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Mobile data in Canada is notoriously expensive. The official justification is that it's a large, sparsely populated country. The actual explanation is regulatory capture by a cozy/corrupt domestic oligopoly that has successfully lobbied the government to stop foreign competitors.

Like Canada, Australia is also a very large, sparsely populated country but mobile data is fast and reasonably priced (e.g., https://www.aldimobile.com.au/plans/value-packs/, which I use).




I remember visiting Canada (this was many years ago) and looking into local prepaid SIM cards. The cost of roaming data was actually cheaper than the data pricing on the local prepaid SIM cards...


It’s very embarrassing as a Canadian when foreigners visit and do things with their phones here that I wouldn’t dream of doing myself on a local plan.

Time for me to email my MP tonight.


Even Telstra is offering 60GB / month for $49

https://www.telstra.com.au/mobile-phones/sim-only-plans

I’d be all over that but it says the plan is only available for new services and I’m rather fond of my mobile number.


Does Australia not have mobile number portability?


When I worked on a project for Rogers I was shocked and surprised to see the prices they charge. Oh and the never ending confusion in those family plans! Hated that work!


Please tell them about Sweden, Romania, Finland - all sparsely populated by faster and cheaper data rates.




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