Canadian spectrum auction closed, there was a sense that the mobile paradigm in the country would shift. Once dominated by three carriers which called their own shots, the spectrum auction required a certain number of new entrants. A few potential nationwide networks emerged from it, and they could work to bring down the restrictive practices in the Canadian wireless market. That’s the subject of a story on CBC. We could see a better pricing scheme by next year, given the new competition. I was personally thrown by the line “Friends don’t let friends sign wireless contracts.” Here was innocent lil me thinking that these carriers might bring a prepaid revolution to Canada. Instead, the quote finished, ” — at least for a year or so.” Crushed. So the new carriers are going the postpaid route. So what’s the big deal? Apparently, the country is set to see an infusion of $40 unlimited talk and text plans once service rolls out from carriers like Public Mobile and Globalive. So the new plan isn’t to drive customers to prepaid. Rather, it’s to drive them off landlines. Worst of all, there was no mention of reducing contract terms to two years, down from the ridiculous three years we see in Canada today. Some consumers might find $40 unlimited talk/text plans liberating — though there will certainly be restrictions on those plans. However, it would have been nice to see a bit of attention to prepaid in a country which employs three year terms for standard cell contracts.]]>
Posted in Canadian Wireless