[muglo] [OT] Monopolies (Bell, etc)

Cell phone service providers are corrupt and colluding with each other as 
far as I can tell (anti-trust investigation please -- corruption and 
price-fixing is the norm in big business as far as I can tell: Microsoft, 
the "big five" music companies, drug companies, Enron, WorldCom, etc. 
(they've all been convicted and fined for illegal activities)). In the year 
that we were gone service plans have gotten WORSE.

Billing by the second has become a thing of the past and pay-as-you-go is 
more consumer-hostile than it was a few years ago (you'd expect it the other 
way around). In 2000 it was possible to buy a $25 card (at $0.50/min) that 
would last 90 days after activation. There is no such thing anymore. Any 
cards that you buy now expire in no-time at all and are marginally cheaper 
($10=10 days, $20=20 days, $40=40 days). It's basically cheaper to get a 
calling plan than to use the cards.

There seems to be no option for the casual cell phone user anymore. Either 
you have to go hard-core or not at all and I have a feeling that there is 
some industry-wide collusion going on (there needs to be an investigation). 
Only Fido has billing by the second (by the minute is a wonderful way to 
gouge people or limit their use of phones).

The companies have now managed to get as many subscribers as their business 
plans require and they're now trying to make it really expensive for people 
to switch - and they don't have to fear competition because we lack number 
portability!!! Many subscribers will be in better plans than are currently 
on offer or plans offering such features which are no longer available so 
switching will mean losing them. This is now a point where regulators have 
to step in. Obviously their previous pricing schemes were not causing them 
hardship and now they've gotten rid of them because people are essentially 
locked in. We need number portability to shake things up again or else we're 
going to be making cell phone service providers fat whilst the public is 
gouged.

When I got my cell phone in 2000 and up to the point I left last year I had 
the option (ClearNet/Telus) of $20/mo + $5.95/mo system access fee for 200 
mins, billing by the second, extra mins/long distance costing $0.20/min. 
Unless you get some really expensive plan/corporate plan or already have a 
plan you can't get $0.20/min!

Cell phone plans are so outrageous now that I'm not going to get one (plus, 
I don't really need one and can't justify the $400/year + cost of one). The 
only company worth anything is Fido ($51/mo for unlimited incoming/outgoing 
local calls) (or Bell with the corporate discount) but I don't really see 
the utility since I have my own line at work and we have our own line at 
home.

Eric.

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