Not that this hasn't happened before in Canadian economic & political history, but I digress. Verizon, a notably powerful ISP, TV, and Phone provider in the U.S. has set its sights on Canada and the lesser ISPs/Phone providers found here. Two rumored acquittals would be Wind Mobile and Mobilicity. That is if the move actually does go through and Verizon actually bids on either and or both of those mentioned companies.
Canadians, of course, couldn't be happier. We're seeing responses to the rumored insertion of competition (sponsored by the Canadian Gov't) from the "Big 3"; Bell, Telus, and Rogers are now offering 2-year contracts similar to that which Verizon offers to its already existing, 100 million customers in the United States. That sounds great to Canadian consumers who pay on average 70 dollars a month for what should be a 30 dollar smart phone plan, considering the limitations imposed by these corporations.
Competition is necessary in the market and everything would be all well and good, if only the Federal Government didn't get involved. For the government to meddle in private affairs like this would set a bad precedent, where other companies would brazenly seek the same treatment should they want to increase their market power(s) or make their way into markets.
It's fine that these ridiculous "big three" companies are being faced with competition, but the Government getting involved personally sets off alarms. It's true that Bell, Rogers, and Telus fuck Canadians up the ass without lubricant or love with their ridiculously high prices and unreasonable limitations, but this is a market that should be handled by private industry.
A possible negative, as written by Jamie Sturgeon of Global News:
| | | "If it takes the same brand approach to Canada, it may look to lift rates here. That will require plenty of money, however, to beef up Wind’s network, which currently is far smaller and less robust than those of Rogers, and the other two large Canadian carriers.
More spectrum will be mandatory as well, if Verizon is to offer comparable mobile Internet services. Wind customers can probably kiss unlimited usage good-bye if the U.S. carrier tries to position itself as a superior service instead of a scrappy newcomer looking to cut customers a better deal than what the “big guys” offer. "("Verizon Wireless coming to Canada? What you need to know"; Jamie Sturgeon; Global News) |
Ottawa lifted a prohibition that kept foreign providers from entering the Canadian market last year, and while that's nothing to get upset or happy over, it does indicate that the government is meddling a bit more than they need to. There is fault to find in these companies which gouge the Canadian consumer, but there's fault to be found in the consumer as well.
Consumers don't speak with their wallets enough; they tend to gravitate towards the "big three" purely for name recognition or because they actually believe the deceptive marketing shown to them. They seem to think that getting "deals", as the "big three" routinely offer, means they aren't getting the shaft when in actuality they are, given that there are always catches to such so-called 'boons'. Many consumers seem to think its more productive and significant to complain about the service(s) they pay massive amounts for rather than denying these companies the money they manage to get in droves in the first place.
This country has numerous smaller competitors, like Wind Mobile & Mobilicity as mentioned before, but Canadians for reasons I've stated, and reasons unknown, don't show the love that these smaller, more reasonable companies deserve. They don't give enough business to smaller companies to promote the drive in larger companies to lower prices and offer more reasonable rates/plans. So yes, I partially blame the consumer for the conundrum many of us find ourselves in when scouring the market for smart phone plans to sign up to. You have to tell the companies what route to take not by bitching about it to your friends or social networks, but depriving them of your business. Do it enough, in movements hopefully, and you succeed in influencing competition.
But the government getting involved should strike anyone as a precedent that would open up chances for unfair competition, rather than what little remains of the fair one we still have now. That aside from the control over the fucking CRTC that the "big three" enjoy, which helps them maintain the status quo. For fuck's sake. Come on in, Verizon, but Stephen Harper, keep your hands off this case. Let them do this on their volition, not because you really, for whatever reason, want more competition in the Canadian market for phones.
Pancakes.
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