Little things make big differences

So I've been living back in Canada for about 2 months now, and minus the sometimes very cold weather, there have been a few other things that I've noticed about being back. (Maybe I should call they annoyances!)

The first is mobile phones. My one and half year old RAZR stopped working last week - so I've started having a look around for a replacement phone. In the UK, you can easily get the RAZR for free on a 1 year contract on any network (most mobile contracts are 1 year). In Canada, you can also get the RAZR, but it's on a 3 year contract, and it's not free. There's also some subtle differences in the phone costs. In the UK, the included air-time is only deducted for out-going phone calls. While here in Canada, you are not only charged for air-time for incoming phone calls, you are also charged long-distance rates if that incoming phone call is long distance! If you go pay-as-you-go you're in for a bigger surprise. In the UK, pick up a RAZR for $130 cdn including taxes. In Canada, Fido is selling the same phone for $400 not including tax!

The second thing I noticed is Canada's bank fees. The UK has enjoyed free banking for years for consumers (though there are rumblings that we will need to maintain a minimum balance now to enjoy them). When I say free bank fees, I'm talking specifically about the ability to withdraw money from any ATM. Virtually no UK bank will charge you a fee to withdraw money from another UK bank; whereas in Canada, I'm charged a $1.50 per transaction. It costs the banks virtually nothing to allow this - because of the electronic infrastructure, but as consumers all we can do is watch the bank's profits rise, and moan about the lack of good services.

If any company in Canada came along and fixed these things (mobile phones and banks) they would gain a massive influx of customers at the cost of the other carriers or banks. No question.