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Canada, First in the World for Growth in the Smartphone Adoption

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An interesting blog post by Cisco cites the healthy competition among mobile operators as one of the key reasons for the rapid uptake of smartphones in Canada. The blog, written by Kristi Essick (right), points to the government's move to allow more entrants in the segment and how this has resulted in the cost of cellular data plans in Canada falling significantly since 2007, with this year alone registering a further 13% reduction in rates. According to the blog, the same scenario is taking place in Europe where low cost plans are driving the use of smartphones while US, with only 2 big players controlling over 65% of the market, sees slower growth in the uptake of smartphones as mobile rates continue to hold up. 

     

 

 

 

 

 
“Canadians have always been world leaders in Internet connectivity, and smartphone penetration and extensive mobile use can be seen as a natural extension of that,” says Bernard Lord, president and CEO of the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association. He cites the most recent Global Competitiveness Report from the World Economic Forum that ranked Canada ahead of the US in terms of broadband penetration and average Internet speeds. “Canada’s wireless service providers have invested heavily to ensure network capacity can address demands, making it possible for Canadians to continue to access the content through mobile devices that they've always accessed through the traditional internet,” says Lord.

 

“We still have more customers in the U.S., but the rate of adoption was quicker when we launched in Canada, and we attributed the quick growth to pent-up demand,” says Katie Baynes, a spokesperson for Square. “When we started business in the U.S., we would frequently receive emails, tweets, and messages from Canadians asking when we would be launching there.”

 

  Source - Cisco (Sept 23, 2013)
 
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Ray is a news editor at The Fast Mode, bringing with him more than 10 years of experience in the wireless industry.

For tips and feedback, email Ray at ray.sharma(at)thefastmode.com, or reach him on LinkedIn @raysharma10, Facebook @1RaySharma

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