Whazzup with the fact-checking in recent editorials on wireless services?

It started with last week’s Montreal Gazette editorial and then moved out to the Vancouver Sun. On Monday, the Ottawa Citizen jumped on the bandwagon, substituting hyperbole for facts in expressing its opinion on wireless services.

Last week, I dared to point out that the Gazette ignored facts that didn’t agree with its agenda. The Citizen went beyond that stage and just got its facts wrong.

One paragraph was particularly insulting to the software and hardware developers that call Canada home:

Nobody with a cutting-edge product to sell wants to set up someplace where mobile phone and data connections are second-rate and cripplingly expensive, particularly if they’re in the information-age industries we prize so highly, any more than you’d build a factory in a place with no roads or rail.

Are they really suggesting that Canada doesn’t offer opportunities for communications research and development? Has the Citizen not looked out the window into the nature of industries set up in its own backyard? There are at least a couple people in the National Capital Region who draw paychecks from companies developing cutting edge products, including multi-national firms that could easily relocate elsewhere.

Outside the city of dreams (as a former boss of mine used to call Ottawa), companies like Ericsson continue to expand their Canadian presence. Hundreds of entrepreneurs continue to innovate in companies located in every corner of the country.

What exactly did the Citizen mean by ‘nobody’? Is the Citizen suggesting that none of them want to set up in Ottawa, let alone anywhere else in Canada?

Another point. With the OECD having just released its annual communications review, why would the Citizen look at the 2003 report – and misquote it at that?

According to 2003 figures from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Canada lagged all other member countries in mobile-phone use with about 40-per-cent adoption; most other OECD countries were at 80 per cent or above.

Besides the fact that the cited figures are 3 years out of date, the numbers refer to mobile phone penetration, not mobile phone use. Fact is, Canadians are among the world’s biggest users of their mobile phones. Can we possibly deduce that, despite all of us wanting lower mobile rates, the pricing may be affordable?

Let’s look at the paragraph that creatively calls CDMA the cellular equivalent of Betamax – I actually think that is a clever metaphor, but the Citizen wasn’t satisfied with leaving it at that. Instead, it proclaimed:

a lack of interoperability with foreign providers makes life difficult for Canadians wanting to take their mobiles abroad, and for foreigners visiting Canada on business.

I don’t believe it. Bell and TELUS both offer a number of devices, including the latest Blackberry, that provide global roaming capabilities. Help me understand how foreign business people have been disadvantaged visiting Canada, just because we only have one GSM company? Is there any research to back this up, or is this another anecdotal tale being repeated to create an image of truth.

Canadians need to have an intelligent debate of the issues in respect of the upcoming spectrum auction. There are good arguments on both sides of the issue. Better decisions are a logical outcome when there is a vibrant discussion of important issues. But can we agree to at least consider the facts?

We deserve more accurate information from our newspapers in presenting support for their arguments.

At last, the CRTC has issued its RFP for Canada’s Do Not Call List (DNCL) registry operator.

Earlier this month, the CRTC issued Decision 2007-48, describing the rules that will come into place, once the database is operational.

Yesterday’s release of the RFP on MERX will start the process to select the DNCL Operator, as well as ultimately enable the creation of the database and the commencement of the new regulatory framework.

As we described, Canadians will be able to add their numbers to the database, at no charge. To register or de-register on the National DNCL, the consumer will call a toll-free number from the telephone number that they wish to register or de-register. Registration will also be available online.

Interested? To bid, parties must submit proposals that demonstrate they meet certain mandatory requirements, including:

• Possess the financial resources to offset the expected start-up costs and the first two years of operational costs;
• Provide a company profile describing their relevant knowledge and experience;
• Possess a qualified project management team capable of developing and managing the National DNCL for the duration of the contract.

MERX is not always the most friendly system for finding a single, specific opportunity. To help you find this one, look under “Information Processing and Related Telecommunications Services” for Reference Number 136139 and Solicitation Number CRTC-28-07-07.

Proposals are due on September 10.

I have written frequently in the past about the strength of Israeli telecom technologies and there are a number of other sectors, including biotech, aquaculture and agricultural innovations that also have good synergies with Canada.

The weekend Globe and Mail has an article called Putting Stock in Israel by Avner Mandelman, founder of Giraffe Capital.

The article advocates looking at investing in Israel through ISL – the Israel exchange traded fund.

Israeli companies place second (behind Canada) in foreign representation on NASDAQ.

Look at his 10-point checklist for why it is a good time to buy.

Following up on yesterday’s posts [here and here] about the speed of high speed, I received word this past week that Rogers has increased the speeds on its internet services.

The core product, Express ($45), now delivers 7 Mbps, which is almost the same bit rate as Rogers Extreme (at 8 Mbps for $53). For serious gamers and movie downloading, Rogers Extreme Plus delivers 18 Mbps for $100.

The cable companies are keeping pressure on the telcos – when will we see fibre to the home in Canada?