I mentioned last week that I’ll be speaking about wireless pricing and competition issues later today at the CWTA AWS Forum in Ottawa.
I will provide updates from the Forum using a trial of a new Canadian mobile blogging tool for my antique Blackberry – I returned the demonstrator 8800. The AWS Forum has a variety of perspectives – the financial sector, equipment providers, current carriers and potential new entrants.
Speaking of wireless pricing, I noticed that Vikesh Anand posted about a new Rogers calling plan that offers 700 minutes per month of peak calling for $40.
Update: [April 23, 5:20 am]
Watch this space for updates from the AWS Forum.
[April 23, 9:40 am]
Flight to Ottawa was a who’s who of Canadian wireless – carriers, financial folks and entrepreneurs. A sell-out crowd at the Chateau Laurier – of course, CWTA used predatory conference pricing – free. Of note in the opening remarks by Michael Binder and Len St.-Aubin’s description of the consultation process was a repeated assurance that the Minister has no preconceived ideas. Despite last week’s call by Quebecor to expedite the auction, Industry Canada expects a lively internal discussion as it develops its auction policy.
[April 23, 11:00 am]
An unspoken message that I picked up from the technology session? With next generation wireless delivering viable alternate access for internet, are we going to see comments addressing wireless net neutrality as part of the AWS auction consultation.
[April 23, 11:40 am]
Dvai Ghose’s 8 Myths of Canadian wireless may win the award for most entertaining of the day. I’ll ask Dvai for his slides for your reading later this week.
[April 23, 3:10 pm]
Lies, damned lies and statistics was the title of Rob Bruce’s luncheon keynote and it was a common theme in the afternoon. Comparative penetration rates? Pricing? RoE? My conclusion: changing the rules of the game sends a dangerous message to the capital markets – let’s welcome additional competitive players, but without economic distortions in the marketplace.
[April 23, 3:35 pm]
Michael Hennessy of TELUS mentioned the private equity elephant in the room. With multiple Canadian private equity firms bidding 35B plus for Bell, is there really a need to have concern for new entrants to raise capital.