December 2nd may be a date to watch if you live in Canada and intend to sign up for a new cell phone contract.
After that date, sweeping changes are on the way. Contracts may not hold consumers to a contract period longer than 24 months, phones may be unlocked after 90 days, or immediately if the phone has been purchased outright. Over data charges will be capped at $50 per month, or $100 of international data.
The CRTC claims the new regime will drive prices down for consumers. The telephone providers disagree. They claim that where consumers may now spread the cost of a new phone over 36 months, under the new rules they will have only 24, so the monthly fee will be significantly higher.
Time will tell, but already the three major Canadian providers, Bell, Telus and Rogers, are introducing parts of the new code into their pricing structure.
This information came from CTVs news broadcast so can't supply a link. I was typing as I was listening.
After that date, sweeping changes are on the way. Contracts may not hold consumers to a contract period longer than 24 months, phones may be unlocked after 90 days, or immediately if the phone has been purchased outright. Over data charges will be capped at $50 per month, or $100 of international data.
The CRTC claims the new regime will drive prices down for consumers. The telephone providers disagree. They claim that where consumers may now spread the cost of a new phone over 36 months, under the new rules they will have only 24, so the monthly fee will be significantly higher.
Time will tell, but already the three major Canadian providers, Bell, Telus and Rogers, are introducing parts of the new code into their pricing structure.
This information came from CTVs news broadcast so can't supply a link. I was typing as I was listening.
