Wow! Signs Of Wireless Competition in Canada

With wireless number portability hitting the market in two weeks, there are actually signs of competition between Canada’s major carriers – Bell, Telus and Rogers. Bell, which has been struggling with billing and subscriber growth problems for the past two years, blinked first yesterday when it unveiled Bell to Bell calling plans that let consumers make unlimited local calls between Bell wireless phones and residential business lines. Meanwhile, Rogers has launched  My Home Connections plan that allows free calls between Rogers customers, including long-distance calls. You know the major carriers must be worried about WNP and the concept of losing customers when they offer consumers deals, which have become an almost extinct concept in Canada. Meanwhile, Virgin Canada, which has apparently enjoyed stronger than expected subscriber growth since it entered the market two years ago, plans to be extremely aggressive about WNP. Who knows, maybe competition is alive and well in Canada – the land of hockey, maple syrup and an obsession with ARPU.