Another wishy washy complaint from WHINED mobile.

[Ra_Harmakis]

Are we talking about the money they paid? I'm sure that more money could have been raised by charging a set rate to every wireless provider who wanted access. Bidding is only a short term gain.
If we're talking about the benefit of wireless coverage for transit customers, then that only benefits Telus customers.

Either way, I fail to see the overall benefit for the community.

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The main thing here is... They are a Transit Company, not a communications company. The jump from owning and operating trains and buses to building, maintaining, and operating a wireless network, then selling access to that network to other wireless providers is a VERY BIG jump.

They would have had to basically start a whole new company from scratch to do this. Much better idea to farm the work out to the experts in the communication industry, and make provisions that other carriers must have access to the network at reasonable rates.

[nuclearbroccoli]

The main thing here is... They are a Transit Company, not a communications company. The jump from owning and operating trains and buses to building, maintaining, and operating a wireless network, then selling access to that network to other wireless providers is a VERY BIG jump.

They would have had to basically start a whole new company from scratch to do this. Much better idea to farm the work out to the experts in the communication industry, and make provisions that other carriers must have access to the network at reasonable rates.

I didn't say that they should build nor run it.
I was simply saying they should have let any wireless company that wanted to build infrastructure on the transit system do so for a set rate rather than having a wireless company build everything and then forcing the others to negotiate with them for access rather than with the city.

That was quite a run on sentence, wasn't it? Yuck. Too lazy to edit...

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[phreek_11]

This isnt the only business Telus has "exclusive agreements" with. Many universities in Western Canada have agreements with Telus (or Rogers), and they control tower space in the entire university!

The big 3 also have agreements with most apartment towers in major cities downtown areas. Even if they dont need the space for a tower, they pay buildings for the right to deny everyone else access.

UBC and SFU are well known for having only one cell provider. So ALL students have to use that provider or they get no access while they are at school, which is most of the day.

Wind has holes, not because they cant afford to put towers up, but because the big 3 own all areas where towers are needed, and are blocking Wind from getting access.

[Tendenzi]

The big 3 also have agreements with most apartment towers in major cities downtown areas. Even if they dont need the space for a tower, they pay buildings for the right to deny everyone else access.

Appartment buildings too? I'm curious for a source to this if there is any, otherwise this should be classified as conspiracy theory.

UBC and SFU are well known for having only one cell provider. So ALL students have to use that provider or they get no access while they are at school, which is most of the day.

That's another business decision of the university, not the incumbent. Post-secondary education in north america is often confused for a public service like secondary and elementary schools, but they are very much run and operated like a well tuned corporation looking for more revenue year-over-year.

York University in Toronto, has had similar deals with Rogers, then TELUS for a brief time even had a corporate store in their campus mall, which was later removed after their contract expired and Rogers won back favours over there. If you were on TELUS or Bell's CDMA networks you were SOL inside York. This is purely and only beneficial short term to the institution getting these deals, and a risk with unproven long-term results for the service providers decidingly wanting to play.

But wait, this would also be proof of competition amongst the incumbents.

Wind has holes, not because they cant afford to put towers up, but because the big 3 own all areas where towers are needed, and are blocking Wind from getting access.

I don't buy this yet, I think WIND has holes because they find it acceptable to allow them to be there while they elaborately plan expansions around other major cities. It's some weird illusion of growth they're trying to display.

Unfortunately the last quarters numbers didn't prove to fair well for their efforts, I look forward to August when we can hear about this Quarter's results.

[robsaw]

Appartment buildings too? I'm curious for a source to this if there is any, otherwise this should be classified as conspiracy theory.

That theory about apartment (or any property) being paid to simply block-out competition is highly unlikely. If true, you can bet Wind would have already had them in court for unlawful restraint of trade.

[Deafmented]

Appartment buildings too? I'm curious for a source to this if there is any, otherwise this should be classified as conspiracy theory.

Bell Canada has an agreement with the property management of my condo in Mississauga. They have antennas on the roof of the building and the condo corporation attempts to sell the Bell services to new owners when they arrive in the building.

[Tendenzi]

Bell Canada has an agreement with the property management of my condo in Mississauga. They have antennas on the roof of the building and the condo corporation attempts to sell the Bell services to new owners when they arrive in the building.

And I wonder who monetarily benefitted from that?

You see even if it's true, it's not about the incumbents doing what they want because they can, it's because bottom feeders, and people looking for some easy money are all about whoring out what they own to a carrier to get a little something in return.

If it costs the carrier money, they have every right to demand what they paid for. Just like you have every right to demand for what's in your service terms from those carriers as well.

So if WIND was smart/cunning/whatever, they'd play the same game, crying from roof tops only gets you so far, putting an antenna up there... thats some coverage.