Toronto pushing for CRTC to make Canadian carriers provide unlimited data plans

Apr 6 2017, 8:37 pm

There may be a light at the end of the tunnel for cellphone and data users.

Last week, Toronto City Council looked at a recommendation to push the Commissioner of the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to ask cellphone providers to provide “reasonably priced unlimited data packages.”

The City stated that the use of mobile devices in daily life “has become a virtual necessity.”

In the United States the five major carriers now provide affordable unlimited data plans, according to the City.

“The lack of such options in Canada is in stark contrast to the plans available to consumers elsewhere. There is no legitimate reason for consumers in Canada not to have the option of reasonably priced unlimited data plans for their mobile devices,” stated a Council report. “If private sector carriers are unwilling to follow the lead of companies in other jurisdictions then it is responsibility of the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission to compel the companies they regulate to provide these products to Canadian consumers at a reasonable cost.”

While a majority vote adopted the item, Councillor Stephen Holyday rose a Point of Order stating that “he believed this Item to be outside of Council’s jurisdiction.”

The Point of Order was accepted, and the Item is now on hold.

Although he was absent, Mayor John Tory declared an interest, as he’s the former the president and CEO of Rogers.

Should this continue to move forward, it will eventually create a welcome change to many bank accounts.

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