It wasn’t that long ago that Canada was considered to be on the leading-edge of the Web.
We had the highest penetration when it came to high-speed access, and the regulator – aka the CTRC – had decided not to regulate the Internet.
Today, Canada is falling behind and, in the process, we’re becoming digital peasants.
Perhaps the most frustrating is our inability to access cool new services. You want to listen to music using Pandara? Forget about it; not available in Canada. You want to watch TV using Hulu? Forget about it; not available.
The latest slap in face is the fact Canadians won’t be able to use Skype on their iPhones. So for all of you excited on Skype’s new foray into the mobile world, forget about it; not available.
Chaim Haas, a public relations representative acting on behalf of Skype, told the CBC that the application is available in every country in which the iPhone is on sale and in which Apple has an iTunes Store — with the exception of Canada.
Haas said this is because of patent-licence restrictions but would not elaborate except to specify that it is a patent issue related to Skype, not Apple.
Personally, I don’t care about patent issues. What I care about is using leading-edge and innovative services, and the lack of Skype is just another example of how Canada is becoming an online backwater.
20 Comments
Is it possible that because "iphone" is trademarked in Canada for a VoIP product (I think it was for a linksys handset or something) that this is somehow the root of the problem? i.e. that associating the trademark with a cell phone was fine but not for a VoIP app? It's a long shot, but I wonder…
I agree with you nav…
We no longer have a World Wide Web – it is more like a Country Wide Web given the geographic restrictions on media rights. As stuff like Hulu, Boxee, etc. become more popular it is frustrated to be blocked out – thank god for proxy servers that allow us to get around this.
If Skype is having patent problems in Canada, why can we install Skype on Nokia phones and not on the iPhone? Rogers, what did you do????
I would love to know how to go about setting one of these "US" accounts… but, if you don't have a US billing address?????
Also, how can you bypass the access restriction to be able to watch TV shows on the net when you're from Canada?
Any help would be appreciated.
Sly
Hi Sly,
I just used one of the mailing addresses of a BestBuy store in the states. iTunes won't be able to track it since you are also using a pre-paid Mastercard. Once you set up your US iTunes account, you can then download the different TV episodes and other items on the iTunes store that are not available in Canada. Plus, the movies are cheaper at the US store than at the Canadian store.
Glad to help.
hipflip
Thanks Lloyd for your quick reply.
I guess the trick that makes this work is by using a "pre paid" credit card!
Don't have one of those. Darn
Sly
Buy one at Shoppers. There may be a 24 hour Shoppers store near your place.
http://www.twitter.com/hipflip
does anyone know the root issue here? I was wondering why hulu was not available in Canada -copyright but we can watch the same shows on tv but not the internet – something bizarre is going on here
yes it is available in canada, just download hotspot shield.com and they give you a usa isp and I have been watching HULU for about 2 months.
It took me about 5 minutes to install Skype on my iPod touch. Just register for an account for the US iTunes store, add the app, sync, and you're done.
Geographic restrictions for software are laughable and will always be easily bypassed.
Do you really expect Canada to be a digital mover and shaker? Like everything else in this world, Canada can't be a powerhouse in a market where you have a country ten times your size just across the board. Not to mention countries around the world (mainly China and India) which have populations that make Canada laughable. Sure Canada may have had, at one time, something to cheer about when it came to internet prowess, but when the monster sized countries decide to enter a market, a country with roughly 30-35 million is going to get pushed out of the way…. it is reality, virtual or not.
As far as I can tell, Pandora and Hulu are only available in the United States, which is one country. They are not available in the other ~200 countries, one of which is Canada. Why is that a slap in the face for Canadians? Do you consider any service that is available in a single country that is not Canada a slap in the face for Canadians?
The cynic in me just can't get past my intense dislike and suspicion surrounding anything Rogers touches. I could be completely wrong (probably am), but wouldn't surprise me one bit to find out one day that this "patent issue" was engineered by Rogers personnel.
They can't be a bit happy about Skype hounds on the horizen….
Next time you pass a Rogers store ask them where their skype phones are?
Sorry to disappoint all the Rogers' haters; it's an issue with respect to an "ambiguity" re licensing the G729 codec in Canada. Skype for iPhone Not Available in Canada.
huh????
Hell, I still only have 56k dial up available in my area.
I'm from a community like John's and now presently living in a city. Governments should be investing in technology more, how do they expect students to excel in this very techie world if it takes a minute for a website to load.
Then why is RIM the number one smart phone in the world.
We need a new way of thinking in Canada.
We invented the smart phone.
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[...] Random Feed wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptIt wasn’t that long ago that Canada was considered to be on the leading-edge of the Web. We had the highest penetration when it came to high-speed access, and the regulator – aka the CTRC – had decided not to regulate the Internet. Today, Canada is falling behind and, in the process, we’re becoming digital peasants. Perhaps the most frustrating is our inability to access cool new services. You want to listen to music using Pandara? Forget about it; not available in Canada. You want to watc [...]
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