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MDN - Give up that annoying Indiana Jones pop-behind, its driving us nuts !!!!

Aug 08, 08 - 07:04 pm Comment from: KingMel

Can you block text messages? I certainly don't want to be charged for spam incoming messages, and I don't want to be bothered with begging for a refund. This is getting ridiculous...

Aug 08, 08 - 07:04 pm Comment from: mossman

This industry minister is the same joker who claims there's plenty of competition in the ISP space, when in reality it's either your cable provider (only one in a given geographic area) or Bell (since all other 3rd party providers have to use Bell's lines).

This is typical of conservative approach to people--react, rather than prevent. They're making the onus on *us* to waste *our time* to deal with this shit (get charges reversed) after the fact, rather than prevent the problem from happening in the first place!

Choice is an illusion when it comes to cell phones and internet here, and straight capitalism cannot work when a corrupt monopoly or duopoly hold all the cards, force us into 3-year contracts... and the government is in their pocket.

Aug 08, 08 - 07:13 pm Comment from: ron

Annoyed, "MDN - Give up that annoying Indiana Jones pop-behind, its driving us nuts !!!!"

Try PithHelmet. I get no pop-ups, pop-unders, pop-behinds, or ads.

Personally... a move like this is cellular suicide... it will drive customers, especially young ones, away to Rogers.

Mind you... this just means Rogers will start charging on incoming SMS messages too.

Canadians get screwed by the cell phone cartels in Canada. We rely on text messages because our phone plans are so exorbitant.

Aug 08, 08 - 07:27 pm Comment from: ron

Add this. Pop-tarts or pop goes the weasel.

"...assured that customers charged for spam could contact their service provider to have the charges removed from their bills..."

They will probably charge for the phone call (for the 15 minutes on hold) and then there's an admin fee to have the charges removed. And you can only have 1 spam message removed at a time. Oh and only a maximum of 5 can be removed in any month. Ads sent by Bell or Telus are not considered spam.

Aug 08, 08 - 08:04 pm Comment from: Spark

We on ATT also get charged for incoming text messages. It's not just a Canadian telco rip off. I pay for my son's cell phone and when I see a spike I can go to the billing detail and see that while he has texted out maybe four or five times, his friends have sent him 70-100 messages which cost ME!!!. Why the hell texting isn't billed solely to the originator I don't know. Telephone calls are billed to the originator, why not cell phones? It's double-dipping by the telcos and it isn't right.

Yeah, really. I hate it. I think I might stop coming if you don't get rid of it. No joke... and I don't want to stop coming.

It's a bitch when you are so used to the government doing everything but wipe your butt for you, isn't it?

Grow up and take care of yourself. Change plans, change carriers, move to the USA. The Conservative government will not, I repeat, not be coming around to wipe your butt any time soon.

Aug 08, 08 - 08:22 pm Comment from: madgunde

Just an FYI, Rogers and Fido, the two carriers who carry the iPhone are not charging for incoming text messages. You know what to do.

Oh, I thought you Americans were so against governments interfering with the god-given right of all corporations to do whatever they want! Corporations are good and are so very good, because, well, they're corporations!

As soon as the idiot leaders of Canadia start emulating American style economics (i.e. corporations get a free pass paid for by the public), that's just more proof to brainwashed Americans that Canadians are stupid.

Healthcare for free? Baw, impossible!

Aug 08, 08 - 08:24 pm Comment from: Sir Gill Bates

I'm curious. Is your government still trying to make you register all of your guns? Last I heard a lot of people were telling them to shove it. Don't take their shit and they can't take your guns.

Aug 08, 08 - 08:29 pm Comment from: Sir Gill Bates

Dish,

Most Americans have swallowed that anti-national healthcare crap to the hilt. They will feel that way until they have no coverage and their backs are to the wall. The fear of impending bankruptcy or death can work wonders on your political beliefs.

Aug 08, 08 - 08:32 pm Comment from: jjjj

I always get Hey Dummy! pop under. Must be geo-targeted for us dumb SoCal'ers.

On topic, SMS pricing is interstate highway robbery.

Health care in Canada is free if you are on welfare or living on the streets.

The average tax payer in Canada pays $6000 a year for health care in their income taxes and for that princely sum you get to wait in line for up to 2 years. Good luck finding a family Doctor.

For $6000 a year in the USA you can get damn good coverage and have no waiting in line.

So if you are not disease ridden from birth, lazy, mentally ill or in prison, the American system is actually better.

Aug 08, 08 - 08:46 pm Comment from: Spark

I thought this thread was about text messaging charges. Interesting how it devolves into my country is great and yours sucks diatribes. Grow up, or at least stay on topic.

Aug 08, 08 - 08:58 pm Comment from: Sir Gill Bates

Spark,

I will not grow up and you can't make me.

I've had a cell phone since they first came out. I have never received a spam text msg. I have a 20 year old daughter and have unlimited text msg. It's cheaper than life insurance.

Who else is drinkin' tonight? Hoooo aaaaahhhh!!

Wow!
The amount of misinformation between Canadians and Americans regarding everything from Guns to healthcare is amazing.

1. the Canadian Health Care system is working just fine thank you.
No, it ain't perfect. but I can assure you that it works a damn sight better than dealing with an Insurance Company - ANY insurance company. these people are just plain evil. At least the government is only inefficient.

2. It is not generally known but the statistics bear this out: There are more long guns per capita in Canada than in the USA. They just happen to be long guns and not pistols. We Canucks do like to kill stuff, too!! We have more in common than you think.


3. I'm currently in Stugis having a fantastic time with my American cousins. USA is great. (Not as great as Canada, but really really close)

4. Incidentally, I love my new iPhone though I haven't received my first bill from Rogers. I paid a $280 penalty to leave my Telus account. It was worth every penny to get the iPhone.

Aug 09, 08 - 12:50 am Comment from: mossman

@ @mossman

I'm LOLing at the irony of the right-wing wanking of a response. I've rarely ever relied on government for their "socialist" services. I've never been on welfare, almost never use the health care system, but knock on wood, and I'm glad both are there for me just in case.

Also, I don't have a cell phone--yet. Obviously, I won't be going with Bell or Telus, though.

I'm not asking the cons to wipe my butt. I'm asking them to stop wiping the asses of the big corporations at our expense. Funny how cons are so against welfare for the poor, but will run and support welfare for the rich.

I feel sorry for you guys, here in Aus I pay 10c/message on prepaid and have never payed to receive one.

Have you ever tried to actually remove a charge from your cellphone bill? Sounds easy the way the companies tell the government, and it's true that the charges can be removed. HOWEVER, in actual practice you must "write a letter to the company that made the charge to have it removed." I found this out when my daughter downloaded "free" ringtones. Suddenly there was $65 a month in recurring charges on my cellphone bill. AT&T;allows this scam and collects the money for the scam operators, but then tells you when you protest that you must write letters. In other words, you get stonewalled when you actually try to protest unfair charges.

The Conservatives haven't had a majority in almost 2 decades. If any government has been throwing money at corporations it has been the Liberals.

Can you say Bombardier? Air Canada? PetroCanada? Any ad agency in Quebec?

Thought you could.

@Dish
Typical family of 4 in the USA paid $10,000 a year for basic health insurance in 2004. Things have not gotten cheaper since then. Currently a huge number of American citizens have no health care. These are not street people nor are they criminals. They are just normal hard working people who cannot afford health insurance and do work for a company that supplies coverage. The USA is one of the only countries in the world, and the only industrialized country that does not have universal health care.

Health care in the USA is inferior to most industrialized countries. It is a shame.

If you had ever taken a step into a hospital in other industrialized countries you would realize that the wonderful health care you are defending is not so wonderful after all. It is pretty average for care around the world. It is low quality for industrial countries. And it is far more expensive than most systems. Check the facts, not the propaganda.

Aug 09, 08 - 09:46 am Comment from: theloniousMac

perfect protest... We get everyone I'm Canada and US to text the minister everyday, at least once per day.

I bet Canada govt likes high cost of text messages for the same reason California's government LOVES high gas prices... They get a percentage cut.

Aug 09, 08 - 10:05 am Comment from: mossman

@@ mossman

Never once did I mention "money" when talking about the government and its inaction. I said "welfare." In context with the rest of my comments on this topic, and the initial response to me, welfare == "the health, happiness and fortunes of a person or group."

Let me lay it out for you again: the clown is saying that charges can be reversed. At the end of a busy day, how many people will be bothered to call into a large corporation's shit billing call centres, wait 10 minutes for service, to get $5 back? How many of those will fail to get all their money back?

I'm not exactly for government getting its hands in everything, but sometimes it's necessary when an industry or industry practices get carried away. You like the concept of a federally-legislated do-not-call list with penalties to back it up, right?

Aug 09, 08 - 11:23 am Comment from: Sir Gill Bates

Swing Geezer,

"We Canucks do like to kill stuff, too!!"

I wonder what the percentage of both populations is for hunters. I know it's on the decline down here. Most kids just stay inside playing video games and aren't exposed to the tradition.

Aug 09, 08 - 12:32 pm Comment from: Cubert

Cough up those Loonies ya Canucks!

Aug 09, 08 - 12:34 pm Comment from: Cubert

@Annoyed,
I kinda like them - they make me feel special.

Aug 09, 08 - 12:49 pm Comment from: Sir Gill Bates

Cubert,

"I kinda like them - they make me feel special."

Yeah, and getting spam mail gives me goose bumps.
What a life.

Aug 09, 08 - 01:06 pm Comment from: Sir Gill Bates

Here is a Google Quote of the Day:

The government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
- Ronald Reagan

That makes Prentice a pussy in my books. Coward!

Aug 09, 08 - 03:03 pm Comment from: Cubert

@SGB,
Meant to say "thpecial".

Aug 09, 08 - 03:25 pm Comment from: mike k.

@ Dish, your post contains too many inaccuracies to be taken seriously. you're either a troll or simply incapable of processing information like a rational person. either way, you merit no further response.

Aug 09, 08 - 04:37 pm Comment from: Sir Gill Bates

Cubert,

You are tho thilly.

Aug 09, 08 - 04:45 pm Comment from: Sir Gill Bates

I'm sitting here chilling out to Michael Bublé. It just doesn't get any better than this. Thank you Canada.

Aug 09, 08 - 06:51 pm Comment from: The Other Steve

"he was 'assured that customers charged for spam could contact their service provider to have the charges removed from their bills"

All one has to do is send a text message to Bell Mobility or Telus and they will remove the charges. Of course they will charge you for that massage, and their response.

Aug 09, 08 - 07:02 pm Comment from: The Other Steve

"USA is great. (Not as great as Canada, but really really close)"

@Swing Geezer
Thanks! It's good to know not everyone hates us.

Aug 10, 08 - 10:29 am Comment from: macaholic

Altho I dislike this new practice of charging for incoming text, it is to be applied to those who DO NOT have messaging plan already. The cheap bastards!! (myself included)

wtf is wrong with you guys - don't you love capitalism so much anymore?

Aug 10, 08 - 12:07 pm Comment from: Big Al

mike k,

I am a Canadian who subsidizes the Health Care of my fellow Canadians to the tune of fifteen to eighteen thousand dollars a year through my almost 50% tax rate.

I cannot find a family doctor since mine retired 3 years ago. I have to go to a local clinic or emergency if I have a medical problem.

I have a 1.5 year wait in my province for knee surgery which I will need in a year or two. I will save money by getting back to work much sooner if I go to the USA and pay $60,000 to get the surgery, when I need it, as soon as I need it.

Universal Wait in Line Health Care is just not working in Canada. Competition from a thriving private sector, which all other major industrial countries in the world have, is the only answer to make Universal Health Care more efficient.

Believe me, most Americans would not want a Government rationed Universal Health Care System with bureaucrats, instead of Doctors, in charge of the system.

The current, for profit, medical system in the USA has produced more medical breakthroughs than all the other medical systems in the world combined. The for profit incentive is a hard thing to beat. Those people who actually work for a living understand this and support this. Those who live sucking on the government teat do not get this at all.

Aug 11, 08 - 02:18 am Comment from: WetcoastBob

Prentice is a Yes-Man. Stevie is all for big biz and F*ck the little guy.