Attention: Secretary General of the CRTC.

I have a real problem (as every account holder should) with Telus’ proposed "Service Improvement Plan". 

Please explain to me why I should pay for the improvement and/or extension of service to communities up to a maximum of $25000.00 per household per area (not including the $1000.00 to be paid by each household in the upgrade area).  I would also like to know if Telus intends to prove these costs.  Their proposal states that all other households will subsidize THE ENTIRE AMOUNT of this upgrade with a $3.00/month per year to a maximum monthly rate of $35 per month rate increase for residential customers as well as an increase of no more than %10 per year for business customers.  Furthermore, Telus will not use these constraints anywhere there is competition!

What happens when the $26000.00 per household, in the many areas they upgrade, is paid?  Will Telus lower their rates?  Why do they expect their customers to pay for these upgrades?  In my opinion, Telus should be using it’s own capital to increase THEIR service.  Telus is a PUBLIC, and therefore, a FOR PROFIT company; they should be using these profits to upgrade their services, after all, they are doing so in the interest of profit.

When the B.C. government built the "Coquihalla" highway, a toll was charged to use it - in order to fund its construction; it was to be temporary.  The Canadian government used a "new" tax called income tax to fund its efforts during a war; it was to be temporary.  Both the toll and the tax are still here today.   I fear Telus will use the same tactics that these (and many other) governments have used.

In conclusion, I would like to state that there is a great chance that I, along with many other Telus users, will most likely change to competing Telecommunications carriers, thus prompting Telus to either: A) pass these charges down to the carriers that use their lines, B) increase the maximum charge to their customers in these areas that have competition or C) do both A) and B).

Please keep me informed via e-mail, regarding this matter.  Thank you.

Sincerely,

Mike Kadri

Cc: Willie Grieve VP Regulatory Affairs, Telus.

Bcc: Everybody in my e-mail list (see your most recent Telus Bill or e-mail me for a copy).