Cable / Telecom News

Far north carrier Ice Wireless announces 99-cent per week talk and text is coming


TORONTO – Intended to make a few waves just as the CRTC kicks off its two-week public hearing into its policies on the wireless market in Canada, Ice Wireless today said a few new plans, with one set at 99-cents per week, will launch next month.

“If we can do this in Canada’s North, where network costs are higher, there’s no reason we can’t do it in other parts of the country, if we’re allowed,” said Samer Bishay, president and CEO of Ice and its parent company Iristel.

Ice Wireless is a regional mobile network operator, where the company’s release says is restricted to Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Northern Quebec. It believes it is restricted to those regions ever since the CRTC told the company it could not use roaming arrangements with Rogers to allow customers of its Wi-Fi first brand Sugar Mobile to be so often using the Rogers network.

“Canadians are tired of being gouged by the Big Three wireless oligopolists. It’s time for real wireless competition to go national, not simply be limited to Canada’s North,” added Bishay.

“Even at 99-cents per week we’re making money, so look at your wireless phone bill and just imagine how much money Rogers, Telus and Bell are making off customers.”

The weekly prices of the new plans range from 99 cents to $5.99. For the basic service, customers receive 50 minutes of Canada-wide calling, unlimited global text and picture messaging, call forwarding and caller ID for 99 cents. A complete list of weekly service plans will be available at www.icewireless.ca.

The new plans will officially launch March 15.

All the new plans can be ordered online and a SIM card will be delivered within three to seven business days. There is a one-time activation fee of $9.99, which includes shipping.

The switch to weekly billing is certainly interesting. “It’s not just the affordability that is innovative, it’s also the weekly billing cycle which may be beneficial to Canadians on a tight budget,” Bishay added.