Some Saskatchewan residents worried that federal changes could ultimately affect the cost of landline telephone services in rural and remote areas are taking advantage of an extended deadlined to voice their concerns.
“It’s just another bit of money or cash flow off our bottom line, off our profit line. Every time we turn around we’re paying more,” Erling Brakefield said in a telephone interview Monday. A farmer and business owner from Wynyard, Brakefield read in his local newspaper about the phase out of landline telephone subsidies in rural and remote areas and submitted a comment online to the CRTC. Already paying over $200 a month for landline telephone services, he’s worried that he and his wife will end up paying even more.
The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) decided in December to phase out subsidies on such landlines, prompting concerns by Brakefield and other Saskatchewan residents that the cost of their services will rise. The CRTC recently extended the deadline for written submissions to June 15.
Jennifer Ackerman – Regina Leader-Post – June 5, 2017.
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Even if this happens I have a Sasktel cell plan which is $70 with 10 gigs of data and unlimited free calling to Canada and the USA I dropped the land line a long time ago. Rural residents are eligible for the same plan that I have.