Maybe it’s the time of year. Last October, I wrote “Regulators regulate”, saying “If the only tool you have is a hammer, it is tempting to treat everything as if it were a nail.”
Regulators feel the need to regulate. They can’t help themselves.
That was the impression I had reading last night’s press release from the CRTC, issued after the markets closed.
Roaming fees for Canadian travelers are often inflexible, causing consumers to pay a flat fee of $10 to $16 per day regardless of how much they use their cellphone. The CRTC’s priority is to ensure that Canadians have the flexibility to choose an affordable plan that best meets their needs.
The CRTC doesn’t mention that consumers have access to plans that include roaming to many of the most popular destinations. My personal plan includes US roaming. Others in the family have plans with US and Mexico.
As TD Securities wrote,
Canadian consumers have multiple options for roaming outside Canada, including a plethora of plans that include free U.S. roaming. Furthermore, wireless pricing overall has never been better for consumers. We see no big problem to be fixed, and we expect minimal impact from this review.
The CRTC addressed its letter to Bell, TELUS, and Rogers, saying “Roaming fees for Canadian travelers are often inflexible, causing consumers to pay a flat fee of $10 to $16 per day regardless of how much they use their cellphone. The CRTC’s priority is to ensure that Canadians have the flexibility to choose an affordable plan that best meets their needs.”
Freedom Mobile has plans available that include data as well as unlimited talk and text for roaming in 92 countries. There are add-on passes that provide similar access for up to 101 countries for as little as $30 for 30 days.
TD’s report concluded with an admonishment to the CRTC, saying that roaming isn’t an area where intervention is required. “Consumers who do not want to shop around for better wireless rates neither need nor deserve regulatory protection, any more than consumers who choose to pay premium prices for the similar food at a specialty grocery store.”