Anthony Lacavera is the chairman of Wind Mobile

It’s about time, but will the call by Wind Mobile for better consumer protection for wireless users be heeded?

Recent news reported that Wind Mobile filed a submission to the Manitoba government’s public consultation paper on improving consumer protection for cell phone and wireless contracts in the province of Manitoba. Wind Mobile is calling for the federal and provincial governments to improve consumer protection against early contract termination fees. Both Quebec and Manitoba have led the way in protecting consumers in the wireless market.

Currently in Canada, consumers are penalized with high fees for early termination of their contract agreements. Mobilicity, another wireless carrier has also lobbied federal industry Minister Tony Clement to support legislation that would protect consumers against the exorbitant fees charged for this kind of technology.  Currently,  companies such as Fido, Rogers and Telus (companies that control the monopoly in Canada) charge unsuspecting clients extremely high fees not only for wireless products and services but also for early contract termination and have the audacity to renew client contracts automatically.  Is that the spirit of  “the contract?” Note:  Canadians pay the third highest rates, if not the highest rates, in the world for cellphones.

Anthony Lacavera, the Wind Mobile chairman also noted that a private member’s bill was introduced in Ontario legislature to protect consumers against “unfair” wireless company practices.

At the current time, Canadians have to pay double the penalty to end contracts than those paid in the U.S. Note to readers outside of Canada: Canadians pay some of the highest taxes and highest prices for consumer goods in the world. Quebec is the only province in Canada that has limited wireless contract termination fees.

Photo Courtesy of www.thestarphoenix.com.