Feds working to reduce prices for wireless services

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Published July 28, 2020 at 11:01 pm

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The federal government is working on making telecommunications services more affordable.

Due to the fact many businesses have had to transition to remote working, Canadians are relying on telecommunications services for work, school, finances and health care—making access to high-quality and affordable services essential.

In order to ensure more Canadians have access to affordable telecommunications services, the federal government is working to reduce most popular wireless plans by 25 percent over the next two years and further increase competition, as well as track progress toward this goal.

Over the next two years, the three major wireless providers and their flanker brands, which represent 90 percent of the national market, will be expected to offer plans in the 2 GB to 6 GB range that are 25 percent cheaper.

If these options are not being offered to Canadians within this time frame, the government will explore other regulatory tools to further increase competition in the marketplace and help reduce prices.

“Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have engaged with Canada’s telecom service providers to ensure they can continue to provide the services that we all rely on to stay connected. I want to thank them, along with their essential workers, for the actions they have taken. From waiving home Internet overage fees to maintaining, repairing and upgrading their networks, they have helped support Canadians during this difficult time,” Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, said in a news release.

“In that same spirit, our government is optimistic that it can continue working with the big three providers to reduce the cost of mid-range wireless services by 25 percent over the next two years. The tracker launched today will help monitor progress toward this goal,” he continued.

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