« Slamming Canadian Telecom: Canada's Second Favourite Pastime »

We are a whiney bunch. Full stop.

If it’s not the weather, how rotten our sports teams are or how miserable our government is, we’re bashing the hell out of any and all Canadian telecommunications companies for their crimes, real or imagined.

It’s so very ingrained in us, I’m not even sure Canadian consumers know exactly why they’re whining and complaining any more. It’s just a habit now.

• If you were in London, UK, you’d be paying ~$60/month for average broadband internet. (40 Gb of data transfer and up to 20 Mbps of download speed)
• If you have an unlimited cell phone plan in France, that’s going to cost you $135/month, and that doesn’t include a data plan.
• If you’re in the US, and want to go with Verizon, you’re going to pay $115/month for 900 minutes of talk time, unlimited texting and a data plan.

All these prices have been converted to Canadian dollars.

You want to gripe about choices and competitive options?

Almost anywhere in Canada, you have upwards of 6 or more choices on who you’d like to have take care of your communications services. Big guys, small guys, and middle size guys are in the communications business.

Wireless carriers in the US? AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint and and a handful of others. The trick is that they may not all be national, and a few of them I’d never heard of before. The other popular trick —- smaller guys launching a wireless service that’s overlayed on top of one of the BIG 2. Optical illusions :-D

I’ve been with 3 different wireless carriers, never had a billing problem yet.

Same for Internet Service Providers and TV service providers. Sure, the odd call into customer service, swap out a PVR because it’s gone wonky. Bing, bang, boom. Problem solved.

We are a very hard bunch to satisfy. We’re demanding, mean, threatening and fickle. Maybe we should be fired as customers instead?

Comments

[Zoltan]

I work in telecommunications, and when it comes to cell service, we have a lot to complain about when it comes to cell service for average usage plans. I have not been to another country that charges for incoming texts. We are third last in cellphone adoption because our prices are so high.

I don't have unlimited data or voice, but I don't need it either. In every country I've been in the last few years, be it Dubai, the UK, Japan, the Republic or Ireland ... my plan would be way cheaper. I used to believe in the 51 percent Canadian ownership rules, but if this is how Canadian companies are going to behave, I say abolish it so that we can get more competition in here!

[Johnny B]

Jules is completely wrong about UK prices, I lived in London for several years, still have accounts going there:

I pay $22 a month for cellphone service including 500 outgoing minutes, unlimited calls and unlimited local texts
I pay $16 a month for broadband with SKY with no extra charges (unlimited) and $8 a month for unlimited long distance to most of the world.
The BT phone line costs $20 a month, it's a bit cheaper with SKY

Overall, UK telcom prices are way lower than in Canada, no doubt about it...

[Shawn E]

Whatever area it may be, when someone complains about something, someone will no doubt say 'well it could be worse' and cite some examples.
Well I say 'It could be better!'

We should strive to be the best, not just better than some, or middle of the pack.
This is not a glass half full/empty argument.
We should always demand world class in everything and accept nothing less.
Otherwise you will always be mediocre.