Canadian Wireless Providers are Charging Customers an Arm and a Leg with Mobile Access Data Plans

Fellow Canadian Thomas Purves has just written up an article on his blog about the sad reality of how our local wireless providers are charging Canadians way too much when it comes to Mobile Data Access (eg. viewing/sending emails, surfing the internet on mobile devices). Thomas has put this into perspective best by creating a comparison graph of how much Canadians would be paying to transfer 500mb with Telus, Bell, Fido or Rogers:

Courtesy: Thomas Purves

Titling the above graph, ‘The Travesty of Canadian Mobile Data Rates‘ is appropriate. We are being charged insane amounts for data transfer compared to our friends to the south. Heck, we are being charged more than even Rwanda, a 3rd world country!

I’ve read articles on how to tether mobile devices to your laptop such as Smartphones or Blackberrys (a Canadian invention by the way), or how fast of a connection EVDO cards can achieve. But at that time, I didn’t realize that mobile data access wasn’t as expensive in the U.S. Thus, I always thought that those alternative methods to get internet access without Wi-Fi in the area was only for rich people. However, looking at that graph, it’d seem like a viable option for average Joe who wants to chat while on the train or manage his email on his laptop.

And if you think that this only concerns tech savvy people, think again. If you’ve ever sent a photo or video to your friend through your phone or use a Blackberry for email on-the-go, it’s likely you paid more than someone in Los Angeles doing the same thing since those actions require data transfer. If the iPhone does indeed come to Canada, and is also carried by Rogers (which will likely happen since they are the only carrier that supports GSM), plans for it will likely be expensive.

Here’s to hoping things change by the time the iPhone rolls out in Canada. It would be so convenient to pull up directions via Google Maps on an internet capable phone without having to be charged $15.