Competition in Telecommunications at the 10 Year Mark: How Have Consumers Fared?

Author

Philippa Lawson, Andrew Briggs

Organization

Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC)

Published

2003

Summary

This study examines the impact of the restructuring changes in the delivery of residential wireline services on residential consumers in the ten years following the Telecom Decision Canadian Radio-Television Commission (CRTC) 92-12 to allow competition in the provision of long distance services. It attempts to do so using measurements that are factual and meaningful to the actual usage of residential consumers. The report relies on information in large part collected from a variety of referenced and publicly available sources for the period 1992-2002. The report notes the significant increases in prices for basic local service that occurred between 1992 and 2002. The report also reviews the changes in long distance calling plans available to residential customers, noting a significant increase in the variety of options, as well as in the discounts available. However, the addition of a monthly “Network Service Charge” by the telephone companies applicable to most long distance calling plans has significantly compromised savings to low and medium use long distance consumers.

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OCA Funded Research
This research received funding support through the Office of Consumer Affairs' Contributions Program.

Contact information

Source: Consumer Policy Research Database