Is the Big 3 telecom 'Fair for Canada' campaign working?

For several weeks now, the big three telecommunication firmsBell, Rogers and Telushavejoined forcesand waged a public relations blitz to win the hearts and minds of Canadians.

Their 'Fair for Canada' campaignseeks to rally the public to their side and "stand up for fair competition in Canada." Andtheywarnof the consequencesof the federal government givingU.S.-basedcompanies like Verizon Communications an unfair advantage to bid on valuable wireless spectrum.

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But some telecom analysts questiontheeffectivenessof the campaign, charging that theirmessage is a tough sell to many wary consumers who have little lovefor their cellphone providers.

"[The telecomproviders]haven't paid attention to the factwhether it's reality or not that the perception is they're taking advantage ofCanadian customers in the pocketbook and takingliberties with customer service," said Mark Blevis, a digital public affairs analyst.

"So they haven't built a relationship with the Canadian public. They've now turned to the Canadian public to come to their aid."

The three companies have launched full-page newspaper ads, radio spots and a Fair for Canada website, that includes an array of facts, figures, editorials and columns along with an open letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper signed by theCEOs of the big three.

Their beef is that the government limits how much of the spectrum the three incumbent companies can buy up. And thatchanges to rules in foreign ownershipmean a company like Verizon couldsnap up the spectrum that is off limits.

"The Government of Canada is risking the future of the Canadian wireless industry," the website states."The policy loopholes, which give giant American corporations an advantage in the wireless spectrum bidding process, are unfair and will have massive consequences for Canadians. This policy could undermine Canadians ability to connect to one another, threaten Canadian jobs, and raise significant concerns regarding privacy and security."

But the incumbents' concerns about competition may instead be sparking a consumer backlash.

Blevis did some analysis on the online response to the campaign and found that an "overwhelming number of people" have been critical of the campaign. It has given an excuse for those to complain about their providers' service and many welcome Verizon, hoping a fourth carrier will provide lower prices.

The website and Fair for Canada slogan has been mocked. Anda two-minute video showcasing the concerns of Bell, Telus and Rogers employees has beenparodied and criticized.

Meanwhile,a poll by Forum Researchfound that 57 per cent of Canadians support Verizon entering the Canadian market, and a majority believe its presence will lead to lower rates and better service.

"Canadians have sniffed this one out. They cantell whatthe big three are trying to do and it's not going over well," Blevis said.

Blevis believes the timing of the campaign was bad, coming duringsummer vacation when people eitheraren't around or aren't interested in telecom issues. He saidthe campaignalso erredby sending out amixed message.

"If they hadinspiredCanadians to protect the Canadian marketplace, that may have worked. Instead what they tried to do is get Canadians to protect them. And by all accounts, Canadians are not prepared to do that for the big three."

'They haven't been convinced'

Iain Grant, an analystwithThe Seaboard Group consulting firm,said that if effectiveness is measured by shifting public policy and by changing minds of the people who have the ability to change the policy, thiscampaign "has been one of the least effective lobbying/PR campaigns in history."

"Since the print campaign was launched, we've had the minister of industry say 'Ok, thank you, I've heard youNO. And then a week later we heard the prime minister... say, 'You didn't understand the minister? The answer is NO.

"Now those are the two Canadians whose opinions count the most. And they haven't been convinced."

John-Kurt Pliniussen, an associate professorin innovation, sales management and e-marketing at Queen's University school of business, saidinsteadof trying to appeal to a sense of patriotism, the incumbents should have beencontrite, admitted that their service has been subpar in the past, and promise to improve over the next couple of years.

"They could have done somethingthat makes the consumer, the user of their servicesmore pleased," hesaid. "They say this might happen, orthis might happen.They say nothing about our service, nothing about what our costs are."

Four or five years ago, the CRTC would receive about 900 complaints a year about telecom companies, Pliniussensaid.Now it's over 7,000.

"I don't think the trigger is Canada. I think the triggeris service. Service and value. Becausethat'sallwe care about is great service," he said.