worked up about this stuff. Worker productivity relative to the U.S. and other advanced economies is a source of ongoing concern for our economists and politicians. I would argue that the wireless oligopoly that exists here does as much to stifle economic progress as our immigration policies. As we commit further to a service/knowledge economy to hedge our dependence on resource industries, broadband access is going to become a critically important factor. And, as is evident throughout your blog, that access is going to become increasingly mobile.

How will it effect the survival of start-up firms here in Ottawa that are already struggling to find appropriate capital sources when you are spending over $2000 per employee per year for mobile data/communications when your competition in the U.S. has access to the same (and better) at less than half the cost?

If foreign ownership has no limitations when it comes to extracting profit from our natural resources, does it make sense that it is limited in the delivery of data/communications?

It’s time to open up our wireless carrier market to all comers. The incumbents have proven that they are unable or unwilling to provide innovation and service at reasonable prices.

Sorry, got carried away! Thanks for the post, and please keep shining the spotlight of reason on this nonsense.