1) Telus is being very aggressive and intrusive with its fiber optic/cell transmitter program. Its actions are similar to that of a monopoly, forgetting that people still have a choice. In some communities, Telus is attempting to eliminate competition, as per a letter written by one member. (see below)
2) October newsletter from Katie Singer:
http://www.electronicsilentspring.com/october-2016-newsletter/
3) The US electrical grid is old and deteriorating, just like Canada’s. Yet money is being spent on projects like the $$meters which do nothing to fix the broken, worn transmission lines, etc. Some suggestions that should be considered instead of fixing the old system, e.g. regional or municipal microgrids. The US military is doing this, I suspect to insulate its system from attack or accident.
Letters:
From: X
Sent: November 5, 2016
To: Sharon Noble
Hello All,
I just wanted to give you all another example of how little Telus cares about the individual person and how they are only interested in the bottom dollar.
I just found out yesterday that Telus has put our local TV/Internet provider Ucluelet Cable (Ukee Cable) [http://www.ukeecable.ca/] out of business!! I will try and keep this brief.
In 1967, local residents John and Dorothy Ludlow formed Ukee Cable to provide the community with improved Television to the Ucluelet. I don’t know for sure but I suspect all that was available at that time was maybe off air CBC radio/TV. They have had to make significant investments over the years with the infrastructure required to provide regular TV and lately HD Digital TV.
Until last year, Telus had to use a radio microwave link to provide telephone/internet service to Ucluelet/Tofino. Because of limitations of the old microwave radio, for the past 4/5 years Telus and Ukee cable were unable to sign up new customers for high speed internet. New residents that wanted Internet were limited to dialup!! I was one of those people. Ukee Cable relied on Telus to provide them the high speed connection to the Internet.
After a very, very long wait Telus finally finished running the fibre optic cable from Port Alberni and running fibre in town. Earlier this year, the fibre came online and Telus began selling Internet and Optic TV. Optic TV had different packages available so choice was available. The ONLY choice for people wanting Internet was $75 a month even if all a person wanted was just email and the occasional web browsing! Ukee Cable had several different packages depending on how much a person could afford.
Ukee Cable needed extra bandwidth from Telus to sign up new customers but they were not given this extra bandwidth UNTIL AFTER Telus had signed up most of the people in town who had been desperately waiting years for high speed internet. Telus also used predatory pricing as they offered 150M internet for only $75/month where they charged $125 for the same service in other fibre communities!! How could Ukee Cable compete with that.
I received a letter in my November Ukee Cable TV bill stating that Telus was now the proud owner of Ukee Cable!! “In 2017 your services will be transitioned to TELUS PureFibre services as our existing cable network is decommissioned.” BIG DEAL!! Ukee Cable was far from perfect but at least there was a choice. NOT ANY MORE! As we know there are many people that do not want anything to do with Telus. I suspect the owners were looking to their retirement and how Telus has made it impossible to compete with them. There were 2 local service people for Ukee Cable so I don’t know what will happen with them job wise.
Hope this wasn’t too long winded. Just wanted to give you another example of Telus’s Corporate mind set. Guess I need to look into Satellite TV ;-(