30/09/2009

Cell Phone Robber Barons


I see that Brad Wall's telecommunications company SaskTel is at it again. Canadians already pay some of the highest cellular telephone charges in the world and we were told by SaskTel this morning that rates are going up again. This time by about $8.00 a month.

This announcement which was on page D1 in the Regina Leader Post and which was ignored by most media, comes the day after SaskEnergy announced to much fanfare, a $5.00 monthly reduction in natural gas rates. So Saskatchewan residents' Crown Corporation costs come out as a net loss.

What is missing from even the minimal reporting this story got was a comparison of what Canadians pay for cell phone service as compared to other countries.

This summer we flew top the UK. We bought a cell phone from Cell Phone Warehouse in Edinburgh. One of our many choices along Princess Street. The phone, plus £10.00 worth of air time cost us $27.00 and change. We called Canada about 8 or 10 times and there is still a £6.00 credit on the phone and it hasn't cost us another cent.

Go figure.

I pay more than that every month and on a recent drive to Ontario and Quebec the service was so bad I wondered why I actually pay SaskTel anything.

It is kind of funny to read SaskTel President and CEO, Robert Watson's excuses. He claims all in all that Saskatchewan customers still get a good deal. I think not Robert. You are hosing consumers.

How do you spell robber baron Brad?

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