Blogs

Readers of the Globe & Mail recently expressed their views on the state of Canada's wireless industry and the upcoming publication of the CRTC Code of Conduct for wireless companies.

Highlights include: 71.3% of readers are very dissatisfied with the cost of wireless plans, with nearly 80% wanting the CRTC to actively regulate the cost of plans. 78% are dissatisfied with the clarity of their wireless contracts and only 13.2% of readers expect the Code of Conduct to be 'very effective'.

Canadians are clearly demanding greater affordability and choice in our wireless market. Our voices are stronger when we stand together - send a clear message by signing our petition at http://DemandChoice.ca

See the results of the survey by The Global and Mail: http://ow.ly/l40j4 Read more »

He may be home, Canada’s favourite astronaut is not free and clear. Chris Hadfield’s 5 month phone bill is a whopping $1.37 million! Better pay better attention to your contract, Chris. How could you miss the clearly defined section on outer-space data usage and roaming fees?

Just kidding. Chris wasn’t saddled with the bill; at least, not this time. Don’t forget to Demand Choice for our cell phone market at http://demandchoice.ca/

Article by Alexander Huntley for the Beaverton:

KAZAKHSTAN – After five months in space, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield was shocked to discover his cell phone provider has charged him well over a million dollars for data usage and roaming charges while he was in space. Read more »

The federal government may be the biggest risk to Canadians' privacy as "some government departments have suffered breaches virtually every 48 hours."

The government continually pushes for more of our private data, yet history shows it as a great deal of troubling protecting it. We deserve better. Call for a pro-privacy commitment now: http://openmedia.ca/stand

Article by Michael Geist for the Toronto Star:

As Canadians focused last week on the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing and the RCMP arrests of two men accused of plotting to attack Via Rail, the largest sustained series of privacy breaches in Canadian history was uncovered but attracted only limited attention. Canadians have faced high profile data breaches in the past – Winners/HomeSense and the CIBC were both at the centre of serious breaches several years ago – but last week, the federal government revealed that it may represent the biggest risk to the privacy of millions of Canadians as some government departments have suffered breaches virtually every 48 hours. Read more »

This week, comments from Stephen Harper about police powers for investigating online crimes have privacy advocates worried that the government might exploit Canadians’ fears around cyberbullying to reboot its failed online spying program. Using language pulled directly from bill C-30 talking points, Harper noted that law enforcement encounters difficulties because “investigative tools for our police officers have not kept pace with the Internet age. That must change.” This is in spite of the fact that law enforcement has to date failed to provide factual evidence that the current framework is ineffective.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen sensitive issues used to justify an inappropriate response; in a failed attempt at positive spin the bill itself was renamed the “Protecting Children from Internet Predators Act.” In a much worse PR blunder, Safety Minister Vic Toews incited uproar from Canadians when he suggested that citizens and privacy commissioners who voiced concerns over the invasiveness of the bill were aligning themselves with criminals. Read more »

Telus are refusing to comment on reports that it is in talks to acquire independent provider Mobilicity.

This would mean that the already dismal state of competition in our cell phone market would be reduced yet further - meaning higher prices and less choice for consumers.

Canadians have made it very clear that we want more choice, not less - stand up for choice at http://DemandChoice.ca

For more info: http://bit.ly/11mJNVD Read more »