Wirelessnorth.ca

PWC has launched a project we heartily endorse, an open call for opinions on Canada’s digital future. Winners may even win a ticket to Canada 3.0 to be held again this year in exotic… Stratford Ontario. In any case, we strongly encourage you to have at it.

Give ‘em hell.

here’s the deets:

Canada’s Digital Compass will draw a community of Canadians who are passionate about digital transformation to submit and vote on ideas that could help position Canada to lead the digital economy. Weekly competitions will take place on five topic areas and winners from each competition will participate in a final showdown on May 4, 2010 where the top three ideas will be chosen. The three winners will be awarded tickets to the Canada 3.0 conference at the University of Waterloo on May 10-11, 2010 where their submissions could be presented to attendees.

Link: PWC Digital Compass

Koodo, the garish-colored discount flogger of Telus’ cheap hand-me-down “feature” phones, just got even cheaper. According to MobileSyrup Koodo cut prices on all their entire lineup from $25 to $50. We may not like the ads, but around here, we do give Koodo credit for the lowest entry-prices for cellular services and their reasonably innovative “tab”. The tab works a bit like Fido dollars in reverse, get the phone in your hand now, and rent to own it through your plan.

But sadly, great phones these are not. The price cut could be sign of competition heating up in the low end (thanks Wind) or it could be a sign of something better. Last decade’s crap talk-and-text-CDMA have got to go. Koodo has yet to launch any HSPA devices, let’s hope this cut is them taking out the trash in preparation for launching something better.

The mobile industry needs right now more creative financing options for making smart(er) phones financially accessible to a greater number of Canadians.

Over on the Tyee.ca Steve Anderson makes a few good points:

In last week’s speech from the throne and release of the budget, the government had an opportunity to address digital issues. All that was made clear, however, was that government is committed to opening Canada’s telecommunications and satellite industries to foreign ownership. Giving up on our capacity to meet this challenge and instead relying primarily on foreign investment schemes is not the answer. Such an approach would, at best, miss the lessons learned from the countries that are leading in broadband speed, access and cost.

Link: Why Are Tories Giving up on Canadian Innovation?

[ see also: Canada Needs a Serious Agenda for Media Innovation ]

In markets like the UK, foreign-ownership of carriers has been consistent with a high level of industry competitiveness and mobile innovation. However elsewhere like New Zealand the case is not as clear.

In the wired world, the models that work for driving advanced broadband typically have involved significant investment at the national or municipal level, effectively fibre to the curb as a fundamental public-good infrastructure service like gas, water, or roads with private ISPs servicing and marketing the last “mile” to households. Of course wireless couldn’t be more different. Tower-sharing and in-territory roaming requirements are a step in the right direction of reducing total infrastructure costs. However, instead of otherwise lowering barriers to entry the government seems to set up spectrum auctions as a way to take billions out of ICT investment rather than put it in.

Canada will be joining the ranks of nearly every other country on the planet (save Cuba, any others?) to allow foreign ownership of Canadian telecom companies. Even North Korea recently allowed foreigners to build out a mobile network there. Coincidentally, that was Orascom, the same wolf-in-Wind’s clothing that effectively broke through the regulation here in Canada.

The good news is that the Government is belatedly doing the right thing. They’ve recognized that their policy aims for stimulating industry competition are at odds with the facts on the ground, and at odds with Canada’s antiquated (pre-internet, pre-mobile phone industry) Telecom Act.

One might argue they should have done this before the 2008 spectrum auction. Thereby the feds could have given all the new entrants as well as the incumbents a more fair and level playing field for raising capital. Boy are some still bitter about that.

But not to worry, there’s still the big 700Mhz spectrum auction to come. That’s the real good stuff. And wouldn’t you know it, there’s also a yawning government deficit for which some of that foreign capital may slot in just nicely.

By the way, if you think that all this extracting billions from the telco industry by spectrum auctions will ultimately lower your wireless bill, you may in fact be dreaming.

But whatever, bring on the foreigners. Giddy-up, this business is gonna get interesting.

Tony’s stock options just went way up. So did Dave’s. Those next capital calls are looking much easier now.

On the other side, look for Vodaphone or t-mobile to buy Bell/Telus by sometime tomorrow.

LINK: Canada may consider foreign control of telecoms