The National Post has a story that suggests that the wireless industry could face new regulations if Bell and TELUS don’t reconsider their plan to begin charging for incoming text messages.
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National Post, Jim Prentice, wireless regulation
The CRTC has been holding true to a recurring theme of convergence for the past few months.
Yesterday, the Commission released its first report on the communications industry – broadcasting and telecom. Prior to this year, the Commission had published separate annual monitoring reports for the two industries.
The Communications Monitoring Report [html or 
pdf]provides information on different sectors of the broadcasting and telecommunications industries. This year’s report also includes expanded sections covering new media trends and international perspectives.
For the first time, the CRTC’s report will only be available electronically – there are no print versions.
Last month, the CRTC announced its move to a more converged organizational structure.
In January, the CRTC began to campaign for the government to replace the Broadcast and Telecom Acts with a unified Communications Act.
What role will communications policy play in the next election?
Countdown to the Do Not Call List. Two months to go.
Last December, the CRTC began the 9 month gestation for Canada’s DNCL registry and yesterday, it issued it’s first teaser press release, reminding Canadians that they will be able to register to have their names removed from telemarketing call lists.
Except for a bunch of exceptions:
There are other exempt calls allowed in the legislation that were not detailed in the press release.
For example, calls made on behalf of public opinion firms. That may explain why I have been getting calls recently from companies asking my opinion about carpet and duct cleaning; or wanting to know my views on Florida time-shares.
If you follow this blog, you know what I think the of the legislation. Fortunately, there is supposed to be a review of the “administration and operation” of the DNCL.
In a story for the morning Globe and Mail, the CRTC acknowledges that it would like to see stronger powers to add muscle to its enforcement of regulations.
The article suggests that the Commission will be looking for the government to give it the power to sanction companies, presumably with fines of a sufficient magnitude to serve as a meaningful deterrent, not simply a cost of doing business.
With increased relaxation of ex ante regulations, many would agree that the Commission needs to be able to act swiftly and effectively in policing an ex post regulatory environment.
In the wake of the release this week of a notice and letter examining emergency call handling, the government may be predisposed to look at providing such a solution.
California consumer protection law has intervened into early termination fees imposed by Sprint. Sprint had argued that a state court had no business deciding an issue that the company believed was better suited for federal authorities.
The FCC has been trying to move carriers to a system of termination fees that declines over the life of the contract. Most Canadian wireless carriers have fees that conform to such a model.
Still, the case is interesting in that it demonstrates the need for carriers to ensure that their processes and terms of service are consistent with state (or provincial?) consumer protection laws.
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California, consumer protection