| Just about a year ago, a peer of mine talked | | | | Mobile, an entirely new cellular start up, launched in |
| about how he preferred I called him in the | | | | Toronto. WIND Mobile is a subsidiary of Globalive |
| evenings just so he didn't get charged for the | | | | Communications. Their aim was to develop plans |
| calls. The "evenings and weekends free" concept | | | | that were built around customers' needs. They |
| has been around for a while now, but had | | | | offer a wide range of plans and don't charge for |
| recently started to fade away. A few years ago, | | | | extras, unlike other cellular companies. They even |
| Canadian cellular companies offered many bells | | | | offer a few unlimited plans, an idea that's |
| and whistles to attract customers to their side of | | | | considered a no-no amongst the big-three. Their |
| the pond. This however has started to fade | | | | ad campaigns feature around the customer, |
| away. I remember a time when Fido had free | | | | hence portraying them as a consumer's advocate. |
| Fido-to-Fido calling, unlimited evenings and | | | | Their website is designed more as a conversation |
| weekends, as well as unlimited incoming calling. | | | | piece and less like a corporate eye-sore. In the |
| Best of all, you could get these features in almost | | | | four months since their launch, they have already |
| any plan without having to pay extra. Since those | | | | attracted over 35,000 subscribers. |
| days, Rogers had taken over Fido and many of | | | | Another up-and-coming player to watch out for is |
| those wonderful gimmicks started to fade away. | | | | Public Mobile. Their launch date is set for the |
| Until recently, the cell phone industry has been | | | | month of May, yet they have already opened up |
| one big oligopoly. Three major players Rogers, | | | | a total of 25 stores in their operating cities, |
| TELUS, and Bell, have been setting and matching | | | | Toronto and Montreal. They plan to launch with |
| their prices to take advantage of customers. | | | | just one cell phone plan - one they believe will |
| They have even tried to hide the Wireless | | | | attract a whole slew of customers. The proposal |
| Number Portability act for the most part, an act | | | | is simple - unlimited talk and text for the price of |
| law that allows cellular customers to take their cell | | | | $40 a month. Although this will attract many |
| phone number with them if they decide to move | | | | phone yakkers and texters, I still think they are |
| to another service. Moreover, they have | | | | missing a huge market. They are missing out on |
| customers locked in to an agreement - a factor | | | | the normalites - the category of people who don't |
| that explains why Canada's cell phone market is | | | | spend most of their waking hours on the phone. |
| competitively inactive for the most part. | | | | These people spend no more than $25 - $35 a |
| Now, there are new players to change the game. | | | | month on a cell phone plan. However, Public Mobile |
| They will be playing a new game, however - the | | | | might attract those cell phone users who end up |
| game of unlimited. In December 2006, WIND | | | | spending over $60 because of overuse. |