HorrorStory-Halloween_PriceGouging.jpg October 31, 2012 – OpenMedia.ca knows that Canadians find their cell phone providers ghoulish; now the grassroots group is trying to determine which type of cell phone horror haunts our nation the most. Is it long-term contracts with terrifying termination fees? Ghastly customer service? Or is it blood-sucking, price-gouging
Continue readingTag: Cell Phone Squeeze
OpenMedia.ca: Epoch Times: Wireless complaints are on the rise
In a report released last week, Canada’s cell phone services received the notable dishonour of having the most complaints out of any telecommunications service. It’s time for these concerns with our broken telecom market to be addressed by the CRTC. Share your story through our online tool CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca and let’s
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: The Globe and Mail: CRTC chief aims to gain the trust of Canadians
In the wake of Canadians speaking out to StopTheTakeover.ca, CRTC chairman Jean-Pierre Blais is emphasizing the importance of earning Canadians’ trust and input in future decision-making. Let’s ensure that this pledge to serving the public interest stands. Show the CRTC that Canadians are stuck in an unfair and expensive cell
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: A Win: Weekly News Update from OpenMedia.ca
Hello, Here’s Lindsey with your update: read more
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Get fired up and share your story
The CRTC decision on stopping Bell’s takeover has shown that Canadians are being heard. Now let’s continue to push forward in fixing our broken telecom market. Share your horror story at CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca and show the CRTC that Canadians are stuck in an unfair and expensive cell phone market. read more
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Cell Phone Horror: Weekly News Update from OpenMedia.ca
Hello, Here’s Lindsey with your update: read more
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Globe and Mail: Online campaign takes on ‘telecom price-gouging’
Last week, the CRTC put forth a call for public comments to help shape the future of Canada’s wireless market. This week, we’re launching a new campaign to ensure that Canadian voices are heard loud and clear. With your support in speaking out, we’re already gaining traction in media outlets
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Canadians invited to tell their cell phone horror stories, as CRTC considers new protections
HorrorStory_100x100-2_121016.jpg Public interest group asks citizens to show the human side of a broken cell phone market October 17, 2012 – In response to the CRTC’s recent call for citizen comments about national standards to protect cell phone users, grassroots group OpenMedia.ca is calling on Canadians for their cell phone
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Cell Phone Horror Stories
Have you ever been overcharged, put on hold for an unconscionable amount of time, or otherwise treated unfairly by a cell phone company? …That means you have a cell phone horror story. Tell us what happened at http://CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca, and we’ll use it to push for new rules ensuring cell phone
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: The Georgia Straight: CRTC eyes new wireless rules, asks Canadians to help
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has announced they will hold a public hearing and consultation to create measures that will protect cell phone users. We’re making headway in fixing our broken telecom market thanks to your support of our StopTheSqueeze.ca campaign and our crowdsourced Action Plan. Read more
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: OpenMedia.ca pleased with CRTC plans to protect Canadian cell phone users
openmedia_logo.jpg Grassroots group lauds announcement of public consultation for national rules for wireless October 11, 2012 – Today, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced today they will hold a public hearing to develop measures to protect cell phone users. Grassroots group OpenMedia.ca is welcomes this consultation, noting that
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Online Services are great for Canadians, but threaten Big Telecom
Big telecom companies are feeling the squeeze as online services are offering Canadians alternative, cheaper ways to communicate and get access to diverse media content. These include video services like YouTube, AppleTV, and Netflix, and Internet-based social messaging services. These services provide an easily customizable and far more affordable alternative
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Georgia Straight: Competition Bureau slams Big Telecom for misleading Canadians about texting
We all know that telecom price-gouging is out of control in Canada. Big Telecom will do anything in its power to squeeze more from our wallets if they can get away with it – but this time, they’ve been caught. Don’t let Big Telecom get even bigger. Right now, the
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Postmedia: Rogers seeks court approval to lie to Canadians
Today Rogers is butting heads with the Competition Bureau in the Ontario Superior Court. This big telecom company is seeking court approval to lie to Canadians in their advertising. This after Rogers was called out for making false claims in their ads. Pro-Internet community member Brian Kno—who shared this on
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Financial Post – Canada’s telecom giants face $18-billion class action suit over system access fees
An $18-billion class-action suit has received the go-ahead to proceed against Canada’s Big Telecom companies. What’s the contested litigation? The long-imposed – but often vague – system access fees. Late last month, The Supreme Court of Canada rejected an appeal issued by Bell, Rogers and Telus (among others) that argued
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: The Globe and Mail: Bell seeks to use $40M of tangible public benefits to fund Northern expansion
Big Telecom company Bell wants to use public benefit funds to bankroll its expansion into Northern Canada. “For Bell Canada and its subsidiary to propose this to the CRTC is shameful. The funds related to the Astral acquisition are supposed to be used for the public good – not to
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Globe and Mail: Competition Breaks Up Big Telecom Monopoly in Canada’s North
People in rural areas in Canada sometimes face some of the worst telecom service in the world. But as this article illustrates we’re beginning to break the stranglehold of big telecom in these areas too. The CRTC decided in December to open up Canada’s North to telecom competition, meaning that
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: CBC Market Place: Rogers raises fees at will, despite contract
Canadians pay some of the highest cell phone fees in the industrialized world, and we’re often left to fend for ourselves when Big Telecom is suspected of wrongdoing. As the economy still struggles and the outrageous cost of online spying looms, we simply can’t afford this any more. read more
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: CBC: Koodo allows mentally disabled youth to incur $8000 in "premium" text fees
This video provides a great example of why we need strong, citizen-centric rules to protect cell phone users (including people with disabilities). read more
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Moneyville: Bell getting hit with class-action lawsuit
It looks like big telecom company Bell is about to see some punishment for unfair practices around cell phone contracts. Canadians—led by some Ontario lawyers—are launching a $100-million class action lawsuit, arguing that Bell is on the wrong side of Ontario’s Consumer Protection Act. This is an important demonstration of
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