Wireless Policies Working to Lower Prices for Canadian Families

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - July 14, 2014) - Industry Minister James Moore today welcomed the findings published in Wall Communications' report on the telecommunications market in Canada. The 2014 Wall report confirms that wireless prices continue their downward trend in an environment of increased competition, falling 22 percent since 2008.

The Harper Government has been clear about its policy to support greater competition in the wireless industry and has taken deliberate, meaningful action to achieve that goal, such as:

• announcing the AWS-3 spectrum auction and its plan to set aside spectrum for operating new entrants;
• recently passing legislation to cap wholesale roaming rates on Canadian networks to prevent wireless providers from impeding competition;
• concluding the 700 MHz spectrum auction, which increased competition and generated $5.27 billion in revenue, the most successful wireless auction in Canada's history;
• strengthening rules requiring carriers to share cell towers to facilitate competition;
• enforcing a "use it or lose it" policy for spectrum use to ensure that wireless companies use their spectrum licences for the benefit of consumers, otherwise losing those licences;
• enabling access to spectrum for new entrants in recent and upcoming spectrum auctions to foster greater competition;
• applying Canada's spectrum licence transfer framework policy to all spectrum licence transfers to ensure consumers benefit from more competition; and
• committing to introduce enforcement measures to increase consumer protection.

Quick facts

• Wall Communications' annual report provides an in-depth look at prices for telecommunications services and examines how Canadian prices trend over time and compare internationally.
• The 2014 Wall report indicates that:
  • average wireless prices have decreased by 22 percent since 2008;
  • prices for mobile service packages that include data (smartphone plans) have decreased by more than 28 percent since 2008; and
  • new entrants continue to offer prices that are substantially lower than incumbents, as much as 49 percent lower for smartphone wireless services.
• The Wall report is commissioned by Industry Canada and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.

Quote

"Our government has aggressively and consistently made decisions to support a healthy and competitive wireless industry for the benefit of Canadian consumers of wireless services. We are encouraged by the findings revealed in today's independent report, which confirm that our policies for more choice and lower prices are working to support Canadian families. We will continue to stand up for consumer choice and robust competition in Canada's wireless sector."

- Industry Minister James Moore

Related product

Price Comparisons of Wireline, Wireless and Internet Services in Canada and with Foreign Jurisdictions

Follow us on Twitter: @industrycanada