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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Hi Evan,<br>
<br>
In 2007, ISOC Quebec supported (with ISOC Global) the Connect
Quebec start up with seed money (Un Quebec Branché sur le Monde,
in French) and is still supporting it by providing expertise and
lateral funding (ex.: training). UQBM is active in regions where
Telcos, as you know, are in an oligopoly market. They are not very
proactive in lowering the cost of the service, nor the quality of
the infrastructure. Following their business plan, they target
mobile services for which you have to sign up a 3 years contract
(until next December at least).<br>
<br>
I like to think that Verizon will play in the same ballpark
occupied by the Big 3, and will battle to acquire a part of the
market where money is available: in metro areas. In one way, it
could generate some competition. In Quebec, the real competition
came frome Quebecor.<br>
<br>
I like the idea that competition would be better served from
inside. Not that I don't like Verizon, but I can't think of anyone
else than small, local, innovative and well-grounded SME to help
improove the market..<br>
<br>
ISOC Quebec has also been involved in the Digital Plan that the
Quebec Government would like to launch in a near future. It's
still a work i progress.<br>
<br>
I like the idea 'Think Global, Act Local', but one of the issues
is the CRTC's consultations and deliberations. Is ISOC Canada
willing to support us on that? The answer is probably who and how
and when!<br>
<br>
<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">Louis Houle
Président
La Société Internet du Québec (ISOC Québec)
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:Louis.Houle@isocquebec.org">Louis.Houle@isocquebec.org</a></pre>
Le 2013-07-30 15:29, Evan Leibovitch a écrit :<br>
</div>
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAMguqh3V6=Jk+NHimRSkjozNunVOiASScOLtbNr1ZU4nJxyXpw@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">Hello everyone,
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I come here asking for advice.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>As you may know, the Canada Chapter is one of the newest,
and we are still surveying our membership and finding who is
interested in what issues.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Recently, some local events have happened that caught my
attention:</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Canada has some of the highest mobile costs in the world,
and the field is essentially controlled by a three-company
oligopoly of Canadian-owned forms (Bell, Rogers, Telus) which
have identical plans. When one changes its plans, up or down,
the other two follow suit. The only competition between them
appears to be in the selection of phones they each support.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>A few years ago some upstart newcomers came on the scene,
trying to inject some competition. Based on aggressive (and
some would say predatory) focused attacks by the Big Three,
they have foundered, losing money, and been for sale.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>The recent news is that US giant Verisign (45% owned by
Vodaphone) is making noises about buying the upstarts and
bidding on spectrum.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>At one level this is a very high-visibility issue. The Big
Three have been relentless in the media telling us that
Armageddon will happen should Verizon be let into Canada,
Nobody seems to be speaking up in favour of greater
competition.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>(Now, I have no great faith that Verizon has the interests
of Canadians in mind in its expansion, and it has vcertainly
engaged in its share of bully tactics in its home market in
the US. But I personally believe that competiton certainly can
hurt and has the potential for positive change. (Certainly
Verizon is in no mood to collude with the Big Three given the
campaigning they've done against it, at least in the short
term).</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>This is ultimately a regulatory issue, for a change in
ownership such as this would require approval of the
appropriate communications regulator, in Canada's case the
CRTC. It will also affect future allocations of mobile radio
frequencies.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>What I would like to know is:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Is this (the subject of telco/ISP competition/collusion)
something ISOC or chapters have addressed at a policy
basis before?<br>
</li>
<li>Have any other chapters engaged in "consumer" type
issues like this? Or is it considered out of bounds, even
if it's anout telcos and ISPs?<br>
</li>
<li>What are the benefits risks in a public campaign
favouring of more competition?</li>
<li>Is Verizon sufficiently evil in its current activity to
prevent supporting it in Canada?<br>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.<br clear="all">
<div><br>
</div>
-- <br>
<div style="text-align:center">
<div style="text-align:left">Evan Leibovitch</div>
<div style="text-align:left">Toronto Canada</div>
</div>
<blockquote style="margin:0 0 0 40px;border:none;padding:0px">
<div style="text-align:center">
<div style="text-align:left">Em: evan at telly dot org</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align:center">
<div style="text-align:left">Sk: evanleibovitch</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align:center">
<div style="text-align:left">Tw: el56</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
<br>
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