Frequent readers of this blog will be aware that I do my best to get both sides to any story I write about. The battle over the 700 MHz in particular and Canadian wireless policy in general is an example of that. I have my views on this issue, which is that there isn’t enough competition in the marketplace and that needs to change. But to balance things out, I reached out to both Rogers and Telus to get their perspectives. Rogers responded this morning and here’s what they had to say:
What’s the core issue that makes Rogers want to protest the rules that surround the spectrum auction?
We’re asking the government for a fair and level playing field. We welcome competition from any company, foreign or domestic, but believe the government’s wireless policy should not treat large foreign companies better than Canadian companies.
Current wireless policy was designed to assist small Canadian start-ups, not massive foreign companies. Under the current policy foreign carriers can buy twice as much prime spectrum as Canadian incumbents. The 700 MHz auction rules impose minimal rollout obligations on successful bidders, meaning new entrants, even huge transnational ones, would have no incentive to build beyond lucrative urban markets. This could discourage continued investment in rural and remote communities by forcing carriers to divert resources to urban markets just to stay competitive. Incumbents are also barred from purchasing Canadian upstarts that are looking for buyers- meaning they could be sold at significantly lower prices.
Does Verizon’s exit change anything?
We always have and we always will welcome competition. The Fair for Canada campaign was never about one particular carrier. Our ask of the government remains the same: a fair and level playing field that treats large foreign carriers the same as established Canadian carriers.
How would Rogers like to see the rules around the spectrum auction set up?
Specifically we’re asking the federal government to:
- Offer equal bidding rights in the 700 MHz auction – give Canadian carriers the same rights as large foreign incumbents
- Create an open environment – if a Canadian wireless player seeks a buyer, everyone should be able to bid
- Strengthen auction rollout requirements – ensure foreign carriers invest and build a national network in rural areas
How would Rogers like to see telecom policy in general take shape in Canada?
We share the government’s objective of an open, competitive market. We would like to see the government address the issues we’ve outlined above to create a fair and level playing field that promotes competition and a sustainable wireless industry in Canada. The government also has tools at their disposal to address any issue affecting consumers that the market isn’t correcting, i.e. through the Wireless Code.
The industry is not in the same place that we were 5 years ago. Collectively we’ve made a lot of important progress, prices have come down almost 20%, and we’ve improved network coverage and quality across the country. We’ve heard from our customers that we need to focus on addressing consumer pain points. We value that feedback and are working hard to improve customer experience.
Canadians perceive that they are not getting cell service at a fair price with good service. How do you think that came about and how do you change that perception?
As an industry we have not always focused on the consumer in the way that we should have. At Rogers, we are working hard to address customer pain points. We know that’s not something done overnight and we know we need to do a better job letting customers know we hear them and are working to address their concerns. We’ve made some important strides over the past several years, but acknowledge we still have work to do.
Any closing thoughts?
We believe that Canadians are more engaged than ever about the future of Canada’s wireless industry; this is a good thing for both consumers and carriers. It’s important that we have a constructive dialogue to move forward. We think the best solution for Canadians is an open, fair market.
I’d like to thank Rogers for taking the time to answer my questions. As soon as I get a response from Telus, I’ll get it online for you to read.
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This entry was posted on September 11, 2013 at 10:54 am and is filed under Commentary with tags Canada, Rogers, wireless. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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EXCLUSIVE: Rogers Talks To The IT Nerd About Canadian Wireless Policy
Frequent readers of this blog will be aware that I do my best to get both sides to any story I write about. The battle over the 700 MHz in particular and Canadian wireless policy in general is an example of that. I have my views on this issue, which is that there isn’t enough competition in the marketplace and that needs to change. But to balance things out, I reached out to both Rogers and Telus to get their perspectives. Rogers responded this morning and here’s what they had to say:
What’s the core issue that makes Rogers want to protest the rules that surround the spectrum auction?
We’re asking the government for a fair and level playing field. We welcome competition from any company, foreign or domestic, but believe the government’s wireless policy should not treat large foreign companies better than Canadian companies.
Current wireless policy was designed to assist small Canadian start-ups, not massive foreign companies. Under the current policy foreign carriers can buy twice as much prime spectrum as Canadian incumbents. The 700 MHz auction rules impose minimal rollout obligations on successful bidders, meaning new entrants, even huge transnational ones, would have no incentive to build beyond lucrative urban markets. This could discourage continued investment in rural and remote communities by forcing carriers to divert resources to urban markets just to stay competitive. Incumbents are also barred from purchasing Canadian upstarts that are looking for buyers- meaning they could be sold at significantly lower prices.
Does Verizon’s exit change anything?
We always have and we always will welcome competition. The Fair for Canada campaign was never about one particular carrier. Our ask of the government remains the same: a fair and level playing field that treats large foreign carriers the same as established Canadian carriers.
How would Rogers like to see the rules around the spectrum auction set up?
Specifically we’re asking the federal government to:
How would Rogers like to see telecom policy in general take shape in Canada?
We share the government’s objective of an open, competitive market. We would like to see the government address the issues we’ve outlined above to create a fair and level playing field that promotes competition and a sustainable wireless industry in Canada. The government also has tools at their disposal to address any issue affecting consumers that the market isn’t correcting, i.e. through the Wireless Code.
The industry is not in the same place that we were 5 years ago. Collectively we’ve made a lot of important progress, prices have come down almost 20%, and we’ve improved network coverage and quality across the country. We’ve heard from our customers that we need to focus on addressing consumer pain points. We value that feedback and are working hard to improve customer experience.
Canadians perceive that they are not getting cell service at a fair price with good service. How do you think that came about and how do you change that perception?
As an industry we have not always focused on the consumer in the way that we should have. At Rogers, we are working hard to address customer pain points. We know that’s not something done overnight and we know we need to do a better job letting customers know we hear them and are working to address their concerns. We’ve made some important strides over the past several years, but acknowledge we still have work to do.
Any closing thoughts?
We believe that Canadians are more engaged than ever about the future of Canada’s wireless industry; this is a good thing for both consumers and carriers. It’s important that we have a constructive dialogue to move forward. We think the best solution for Canadians is an open, fair market.
I’d like to thank Rogers for taking the time to answer my questions. As soon as I get a response from Telus, I’ll get it online for you to read.
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This entry was posted on September 11, 2013 at 10:54 am and is filed under Commentary with tags Canada, Rogers, wireless. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.