Tag Archives: wind

Culture

Canadians aware country is #1 in extreme, unfair mobile rates

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Canada's Cell Phone Rates: the Highest in the World | iPhone in Canada Blog

My name is Ann Murray (not that Ann Murray), and I’m a publicist for RingCredible, the next practical, affordable, secure and reliable solution in mobile VoIP calling.  I’m writing to explain  how consumers can spend as little as possible on mobile calling charges each month  – and quickly hack their household mobile calls spending.

This topic is especially timely, given how Canada’s mobile rate calling rates are one of the world’s worst – and also given the recent acquisition of Mobilicity by Telus. [see link below CP]

Why the hefty price? This is the fault of “The Pricey Three” – Bell, Rogers, and Telus – that lock customers into very expensive calling plans. If you’re in one of the Pricey Three’s plans, you are more likely to run out of call credits, you will have less minutes included, and the price of additional minutes will be more expensive than the rates of your friends and family around the world.

The solution is RingCredible’s “How to hack your mobile phone bill,” which include the following tips:

5. Use calling cards, which is a very cheap way to make calls (just not very convenient)

4. Try the smaller mobile calling alternatives owned by Bells, Rogers or Telus

3. Go with free peer-to-peer calls using Viber

2. Sign up for Wind and Mobilicity, which sell all-inclusive packages (Mobilicity was recently acquired by Telus)

1. Sign up for a VoIP provider such as Skype [Skype The Silo: thesiloteam CP], Fongo, or VoipGo

Our solution, RingCredible (App’s available at www.ringcredible.com) is a great, and nearly free calling choice, with the added benefit of offering the same user experience as when making a normal mobile call.

 Some other interesting results to consider  include:

* What the acquisition of Mobilicity by Telus means to the consumer http://mobilesyrup.com/2013/05/28/one-step-closer-ontario-superior-court-of-justice-approves-telus-acquisition-of-mobilicity/

* How to save when you’re out of the country and calling back home

* How other countries have hacked their own mobile calling rates 

mobilsyrup readers respond to "One step closer: Ontario Superior Court of Justice approves TELUS’ acquisition of Mobilicity"
mobilsyrup readers respond to “One step closer: Ontario Superior Court of Justice approves TELUS’ acquisition of Mobilicity”

For the Silo, Ann Murray.

Earth

Surviving Hurricane Sandy

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Pedestrians come to the aid of a motorist stuck on a flooded-out road along the shoreline area of Milford, Connecticut ahead of Hurricane Sandy October 29, 2012. The storm began battering the U.S. East Coast on Monday with fierce winds and driving rain, as the monster storm shut down transportation, shuttered businesses and sent thousands scrambling for higher ground. photo: REUTERS/Michelle McLoughlin

Dear Silo- I live in Jackson, N.J., about 10 miles inland, and did not get the devastating storm surge from Hurricane Sandy. And yet, I have never experienced such a catastrophic weather event.

High winds brought down thousands of trees, taking out power lines and crashing into homes. The destruction here is something I never imagined I would see.

images courtesy: NASA imaging

The Mantoloking Bridge, where the sea came into the bay, is where I crab all summer. It’s now crumpled in the water, surrounded by flooded homes. It’s heartbreaking to see images of the place you love destroyed.

Since most homes did not have power or internet immediately after the storm, we did not get to see the images of ravaged iconic Jersey Shore towns like Seaside Heights, Point Pleasant, Manasquan, Mantoloking, Atlantic City and Asbury Park. Local residents are shocked at the extent of the devastation revealed in newspaper photos. Entire shore towns are gone; there is nothing left.

People are starting to lose it by the day; they’ve never gone so long without power. People in New York are eating from Dumpsters. The lines for gas, if you can find it, are miles long. A few more days like this and I worry civilization will start to break down.

Thankfully, my family is OK. I’m nutty about preparation, so we have everything we need. It is so important to be prepared for disaster.

Since I had a generator and plenty of fuel, the loss of power was tolerable. I was able to run my refrigerator and freezer, charge my cell phone and iPad, light my house and watch DVDs on the flat screen. The biggest complaint from those without generators has been boredom.

My 4G iPad was a lifesaver. I was able to tune into local radio stations and keep up with the news; view pictures and videos of the
devastation; and play games to pass the time.

Water is worth its weight in gold during a crisis, you can never have too much. Canned food, candles, flashlights and batteries are other must-have prep items.

It is very difficult to get gasoline as many stations have no power or have not had any gas delivered. There are mile-long lines at the stations that do have power and gas. The traffic around them is incredible — it’s a wild scene!

Why did so many people have so little gas that they would line up for hours to fill their tank? Because they did not prepare for the major disaster that had been forecast for the greater part of a week. My three cars are all full because I filled up BEFORE the storm.

The Jersey Shore will come back, but it will take a very long time. I feel a profound sadness seeing the beautiful shore destroyed and witnessing the suffering of those who have lost everything.

Please use this tragedy to prepare your family for disaster natural or man made. The best investment you can make is a generator. Buy one BEFORE a crisis hits.  Louis Scatigna