Our job at OpenMedia.ca is to amplify citizens voices in the fight for our digital future. So when Canadians took action and told your tales at CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca, we listened and used your comments to inform our crowdsourced submission to the CRTC’s proceeding on a national code of conduct to protect cell phone users. You can check out the submission, which we filed jointly with our friends at CIPPIC, on our site here. We also sent your stories directly to the CRTC, and expect commissioners to take the time to read each one. To those who told a cell phone story: thank you so much. Your efforts will make the CRTC aware of the real human consequences of our broken cell phone market – it’s hugely important in getting the rules we need to ensure Canadians get fair treatment. Your voices will also push back against Big Telecom using the process to weaken existing protections.

For the past month we've been asking you to share your Cell Phone Horror Stories to tell decision-makers at the CRTC what steps to take in fixing our broken telecom market. Today is the last day to submit your comments before we'll be sending them along to the CRTC. If you haven't already, share your story and help create a new wireless code for Canadians at CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca! Article by Pete Nowak Good news if you’re an iPhone owner with Bell or Virgin – the carriers will reportedly unlock that bad boy for you. Of course, with this being the Canadian cellphone industry, there are many caveats to go with that. One is, you have to own the phone outright, two is that you can’t be on contract and three is that you can’t be a prepaid customer. Oh, and it’ll cost you the tidy sum of $75. Bell and its subsidiary are finally joining its Big Three cohorts, Rogers and Telus, in offering the “service,” although the company looks to be alone in charging such a hefty fee. Telus recently cut the cost of its iPhone unlock to $35 from $50, which is what Rogers still charges.

When several senior representatives from Telus asked us to meet with them we knew immediately what we wanted the meeting to include: direct citizen stories about disrespectful and expensive cell phone service in Canada. This was clearly a unique opportunity to bring Canadian voices directly to executives running one of the big three cell phone giants. We shared a story from John, who was unexpectedly hit with a $300 bill from Telus after asking for a voice-only plan and unknowingly using expensive, metered data services. John quite effectively articulated the limited options facing customers: “What do I do to not pay this outrageous fee? Spend more hours on the phone? Spend thousands on legal fees to fight $300? Refuse to pay it, and have my credit rating dinged?” Reps from Telus discussed the various steps that they have taken to address these kinds of complaints. We highlighted some of the themes we’ve been hearing from you via Cell Phone Horror Stories, and on our Facebook wall: disrespectful customer service with unreasonable hold times; long contract lengths with expensive termination fees; false charges on your bills and a refusal to remove them; and high roaming fees in a context where cell phone service is already very expensive.

As decision-makers at the CRTC continue to invite citizen input in developing a new wireless code, we're continuing to share some of the stories that Canadians have sent in through CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca. We're making progress with having digital policy decisions that are made with public interest in mind. If you haven't already, share your Big Telecom horror story to tell the CRTC how to fix our broken telecom market.

Michelle is all smiles after ending her relationship with Big Telecom Bell over increased costs and a monster twelve-page bill containing over 480 tethering charges she received earlier this year. Visit CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca to share your experiences and help provide input in creating a new wireless code for Canadians.

When decision-makers at the CRTC announced they'd be gathering Canadians' input into restructuring a new wireless code, you made your Big Telecom horror stories heard loud and clear. While we continue to share your stories sent through CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca, the CRTC has now announced an additional way to share your comments with them directly. This is a sign of progress that we're looking to maintain. If you haven't already, share your story and let's help fix our broken telecom market. Learn more about this call to Canadians from the CRTC.

Canada’s wireless market has long been locked up by the Big Three giants at Rogers, Bell, and Telus who have mislead Canadians into accepting substandard customer service. It’s a chokehold that has confined the growth of smaller competitors and one that continues to set the rules on what service is adopted as being ‘fair’ – even when its not. Last month, decision-makers at the CRTC invited Canadians to provide input on constructing a new wireless code for Big Telecom to adhere to, essentially putting the keys to their unruly kingdom in your hand. In response to this call for Canadians to speak out, we established an online tool at CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca as a way for you to share with the CRTC what you’d like to see change about Big Telecom cell phone service and why.

Canadians have long been speaking out to safeguard affordable access to our communications – but only recently are we seeing digital policy decision-makers at the CRTC beginning to put public interest first. Canadians are in the drivers seat and we need to tell the CRTC which direction to take. Share your CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca and help enact a new wireless code for Canada - we'll be bringing your horror stories to Big Telecom Telus this week and report back with what they have to say. Article by Michael Geist The fall of 2007 was a particularly bleak period for Canadians concerned with digital policies. The government had just issued a policy direction to the CRTC to adopt a hands-off regulatory approach even as consumer prices for Internet and wireless services were increasing. Meanwhile, the Department of Public Safety held a semi-secret consultation on Internet surveillance where mandatory disclosure of subscriber information was assumed.

If you had the chance – what would you say to the heads of Canada’s Big Telecom giants? It’s a tiring process trying to talk with someone – anyone – from within Big Telecom who seems to empathize with or understand Canadians. We’ve been a conduit for citizen concerns from the beginning with our StopTheMeter.ca campaign; and we’re still continuing on today with our call for Canadians to reshape our wireless market by sharing their CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca. We’ve been reading your horror stories and we know that you’re angry. We need new rules that apply to all Big Telecom companies equally – rules that are upheld and followed, instead of avoided. What should these rules be? Don’t just tell us, tell Telus.

For the past few weeks we've been asking you to share your CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca to tell decision-makers at the CRTC what steps to take in fixing our broken telecom market. Now, we're looking to feature some of the most engaging comments we've received from Canadians with regards to price-gouging, contracts, customer service and more. If you haven't already, tell your story and let's create a new wireless code that puts Canadians first.

Over the past month, we've seen a number of decisions made by the CRTC that have resulted from Canadians speaking out against Big Telecom's unfair practices. The CRTC has shown they are willing to listen to Canadians, so let's make ourselves be heard. Share your CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca and let's take the steps to fix our broken telecom market. Article by Rita Trichur for The Globe and Mail At first, Jean-Pierre Blais did not want the job. When headhunters approached him late last winter, they sought his advice on who would be a suitable candidate to lead Ottawa’s watchdog on the telecommunications and broadcasting industries. Mr. Blais supplied them with some names. Then the headhunters came back. “At one point they said: ‘Well, would you be interested?’ And that’s when I laughed them off because I knew how daunting a job this is,” said Mr. Blais. “Even back then, I knew that the public trust had disappeared, that technology was creating a stress on the system, that there was a lot of tension in the system because of the vigour of competition.” But then came a change of heart. After weeks of reflection, he agreed to apply for the job – a decision that is now altering the course of the Canadian communications business.

Big Telecom's increased control has contributed to Canadians feeling 'cell-shocked' by our broken telecom market. But if you had the chance to change anything about your wireless services, what would it be? Policy-makers at the CRTC are now opening up their decision-making process to Canadian input. Share your Cell Phone Horror Story at CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca and let's tell the CRTC to put public interest first. Article by Laura Payton for CBC News A consumer group worried that a bureaucratic hurdle could stop people from giving feedback about a code of conduct for cellphone companies is compiling complaints from Canadians. Open Media, a watchdog group that fights to keep internet access cheap, says it wants to make it easier for consumers to tell their stories about battles with cellphone companies. The group has launched a website, CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca, to collect complaints about what they say is a "broken cellphone market."

The number of cell phone complaints increased this year by 35% – a spike that can be attributed to Big Telecom's tightening grip over over our communications. But there is good news, as Canada's communications policy makers at the CRTC have invited Canadian input in future decision-making. Speak out and share your cell phone horror story at CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca.

After last week's push to revive invasive Online Spying Bill C-30, police are now refusing to comment on whether they have accessed Canadians' cell phone data without a warrant. Call on your MP to speak out against this intrusive expansion of surveillance powers at OpenMedia.ca/Stand. Article by Andrew MacLeod for The Tyee Police in three major Canadian departments have declined to confirm whether they have the technology to identify people in a crowd based on the unique identifiers on their cellphones. "It reflects a massive invasion of privacy," said David Eby, the executive director of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, speaking about the technology which can be used to capture the International Mobile Subscriber Identity or International Mobile Equipment Identity on cellphones and other devices. Eby said the BCCLA became interested in whether the technology was being used here after reading about it in a British newspaper article.

As we encourage Canadians continue to share their CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca, your support has helped in getting the attention of policy makers and producing media coverage nationwide. The CRTC is taking notice of what you have to say, so we're rallying your voices to get even louder. Share your horror stories and visit OpenMedia.ca/Halloween to face your cell phone service fears.

In a report released last week, Canada's cell phone services received the notable dishonour of having the most complaints out of any telecommunications service. It's time for these concerns with our broken telecom market to be addressed by the CRTC. Share your story through our online tool CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca and let's work towards a wireless code that benefits Canadians. Article by Omid Ghoreishi for The Epoch Times Complaints about telecom services rose again this year, with wireless services topping the list of complaints for the fourth consecutive time, according to Canada’s Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS). “Nearly 11,000 consumer complaints were filed with us. That represents an increase of 35 percent over last year,” said commissioner Howard Maker in a statement announcing the release of the CCTS’s annual report for 2011/2012.

In the wake of Canadians speaking out to StopTheTakeover.ca, CRTC chairman Jean-Pierre Blais is emphasizing the importance of earning Canadians' trust and input in future decision-making. Let's ensure that this pledge to serving the public interest stands. Show the CRTC that Canadians are stuck in an unfair and expensive cell phone market by sharing your story at CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca. Article by Rita Trichur for The Globe and Mail The federal broadcast and telecommunications regulator is on a mission to “rebuild” the trust of Canadians by renewing its focus on consumers, creators and citizens. Jean-Pierre Blais, the newly minted chairman of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, gave that frank assessment as he outlined his vision for the regulatory body at an industry conference on Monday. After spending roughly four months on the job, Mr. Blais is already making strides to define his legacy for when his term ends in 2017. At that time, he wants the CRTC to be an institution that is “trusted” by Canadians, noting many are skeptical about the regulator and its mandate in the digital era.

The CRTC decision on stopping Bell's takeover has shown that Canadians are being heard. Now let's continue to push forward in fixing our broken telecom market. Share your horror story at CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca and show the CRTC that Canadians are stuck in an unfair and expensive cell phone market.

Last week, the CRTC put forth a call for public comments to help shape the future of Canada's wireless market. This week, we're launching a new campaign to ensure that Canadian voices are heard loud and clear. With your support in speaking out, we're already gaining traction in media outlets nationwide. Make your voice heard and share your story to the CRTC at CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca. Article by Rita Trichur for The Globe and Mail An online activist group that once sparked a public outcry over the controversial issue of usage-based billing for Internet access is now taking aim at cellphone contracts.