Rogers Joins Telus In Seeking National Regulation

silentbrad writes "Canada's largest mobile service provider is urging the federal telecom regulator to implement a mandatory national consumer protection code (PDF; actual filing with the CRTC) in order to defuse the threat posed by a growing hotchpotch of provincial regulations for wireless services. Rogers Communications Inc. submitted that proposal to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission in an application late Thursday. In doing so, Rogers becomes the second major carrier to ask the CRTC to resume active regulation of the terms and conditions for wireless service contracts, a practice it largely abandoned during the 1990s. Nonetheless, those regulatory powers, while latent, remain in the Telecommunications Act, meaning the CRTC can still exercise its authority over those matters."

Oooh

[symbolset]

When groups of incumbent telecom providers gather together to protect consumers, it's usually to protect consumers from the distraction of non-incumbent providers striving to provide superior and less expensive service.

Re:Oooh

[SeaFox]

Yup. They want a convenient one-stop-shop for all their politician-purchasing needs. Plus, it's more difficult to bribe local leaders who might personally be effected by the Telco's tyranny and have their own interest in seeing more competition.

Re:Surprising.

[Digital Vomit]

You're missing the fact that the CRTC is a captured regulator [wikipedia.org].

Re:It's all about the contracts

[CastrTroy]

If you live in a major city, there's always Wind, Mobilicity, or any of the other in-the-city providers. Their rates are amazing, especially if you use data. The downside is that their rates are only good if you're within the city limits. Many people I know think that's a big problem. But personally, for the few times a year I leave the city, I'm happy paying the roaming rates, or just not using my cell phone. If I was in the position where I had to use my phone a lot, like for a job, my employer would be covering the fees, and they can use whichever provider they want. But for personal use, I'd much rather stay away from RoBellus

Re:Surprising.

[Desler]

Having a flatter and more distributed government that is more "local" than "federal" means that corruption is much more expensive to achieve than it is with a large federal bureaucratic government. Also, with less (not none. Less.) regulation generally, there is less market distortion and the bar to entry is significantly lower. This enables more competition and everyone benefits.

That's a cute theory but unfortunately the historical evidence from the mid 19th century to the early 20th century shows it's bunk.

Keep out competition

[EmperorOfCanada]

I have zero doubt that this is a ploy to create a system where newcomers have to "respect" a regulatory regime that would make newcomers behave just like the incumbents.

One of the things that the old players probably fear the most is newcomers doing "evil" things such as offering data at a low price without making the customer first sign up for a bunch of crap they don't want. Also I can see them somehow figuring out a ruleset that makes 3 year contracts a de-facto standard.

In Atlantic Canada I am counting the days until I can dump Telus for one of the two new players coming this spring.