Canadians are endlessly fascinating people. We're fascinating for more reasons that I can probably count - and certainly more than you'd be interested in reading here. So I'll pick just one: We love to complain.We don't just complain. We whine. We moan. We bitch. Bitterly. Passionately. Endlessly. Gloriously.
Yes, I said gloriously. Because we wouldn't be the same if we didn't get into it on a regular basis. Life wouldn't be as rich if we simply sat back and took it. Because of our long winters and sparse population density, our expertise in complaining is probably the one thing that keeps us warm. And sane.
One of our favorite - oops, favourite; I keep forgetting the u - complaint subject revolves around wireless service. Whether it's an old-style cell phone or a newfangled, all singing, all dancing smartphone, we love to complain about how much wireless service costs us and what we get in return.
So when our Industry Minister, a gentleman named Tony Clement, announced the long-term timeline for our country's next major wireless auction, I saw it as an opportunity to write an article that explained why this was significant. Long story short, the next bunch of spectrum that's being auctioned off to wireless carriers will be in the 700 MHz and 2,500 MHz ranges. The former is of particular interest, because it'll underpin the next generation of super-high-speed, all singing, all dancing wireless networks. The service is broadly known as 4G (for 4th generation wireless) and it'll be pretty damn cool when it gets here.
The Toronto Star published my article - The 4G revolution: Canadians face hurdles in search for faster wireless - in today's paper (yes, Joe Jackson fans, I know some folks read it in the Sunday paper) and I've included the little graphic here because it led the business section. Coolness.
Your turn: Three questions, actually. 1) What country do you live in? 2) Are you pleased with your wireless service? 3) Why/why not?
One more thing: I've added a page to the blog that summarizes my published Toronto Star articles. The link is at the top of the page, just below the Written Inc. logo. Or just click here.
One more thing: I've added a page to the blog that summarizes my published Toronto Star articles. The link is at the top of the page, just below the Written Inc. logo. Or just click here.
Carmi-
ReplyDeletei should be Canadian...i like to whine and b*tch...and i should move to Canada cuz there are places where my phone wont work? awesome...
wait...
there are tons of places in the US (michigan)where my phone won't work. the kitchen, basment, mancave and anytime my wife calls me...
i remember the bag phone...i had one. and a pager...the pager went off so i could find a land line when someone called my bag phone to avoid the $1.00+ per minute rate...
you wrote a great article! and now i know 3 and 4 g are not the number of times i use the lords name in vain when trying to get my smart Phone to work...
Bruce
stupid stuff i see and hear
bruce johnson jadip
I live in the United States, my wireless is Verizon and I'm pretty happy with it. Since all I use it for is phone calls and, thanks to my new phone with a real (although small) keyboard, texting, it works just fine for me. I get service pretty much everywhere I go, and there's a lot of "out in the middle of nowhere" here. My siblings are on Verizon, so I get unlimited calls and texting to them, for less than my land-line used to cost.
ReplyDeleteI suppose that if I was into all the extras you can get with a cell phone now, I might be less happy with it, but I have a computer for all those extras, and I can wait 'till I get home.
I live in the Southeastern US and I can't help you much. I resisted having a cell phone almost as long as I resisted FaceBook.
ReplyDeleteI have a minute phone ... a cheap Trac Phone. WHEN I can afford minutes I have service most of the time. It occasionally drops a call but I haven't noticed not getting service being a problem.
I'm w/Max, well not in that sense.. :-) I have Verizon and I have unlimited long distance w/in the U.S. and I think maybe even International.. I got a call from Scotland and usually it shows up on my bill as minutes used- nada this time... I've had a few missed calls usually because of the signal but otherwise I'm ok w/it.. However,I've learned that Verizon's deals are not exactly that great especially when u get a new phone and the credit comes back to u via credit card- not such a great thing.
ReplyDeleteI live at the end of a very long country road but I have millionaires on each side...so my Verizon carrier is satisfactory if outrageously expensive!
ReplyDeleteI live in Youbetchastan. Also known as Alaska.
ReplyDeleteWireless service? *cough* I'm just now reading this, so obviously the hopelessly outdated 3G network was slightly overwhelmed recently.
Gar.
I'm in BC, service is Telus and it depends on what mountain you're behind as to whether or not your phone works. Usually, when your car breaks down in some unpopulated wilderness area, that's where there's no service :O)
ReplyDelete1) USA
ReplyDelete2) Wireless service is too expensive, esp. if you are like me and don't use it very much (I'm referring to my cell phone here).
3) Um, I think I just answered that.
One of our favorite - oops, favourite; I keep forgetting the u - complaint subject revolves around wireless service. Whether it's an old-style cell phone or a newfangled, all singing, all dancing smartphone, we love to complain about how much wireless service costs us and what we get in return
ReplyDelete