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nuvistors · ‎07-24-2013

Canada doesn’t need a fourth wireless carrier, according to Rogers CEO Nadir Mohamed.

Big U.S. carriers like Verizon shouldn’t be allowed to buy new, struggling Canadian wireless companies at discount prices while the big domestic carriers are barred from the same opportunity, the CEO of Rogers Communications says.

Rogers welcomes competition but wants a level playing field, chief executive officer Nadir Mohamed told analysts after the Toronto-based wireless, cable and media company (TSX:RCI.B) released its second-quarter financial results.

“What we’re absolutely against is a tilted or stacked playing field where you have a massive incumbent U.S. carrier that would be given favourable treatment, and frankly better treatment than Canadian incumbents,” Mohamed said Wednesday.

There have been reports that Verizon wants to enter the Canadian market and is planning to buy new carrier Wind Mobile while also in talks with Mobilicity — two of the new generation of wireless carriers competing with Rogers, Bell and Telus.

The federal government blocked major carrier Telus (TSX:T) from buying Mobilicity since the smaller company’s spectrum licence doesn’t expire until 2014.

The industry minister at the time, Christian Paradis, made it clear in June that the federal government wants to increase competition in the wireless market and aims to create the conditions necessary to have a fourth national carrier

http://www.thestar.com/business/2013/07/24/canada_doesnt_need_fourth_wireless_carrier_rogers_ceo_nad...

art-in-the-making · ‎07-24-2013

A small telecom co. should not exist solely as a stepping stone to selling out to a multinational megacorporation.

Perhaps regulators should look at other means of enabling small carriers to be viable players.

i.e. - maybe give any company the right to a lower licence rate for one smaller geographic area?

marnotom! · ‎07-26-2013

What I find interesting in all this is that an earlier incarnation of Verizon (Northwest Tel and later GTE) used to have slightly more than 50% ownership of BC Tel, which later merged with Telus. Sometime thereafter, Verizon divested its interests in Telus.

But I do have to somewhat agree with The Big Three in that Verizon seems to be trying to take advantage of regulations that were intended to make small players with small pockets--not small players with deep pockets--more competitive.

Having said that, more choice would be nice says he getting fed up with how contract renegotiations with his current carrier are going...

pierrelebel · ‎07-26-2013

Worth taking a look:

http://www.thestar.com/business/2013/07/26/rogers_accuses_ottawa_of_courting_us_wireless_giant_veriz...

"Ottawa has aggressively courted Verizon in an effort to lure the U.S. wireless giant north as it “fixates” on establishing a fourth national provider to spur competition, executives with Rogers Communications Inc. (RCI) said Thursday."

Ottawa = the current Canadian federal government

also:

https://businessincanada.com/2013/07/24/chart-of-the-day-verizon-dwarfs-the-big-three-canadian-telec...

marnotom! · ‎07-26-2013

Thanks for that, Pierre.

I found the second article of particular interest, and for some reason this is reminding me of the "good old days" when we had Air Canada, CP Air and Wardair for choices. Now we're down to one national airline (although admittedly WestJet is pretty close to one).

I can see that the feds' desire for "increased competition" may accomplish the opposite.

2011limey1 · ‎07-28-2013

marnotom! .....What a blast from the past.....WARDAIR - now THAT was some kind of airline. Funny, that name came up the other day when I telling someone how great it was. Tee Hee.....so long ago so obviously no restrictions. I remember a few times taking the "party plane" to the U.K. Being invited, with others into the cockpit to chat with the pilot. Free drinks and food the whole way there. Want to change seats to sit next to someone who looks interesting? no problemo. It was like speed dating!! and SO cheap!

Ahh memories!!!