Rogers has already adjusted its wireless rates in Manitoba, increasing prices less than one month after news broke Bell was set to acquire local carrier MTS in a $3.9 billion deal.
In a statement to the Winnipeg Free Press, Rogers spokesman Aaron Lazarus explains why prices increased in the province, as stated below:
“We are determined to remain competitive in the marketplace and have added a new entry-level plan and given a data boost to add more value to one of our popular Share Everything plans. Price adjustments reflect factors including investments in our network and technology that allows us to deliver superior products and services, and the cost of doing business.”
That makes sense, right? Now you know.
Carleton University Prof. Dwayne Winseck, along with PhD student Benjamin Klass (he’s from Winnipeg), told the publication they plan to submit a formal intervention to the Competition Bureau in regards to Bell’s acquisition of MTS.
Winseck stated recently “Blessing the deal would also be at cross purposes with findings by the CRTC and Competition Bureau on several occasions last year that telecoms and TV markets in Canada are highly concentrated, while turning a blind eye to the anti-competitive behaviour that led to those findings.”
Bell and MTS argue the merger will result in more competition, as the sell off of one-third of new Bell MTS wireless customers to TELUS will ensure three strong competitors, versus two dominant players and one with under 10 per cent of marketshare. The deal will also see Bell commit to spending $1 billion over five years in Manitoba to increase wireless and broadband Internet speeds.
The Competition Bureau is inviting Canadians to share their thoughts on the Bell acquisition of MTS, which you can do so here.
