Wireless Communications: A Strong Signal for a Stronger Canada

Industry association stresses urgent need for more spectrum and removal of policy disincentives to continued investment


OTTAWA, July 15, 2010 /Canada NewsWire Telbec/ - The Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) has announced the release of "Wireless Communications: A Strong Signal for a Stronger Canada", the wireless industry's input to the Government of Canada's Digital Economy Strategy consultation. As the Government embarks on this critical process to define and refine those policy elements that will shape Canada's Digital Economy Strategy for the next five to seven years, CWTA has provided numerous recommendations that are essential in continuing to deliver a world-class wireless ecosystem that provides an increasingly important technological backbone for all aspects of life in Canada.

Growing Demands Need to be Met

Globally, mobile data traffic increased 160% between December 2008 and December 2009, and will double every year between 2010 and 2014. Canadian networks are far from immune to these pressures, given the exponential increase in Canadians' adoption and usage of advanced wireless devices in the next few years.

"To avoid network traffic jams that would otherwise compromise the economic and social benefits inherent in advanced wireless broadband networks, wireless carriers will be under constant pressure to increase the already heady pace of capital and spectrum investments," said CWTA President & CEO Bernard Lord. "As a critical element of its Digital Economy Strategy, the Government must act immediately to make available additional spectrum to help alleviate the impending network data crunch."

Among its key recommendations, CWTA stresses the urgent need for the Government to act expeditiously and immediately commence the much-anticipated licensing processes for the 700 MHz and 2500 MHz spectrum. In relation to the 700 MHz licensing process, CWTA would clearly be concerned with any delays to the DTV transition and is encouraged by comments made by CRTC officials that the DTV transition date will not change. In addition, CWTA states that the Government must take all necessary steps to identify 500 MHz of additional spectrum that should be made available for commercial wireless services.

Ovum: Canadian Wireless Carriers Pay the Highest Spectrum License Fees in the G7

In another key recommendation, CWTA says it is imperative that the Government look for ways to reduce and remove policy and regulatory disincentives to network investment. Wireless carriers in Canada, and ultimately their customers, have to absorb disproportionately high regulatory costs. These costs act as a drag on the amount of capital available for required network investment and innovation.

A new report by Ovum Consulting confirms that Canadian wireless carriers pay some of the highest Government spectrum licence fees in the world - by far the highest in the G7, and second only to Australia in the developed world. The complete Ovum international comparison of spectrum licence fees is available at: http://www.cwta.ca/CWTASite/english/pdf/Ovum_SpectrumFees.pdf

In 2010, Canadian carriers will pay nearly $130 million in spectrum licence fees. If the 2009 US fee model were applied in Canada, the industry would pay less than $4 million in licence fees. In this regard, CWTA notes that the recent "Plan for a Digital Canada", issued by the Senate Committee on Transport and Communications, recommends that "Industry Canada, in establishing policies to allocate and price spectrum, consider pricing regimes in other countries, especially those in the United States."

"Excessive and arbitrary fees, levies and other regulatory charges will only serve to redirect funding that could otherwise be spent on further network investment," said Mr. Lord. "Canadian consumers already absorb some of the highest Government spectrum licence fees in the world. And these fees are on top of the hundreds of millions of dollars that wireless carriers expect to pay in other regulatory fees and charges between 2010 and 2012, and on top of the billions they will need to raise to participate in upcoming spectrum auctions over the next 12 to 24 months."

Wireless Communications Make Canada Stronger

The wireless industry in Canada makes an undeniable contribution to the economy and social fabric of Canada. The industry delivers an economic benefit of some $39 billion annually, creates nearly 300,000 high-value jobs, and contributes numerous national social programs to enhance civic participation and public safety in communities across the country.

"The growth of the industry since its launch 25 years ago has prompted a communications revolution that impacts all Canadians," said Mr. Lord. "In a country as vast as Canada, any technology that brings us closer makes us stronger. This has never been truer than today, when Canada boasts some of the most advanced wireless networks in the world, including more of the fastest HSPA+ networks than any other country in the G8."

The complete CWTA submission is available at: http://www.cwta.ca/CWTASite/english/whatsnew.html

Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA)

CWTA is the authority on wireless issues, developments and trends in Canada. It represents cellular, PCS, messaging, mobile radio, fixed wireless and mobile satellite carriers as well as companies that develop and produce products and services for the industry. (www.cwta.ca)

ProtectionPower.ca brings identity theft protection to Canadians

Integrated solution from top providers helps Canadians recognize and defend against identity theft


OAKVILLE, Ontario, June 3, 2010 /Canada NewsWire Telbec/ - ProtectionPower.ca has launched a new suite of online tools to help Canadians educate and protect themselves against potential threats including identity theft, credit fraud, data loss, data breach, credit card theft, and many other online threats. Developed to combat the growing incidence of identity theft and the lack of practical tools to prevent it, ProtectionPower.ca offers an integrated service that has never before been available to Canadian consumers and includes identity monitoring.

According to a 2009 report by Canada's Privacy Commissioner, more than one in six Canadians has been a victim of identity theft, making it Canada's fastest growing crime. Given the huge toll identity theft can take - in terms of stress, lost time and money - it is vital that Canadians of all ages, professions and financial situations take steps to protect themselves.

"The escalating frequency of identity theft in Canada is worrisome, and even more disturbing is how few people are taking meaningful, proactive steps to protect themselves," explained Jamie Opalchuk, CEO of Opie Marketing Group Inc., the parent of ProtectionPower.ca. "We aggregated the best solutions available from top companies, and developed a highly trained identity theft education team as well as an extensive resource library, all to help Canadians identify and stop identity theft before it occurs."

ProtectionPower.ca is powered by industry leaders in credit, security and data protection services. Its partners include:

- TransUnion, one of Canada's two major credit bureaus offering credit reporting and credit monitoring solutions;

- SpotMyID, proactive identity monitoring, powered by Cyveillance, a global leader in cyber intelligence;

- Chartis, a world leading property-casualty and general insurance organization serving more than 40 million clients in over 160 countries and jurisdictions;

- STOPzilla and The Shield Deluxe by iS3, Inc., developer of leading anti-spyware solutions and ant-virus software; and

- Databanx, powered by Storagepipe, one of Canada's leading online data backup services.

About ProtectionPower.ca

Protection Power is a leading Canadian provider of personal information protection services. Founded by a team of security experts with a background in credit/financial services and technology, Protection Power offers the features and experience you need to stay in control of your financial life. ProtectionPower.ca offers four levels of protection, designed to meet all needs and budgets. From a free-for-life starter membership through the most comprehensive level of membership, ProtectionPower.ca offers advanced credit, identity and data protection services to all Canadians. For more information on identity theft, services available or to subscribe, visit www.protectionpower.ca.

Public beware - motor vehicle insurance scam in Ontario

NORTH BAY, Ontario May 27, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - The Canadian Anti-fraud Centre (formerly Phonebusters) and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are warning people who are seeking and obtaining automobile insurance, that fraudsters have been advertising fraudulent insurance premiums in Ontario newspapers and on websites.

Signs consumers need to be aware of are:

- Unusually low rates
- Everyone is accepted
- A phoney, invalid insurance slip is mailed or emailed to buyers after they have sent their premium through Western Union or Money Gram.

Complaints forwarded by victims of this automobile insurance scam confirm that the scammers have used company names such as "Arthur and Son", "Smith and Sons" and "Addison and Sons".

A scam of this nature is serious in that victims are not aware that their automobile insurance is not valid until they are involved in a collision or are stopped by police.

The Canadian Anti-fraud Centre is advising citizens to protect themselves by following a few safety measures when shopping for automobile insurance. Legitimate insurance companies and brokers have to be registered in Ontario and a consumer can verify a company through the following two sources of information:

1) All Ontario Insurance brokers have to be licensed with the Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario (RIBO). You can contact RIBO at 416-365-3098 and 1-800-265-3097 or by visiting www.ribo.com

2) In Ontario, automobile insurance is regulated by the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO), an agency of the Ontario Ministry of Finance. In order to provide insurance, an insurance company must be registered with FSCO. You can contact FSCO at www.fsco.gov.on.ca

If you suspect you have or are about to purchase fraudulent insurance, please contact your local police service and the Canadian Anti-fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.

You may also visit www.phonebuster.com to educate yourself against fraud and scams currently affecting Canadians.

www.opp.ca

The Dangers of Selling on eBay

from Life123.com
By: Dachary Carey

Selling on eBay can be highly profitable, but it can also be a dangerous prospect. If you regularly sell on eBay, look out for these common fraud schemes:

Paying More than an Item Is Worth

One of the oldest tricks in the book is a request to pay you more than the item is worth, with the provision that you'll send the excess funds back to the buyer when you ship the item. In these cases, the funds you receive are fraudulent, either in the form of a fraudulent money order or check, or a stolen credit card.

Within a few days, but after you've shipped the item, the bank tells you the check is fraudulent and you're left without the funds and without the item. You can appeal to PayPal or eBay, but if you didn't follow the steps for seller protection, you might be out of luck.

Only Use Approved Payment Methods

Because of the dangers of fraud and scams, it's important to only use approved payment methods when you sell on eBay. Use PayPal or escrow.com to ensure the security of your transactions and to know you have protection in the event of fraud. If you use merchant accounts or other payment methods, eBay does not provide protection services and you may be out of luck if you get caught by a fraudulent transaction.

Watch out for Shill Bidders

In a real-world auction, a shill bidder is someone hired by the seller to drive up the price of an item. On eBay, a slightly more sophisticated version of this scam operates. Multiple shill bidders coordinate to drive the price of an item up, then withdraw their high bids at the last minute so a low bid wins the item.

For example, if one person bids $10 on the item, and the next person bids $400, no one else is going to bid on the item. Moments before the auction concludes, the $400 bid is withdrawn. You're left with a $10 bid on an item, and no other bidders. If you notice a drastic jump in bidding, do some research on your bidders to ensure they have good feedback and are legitimate buyers.

Unusual Requests

eBay fraud comes in many forms. If you get an unusual request from a buyer, or the buyer is located overseas, carefully verify the identity of your buyer and the legitimacy of the request. Make sure you follow all of eBay's seller protection policies. Look for bidders with good feedback to ensure you're not dealing with a fraudulent buyer. When in doubt, ask for verification or contact the eBay support team.

E-mail Phishing

Don't click on links in e-mails from eBay buyers. Use your eBay account to respond to questions to ensure you're not visiting a fraudulent Web site that will load viruses or keyloggers onto your computer. Some fraudsters send e-mails that look like they're coming from eBay, but if you click links contained in these e-mails, you'll actually be directed to a third-party Web site. There, you may have viruses or keyloggers loaded onto your computer, or you may be prompted to enter sensitive personal information to "verify" your account. Don't do it. These are the hallmarks of an identity-theft scam.

"Crime Prevention is Everyone's Responsibility"

ORILLIA, Ontario, May 7, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - "Everyone in Ontario can play an important role in making our community safer," OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino said today, as Police Week in Ontario commenced.

"Community safety is everyone's responsibility and crime prevention is everyone's business," states Commissioner Fantino. "Our partnerships with our communities are essential in preventing crime and making our citizens safer. The police can't do it alone; we need the support of every resident of Ontario. Police Week is a great opportunity to engage people in our communities on topics such as crime prevention programs and community policing."

The theme of Police Week 2010 is "Building Partnerships for a Safer Community." Police Week runs from May 9 - 15 in Ontario and is dedicated to increasing community awareness and recognition of policing services and strengthening partnerships between police and the community. Police Week 2010 will be celebrated by OPP Detachments throughout Ontario.

"Police Week is an opportunity to show our appreciation to our police officers and their community partners for all they do to keep our communities safe," said Rick Bartoluccci, Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services. "Ontario is safer and stronger thanks to our police services and the support of the government and all Ontarians."

For more information on Police Week activities in your community please contact your local OPP Detachment.

More details about community safety and crime prevention may be found on-line at: www.opp.ca

IDENTITY THEFT - Protect Yourself from Becoming a Victim

TORONTO, March 29, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - By remembering that 'knowledge is power,' Ontario Provincial Police say consumers can and should do more to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft.

Typical cases involving identity theft include situations where government documents such as drivers' licenses, health cards, Social Insurance Number (S.I.N.) cards and birth certificates have been forged or otherwise obtained. When identity is compromised, the consequences have a profound impact on individuals, businesses, government funds, and the public, in general.

Some basic steps consumers can take to better protect themselves from becoming a victim include never giving out personal information over the phone or over the internet and carry only the identification documents you need.

The OPP Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau' Identity Crimes Unit also now has stronger legislative tools with which to charge criminals for possessing the personal information of others and prevent it from being used for fraud or theft.

"Identity theft is the starting point for many types of crimes - credit and debit card fraud, mortgage fraud, and account takeovers among other things. Savvy criminals can manipulate technology in order to obtain documents that will support their crimes." - Deputy Commissioner Vince Hawkes, Ontario Provincial Police, Provincial Commander, Investigations/Organized Crime Command "

"Combating identity crimes requires the collaborative efforts of the financial industry, law enforcement, government agencies, and consumers. Consumers need to take steps that make it less likely for them to become a victim of identity theft." - Inspector Don Perron, Ontario Provincial Police, Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau.

OPP IDENTITY CRIMES UNIT - BACKGROUND

OPP Identity Crimes Unit (ICU) resides within the Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau in the Investigations and Organized Crime Command.

OPP ICU investigates forgery, identity theft and consumer fraud. The unit also takes the lead role in investigations into organized criminal groups carrying out fraudulent schemes involving the fabrication, trafficking and use of forged payment cards, forged cheques and counterfeit currency.

The ICU works in conjunction with municipal police services, OPP regions, as well as national and international law enforcement agencies and stakeholders, to identify and apprehend organized crime groups, locally and on a global basis.

IDENTITY CRIMES

Identity crimes include the acquisition of information or documents confirming identity of a living or deceased person, in order to perpetrate offences under the Criminal Code of Canada or any other statute. Typical cases involving identity theft include situations where government documents such as drivers' licenses, health cards, Social Insurance Number (SIN) cards and birth certificates have been forged or otherwise obtained. When your identity is compromised, the consequences have a profound impact on individuals, businesses, government funds, and the public, in general. Being a victim can affect your job, reputation, credit rating, benefits, or access to your own business and/or financial accounts.

The Canadian Bankers Association reported a loss of almost 500-million dollars in relation to the theft of payment card data in 2008.

In October 2009, legislation was passed by the Government of Canada to combat identity theft. This legislation provides law enforcement agencies with the tools and the ability to charge criminals for possessing the personal information of others before it is used for fraud or theft.

For more information, visit your financial institution's website, or contact the Canadian Bankers Association, Interac, Equifax, or TransUnion.

The OPP Identity Crimes Unit also has a number of tips and contacts to help you avoid becoming a victim of identity theft. To get more information, click on this link.

IDENTITY THEFT PREVENTION TIPS

When impostors co-opt your name, your Social Insurance Number (SIN), your credit card number, or some other piece of personal information without your knowledge for their use -- it's a crime, plain and simple. Consumers can take some basic steps to better protect themselves from becoming a victim of identity theft includes the following:

- NEVER give out personal information on the phone, through mail, or over the Internet unless you have initiated the transaction or are absolutely certain with whom you are speaking.

- CARRY only the Identity Documents you need. For example: When was the last time you were asked to produce your Social Insurance Card? Many of us have carried it in our wallets or purses for many years. The Social Insurance Card is identification that is very useful for criminals.

- NEVER throw personal documents in the garbage without shredding them first. Identity thieves routinely pick through garbage and recycling bins. Documents to be shredded include credit applications or offers, insurance forms, and physician statements.

- ALWAYS check your bank and credit card statements to ensure that they are accurate, and make sure they arrive on time. Notify your bank immediately if the statements stop arriving at their normal time as they could have been diverted to another address by a criminal.

- NEVER give out your Personal Identification Number (PIN) over the phone or on the Internet. Financial institutions WILL NEVER ask you for your PIN over the phone or via the Internet.

- CHANGE your passwords regularly. Use hard-to-guess passwords or a combination of letters and numbers. And never share your password with anyone.

- ALWAYS ensure you're in a safe environment when on the internet. Look for the closed-lock or unbroken-key icons on your browser when entering your credit card number or other sensitive data. If you don't see the unbroken key or closed lock, or if the key is broken or the padlock is open, your transaction is not being securely transmitted across the Internet.

- CLEAR your browser's cache after visiting secure sites to ensure nobody else can view confidential information you may have transmitted.

- INSTALL and maintain a firewall to guard against unwanted access to your computer and make sure you have the latest anti-virus software installed.

- BE suspicious of spam e-mails. Criminals will use e-mails to 'phish' for your personal information. Do not use the links provided by 'phishing' e-mails. They could direct you to a criminal's website that appears similar to that of a legitimate financial institution.

- ALWAYS manually direct yourself to your financial institution's website if conducting on-line banking.

- CONDUCT credit checks on yourself periodically to ensure that your Credit Profile accurately reflects your situation and report any discrepancies immediately.

OPP Reminds you to Protect Yourself from Telemarketing/Email Fraud

March is Fraud Prevention Month

ORILLIA, Ontario, March 18, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), in cooperation with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC), is notifying the public of a recent increase in the reported number of fraud attempts using the traditional "Emergency Scam".

The Emergency Scam has operated for years as a telemarketing scam throughout North America. Fraudsters contact potential victims while posing as a family member or friend in urgent need of cash. Often the scenario involves an accident or arrest while travelling abroad, with a request that cash be sent through a money transfer company, such as Western Union or Money Gram. In the past, fraudsters have successfully targeted grandparents, giving the scam its nickname "the Grandparents Scam".

In a recent variation of this scam, compromised contact lists from hijacked email accounts are used to send the potential victim an "urgent" email request for money from a friend or relative with whom they have a correspondence. Common themes continue to be hospitalization or imprisonment while away from home. The friend or relative is unaware that their account has been used to send out these requests to everyone on their contact list.

According to CAFC statistics for Ontario, in 2009 fraudsters using the Emergency Scam made 225 failed attempts but were successful 61 times which resulted in the victims being defrauded over $230,000.

By the end of February this year, there have been a reported 96 failed attempts but 23 successful scams reported in Ontario. Fraudsters have garnered a total in excess of $88,000 from Ontarians thus far in 2010. The CAFC estimates that these frauds reported to police only reflect 5% of the actual number of cases.

The OPP urges people to verify any and all requests for money, and to report suspected fraud to the CAFC at 888-495-8501.

FRAUD...Recognize it...Report it...Stop it.