Canada's Largest-ever Class Action Against Mobile Carriers

The Saskatchewan court has certified a class-action lawsuit that accuses Canadian cellphone companies of profiting from charging customers system access fees (CAD$6.95/month) over and above their regular service costs.

The suit, targets an estimated $12 billion (plus interest) in customer charges collected over the years could possibly the country's largest-ever class action. This has affected at least half of the Canadian populations (all cell phone users in Canada).

Rogers Wireless, one of the largest carriers in Canada said it would appeal the certification. With $12B on the line, it doesn't look like the carriers will be back down without a fight. However, we do look forward to getting away from the mobile dark age.

Google Mobile Search Open

Google opened their new mobile search today. This time, they have made some significant improvement to their mobile web search, which minimize the number of clicks to get to where we want to go to.

The biggest improvement I see with the new Google mobile page is that it is now customizable, pretty much like the the personalized Google home page. You can add information you interested directly to the homepage, including movie listings, stock updates, weather and site feeds. They have also made some improvements with the search interface itself and the mobile search algorithm.

You would be able to access the Google mobile web with your computer instead of using your cell phone here.

Canada Cell Phone Users Set Free

It is a happy day for Canadian mobile/landlines users. Finally, Canada enables all phone customers to change carriers but keep their existing numbers. As long as it's within the same calling area, you can switch your carriers (with the best calling plans) and keep your existing phone number. The change, mandated by the federal regulator 18 months ago, frees us from the shackles of their current wireless providers. It is probably old news to most developed countries, but today we finally catch up with the rest of the world.

Canada's wireless phone industry is dominated by three major players: Telus, Bell, and Rogers, but also includes smaller carriers such as Virgin Mobile. Bell refused comment on the impact of number portability, Rogers said it will be "business as usual" while Telus called the change a "positive" opportunity. Virgin's Branson respond with his latest stunt to promote business by going in a tiny jail cell suspended by a crane and "break himself free". Can't find any Youtube/Google Video yet (that would be good for viral marketing).

On a side note, many people probably do not know that Canadian cellphone users are paying more than people in any other developed country. A study shows that the average cellphone bill in Canada is one-third more than it is in the United States and the highest of 30 countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

The wireless service costs slowed the widespread use of mobile phone, with only has 56 cellphones in use for every 100 Canadians. The United States has 75 in use for every 100 Americans, while Britain and Germany have 102.2 and 86.4 in use per 100 people respectively.

I'll search for a better calling plan with other carriers now :)