The U.S. Federal Communications Commission and “net neutrality.”
Policies aimed at increasing the number of players in the wireless sector.
The Canadian government and the CRTC have adopted various policies over the past decade aimed at increasing the number of players in the wireless sector. Although such policies have had several negative consequences, there is today a well-established fourth wireless provider, owning its own infrastructure, in almost all regions of the country. Ottawa now wants to push this interventionist logic even further by favouring resellers (called Mobile Virtual Network Operators, or MVNOs, in telecom jargon). Would such a policy bring more competition to the telecommunications industry and the intended benefits to consumers?
Ottawa must not hold back the 4th industrial revolution.
The advent of the Internet of Things (IoT), which will soon revolutionize every aspect of our economy and our lives, will force Ottawa to reconsider its telecommunications priorities and policies, argues the 2017 edition of The State of Competition in Canada’s Telecommunications Industry, published by the MEI.
Discount wireless services providers and their use of the Big Three’ wireless network.
February 15, 2017 | 16 min. 16 sec. | L'actuel (Radio-Canada) Interview (in French) with Paul Beaudry, Associate Researcher at the MEI, […]
The state of Canada’s broadband market.
Publication of a Research Paper analyzing various aspects of the Canadian telecommunications industry related to competition.
The federal government and the CRTC should not repeat the mistakes of recent years by intervening in the broadband sector as they have in the wireless sector, argues the MEI in the 2016 edition of a Research Paper entitled The State of Competition in Canada’s Telecommunications Industry. The Paper notes that 96% of Canadian households already had access to download speeds of 5 Mbps in 2014, with 77% of households subscribing to such a service, a trend that has shown strong growth in recent years.
Publication of a Research Paper analyzing various aspects of the Canadian telecommunications industry related to competition.
The federal Liberal government’s vision of a new “Innovation Agenda.”
May 7, 2015 | 17 min. | The Tommy Schnurmacher Show (CJAD 800) Interview with Paul Beaudry, Associate Researcher at the MEI, […]
The numerous interventions carried out by the federal government to encourage the establishment of a 4th wireless telephony player across the country will hurt consumers by undermining innovation in this industry. This is all the more worrisome given that important technological revolutions are in the works that will require billions of dollars of investments from the country’s telecommunications companies. This is one of the conclusions of the 2015 edition of The State of Competition in Canada’s Telecommunications Industry.
Ottawa's interventions in the telecommunications sector.
There are several myths going around regarding the state of competition in the Canadian wireless sector. According to critics, the lack of competition compared to other industrialized countries means that Canadians are among those who pay the most for their services ‒ services, moreover, that are of poor quality. The MEI recently delved into this subject in some detail. As a new round of CRTC hearings begins, during which wholesale roaming fees will be debated, we are revisiting the matter briefly in order to contribute to a more balanced debate.
Various aspects of the Canadian telecommunications industry related to competition.
To the detriment of consumers across the country, the federal government has been encouraging artificial competition in the telecommunications industry for the past seven years. Fixated on the goal of promoting the emergence of a fourth wireless carrier in each of Canada's regional markets, the government has lost sight of the ultimate goal of promoting the development of a dynamic, efficient industry, according to this Research Paper.
The Canadian telecommunications policy.
The Canadian telecommunications policy.
