The Globe and Mail reports on Rogers Communications strong performance fueled by high data pricing in Canada.
Rogers Results Underscore “Absence of Price Wars”
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[ link ] eloquently demonstrates the destructive impact of not providing affordable wholesale pricing, whether in the U.S., or another country. As reports like this begin to surface, the red herring issues corporations spew to continue obscene profits at the expense of the public will be replaced with the real issues we are facing.
Legalized Mafia
In order to not have any contract I choose to use my cell phone with a card. In Europe this is the only choice you have. You buy a card (SIM) with a telephone number then you charge it from wherever you want (from a lottery boot, from a bank teller, from Internet, from everywhere). Cards do not expire and they work until they are out of money (and you still can receive calls since who pays is the caller). In Canada cards expire and basically if you still have $20 and forget to charge the phone those $20 dollars are gone. I always forget and phone complaining that they are basically stealing my money. “I want just to buy $20 dollar of phone usage like I can do in Europe, what is this crap about cards that expire?”. They always tell me “You are not in Europe, sir”. The last time I phoned to “customer service” they have told me “customer service is not our first priority right now”. I call this legalized mafia.
Miguel
Legalized Mafia: there are carriers who have longer expiration times for their pay-as-you-go rates. Though they still expire.
7-11’s Speakout Wireless uses SIM cards, the full Rogers network, and has time expires after 1 year. I think Virgin also has a deal with a long expiration, as does President’s Choice Wireless.
Vote with your money. If you don’t like Rogers, don’t use them.
Legalized Mafia: Even on Rogers, the $100 card lasts for a whole year. When I first started with them (back in the $0.25 per minute on the anytime PAYG plan, now $0.40) you could buy a $50 card which lasted 6 months. But your point on loss of the money is valid. My wife doesn’t use her phone very often, so the available money on it builds up. I once forgot to recharge it and lost over $100 of credit (hmmm more profit).
I had a look at the 7-11 plan that Miguel speaks of. The rates are good, no international roaming.