OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - July 4, 2013) - The Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry, made the following statement today in response to the publication of a report from Wall Communications Inc. entitled Price Comparisons of Wireline, Wireless and Internet Services in Canada and with Foreign Jurisdictions:

"The Wall Communications report released today by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission demonstrates that the Harper Government's action to increase wireless competition is delivering lower prices and more choice for Canadian families.

"Based on Wall Communications' results, wireless prices have decreased 18 percent since 2008. This impressive decline shows that increased competition is keeping prices down while new technologies become available.

"In order to provide Canadians with access to the latest technology at better prices, the Harper Government has:

• set aside advanced wireless services-or AWS-spectrum for new entrants to help them break into the market;
• provided new entrants with access to capital by lifting foreign investment restrictions for companies with less than a 10-percent market share;
• introduced strong roaming and tower sharing policies to limit proliferation and deliver better services to consumers;
• required all companies to let competitors roam on their networks so that Canadians would benefit from improved coverage;
• ensured that at least four players in every region would be able to acquire spectrum in the upcoming spectrum auctions; and
• put in place clear rules to govern the transfer of spectrum licences with the objective of promoting a more competitive environment by preventing undue concentration of spectrum.

"Our plan is working: important progress has been made and Canadian families are seeing the benefits. The Harper Government will not let this progress be lost or undermined. We will continue. We will not hesitate to use any and every tool at our disposal to protect consumers and promote competition in every region of the country."