I haven't looked closely to analyze the changes, but one major factor that I believe is leading to this move is the introduction of caps on data overages for flex and fixed plans. It seems coincidental that these changes are showing up right as the introduction of the new wireless code on various price categories and plan categories, and some areas like this were actually given 2 months extension as the companies said they couldn't technologically implement the changes as designed. I wonder if these changes are their response to aiming to keep the massive billions of dollars of income from data and overage plans as reported by the CRTC in their December reports and how companies will modify these plans to meet the requirements and maximize or even increase their profits.
As the CRTC has noted, companies provide lots of reasons why they have to increase these rates, and do compliment them for providing improved management tools, but they also educate the poupluace who read their documents on ways to monitor and determine their actual needs, but they also acknowledge that there is other plans from competition available, but there is also limited competition, and they don't see the major companies tinkering with a price and plan model that is providing them with such huge profits.
Those articles can all be found for your own reading by searching CRTC, wireless data, wireless code, overages and rural internet options.
We do have options around the province, it is a matter of doing the work to search these in our area, and spread by word of mouth, obtain via google searches, and talking to your neighbours in a rural area. Since we may be moving to a rural area, due the reality that we can't afford to live in the city areas anymore, we have been actively looking around for options that we can afford and has become a part of our decision making of where we eventually move.
Great questions - the answers to why, I can only guess, but at the end of the discussion, what I personally am left with is what options are available, that in this current thread, I am not going to hear of many options, although there are some, but the biggest task for me is to talk to people, go to other forums, follow Maple Syrup, read the CRTC reports coming out, and the most important things that CRTC has said, is know your needs well - keep in mind that a lot of the push for more data has been marketing driven.
The point that for a person in a rural area with kids in school, Internet access just to communicate with fellow students, and to research is critically important, along with the reality that much of our banking, shopping, price checking and financial, along with taxes and government services are all on the Internet, so it is critical for that group to keep pushing for a level of fairness for them to be able to access what they need. As someone said, they know that it costs more to live in a rural area, but there are also savings and life style benefits too, but Internet is a critically important resources for day to day living.
Once last point - this one, my father in law and mother in law do to keep their rural costs down and have access to faster Internet - they do limited Internet work at home, and they make a trip to their local senior centre, municipal buildings, Tim Hortons and the like, and libraries - I remember how we used to as children travel from our small town with its expensive, limited choice of groceries, and once per week, we made a trip to the local major town for cheaper prices, competition and more access, and once a month or less frequently, we made our trip to the closest city and made a weekend out of it, visiting family and friends along the way.
We can look a ways to be less dependent upon the big guys and their pricing and plan strategies, and as they make less money, they may try to increase prices to recoup the loss of usage, but once we learn to reduce usage, if they want us to get back into their game, they will have to price it for the customer - supply and demand economics.
Again, hope these thoughts are helpful - Seems there has been a lot of changes in plans, pricing strategies, largely driven by changes in CRTC attempts to protect us, but I see that we need to look at what we can put under our control.
Bruce
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