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Lack of Telus Service in the TTC subway

HP2
Neighbour

Why does Telus think that its acceptable to ignore the persistent requests to allow customers to access the Telus network in the TTC subway?  As I understand the Company is unwilling to use the platform that has been made available for over 3 years, despite other providers such as Freedom allowing it’s client base access to this infrastructure.  I don’t understand the rational, perhaps the Company’s marketing dept., could provide a response - preferably not as dismissive as the responses provided in the past. Thank you.

5 REPLIES 5

NFtoBC
Community Power User
Community Power User

It’s doubtful that any of the reasons have changed. Since the Neighbourhood is largely inhabited by Telus customers, we are unlikely to see any response from Telus staff on this topic.

 

NFtoBC
If you find a post useful, please give the author a "Kudo"

I would like to think that Telus staff may at least be monitoring the blogs.  I’m relatively new to Telus but if the topic is relevant to the majority of the Neighborhood, should we not have a stronger voice. After all are we not the customer ?

BillTelusCust
Rockstar

Perhaps you should complain to the TTC and your government.  It is my understanding that the TTC signed a contract with a company that is not even a mobile provider in Canada, which in turn sells access to providers.  Although I don't have any inside information, I imagine that the mainstream providers are not signing on so as to dissuade entities such as the TTC trying to make a lot of money selling exclusive access.  Any provider should be allowed to place infrastructure within the tunnels and stations without paying high fees.

Thank you for the advice.

It is interesting that you mentioned TTC potentially trying to make a lot of money by selling exclusive access, but interesting how none of the large US mobile firms have been allowed to compete in the Canadian market? It's probably why Canada has one of the most expensive mobile services in the world for its customers. It only takes one firm, to enable the others to follow, just wondering how Freedom Mobile (an offshoot of a larger telecommunications firm) manage to do it ? Did you know that T-Mobile allows is US customers free data access within Canada - it also works in the TTC. I think that a the forward thinking like Telus should pave the way - and not remain on the fence with the other mobile carriers.

BAI Communications Canada "won" a contract to build the network in the TTC stations and tunnels.  BAI Communications paid the TTC millions of dollars to get this contract.  Think about this for a moment. If you are building a cellular and data network, it COSTS money to build it.  Then they are also paying the TTC as well.  There's only one way that they can get back the investment, and that is to sell service on their infrastructure to the mobile companies, like Telus, Bell, Rogers, etc.  The money they charge the mobile companies would have to cover the costs of operations and maintenance of the network, the money paid to the TTC, and BAI Canada's profit.  Which in my estimation would te a LOT more money than to just rent space and build your own towers.  Freedom signed on. The others did not. I do not blame Telus/Rogers/Bell etc for not signing on.  Because if something like this took hold, every transit operator in the country, every airport, train station, and the like would be "selling" access to a third party such as BAI Communications and costs would go through the roof.  Ask yourself why the TTC sold exclusive rights, for 20 years, to  a firm that is not even a mobile company in Canada....put two and two together.  As to T-Mobile working there - yes, foreign operators generally sign on with all operators in a country so someone outside of Canada coming in would be able to use the TTC mobile.  I note that the Dunsmuir tunnel in Vancouver originally only had Rogers, but now it has the others.  What's different there?  No third party from what I understand.   https://www.blogto.com/tech/2019/09/toronto-ttc-cell-service-tunnels/