WHITEWATER REGION Foresters Falls_ — The Bell Telephone payphone at Annie’s Gas Bar and Variety will be staying.
Store owner Harry Aswal, who received a letter from Bell Telephone last month advising the phone would be removed from outside the store, started a petition and asked for support from various politicians to keep the payphone…and he was successful.
However, recently retired, and with more time on his hands, Mr. Aswal has decided to not stop with the payphone. He believes with as many people who live in the area, and the tourists who come to the area, especially throughout the summer months, that cellphone service needs to be much better than it is now.
“What does cell service do for our businesses, our families, our tourists,” he questioned.
Those in the area, and those who visit, pay for a service they can’t use much of the time because there is no service.
Using gasoline as an example, since that is part of his business, Mr. Aswal questioned, “If you are paying $1.16 for a litre of gas, and I only give you half a litre but charge you for the full litre – does that sound fair to you? Would you pay for a full litre only to get half a litre?”
Obviously, the answer is no, he stated.
In figuring out math using a base amount of $65 a year, Mr. Aswal figures in the last 20 years, the phone com
panies have raked in $15 million and much of that was free for them because while they charged the customers for the cell service, the customers weren’t able to access it.
“You mean to tell me they can’t find enough crumbs to pay for a tower,” he stated.
He believes that amount of money would have put up more than a few towers in the area to service cell customers.
There is a Department of Weights and Measures in Canada, and he questions if that department only operates for tangible items. Mr. Aswal believes it should be for all services, including cell service.
“Rural Canada is being left behind,” he said, adding, with a laugh, “I have cousins on Mount Everest who are goat herding and get better service than we do and they aren’t paying $69 a month.
“Why are we being left behind?”
He further noted that when people use their cell phones in the areas along the Ottawa River, they are “pinging” off the Quebec towers and are being chaged for long distance, even though technically they aren’t dialing long distance.
“Why is this happening in 2018?” Mr. Aswal questions.
He knows the three major cell services – Bell, Rogers and Teles – can work together to ensure there is better cell service in the area.
Mr. Aswal recalled when council was fighting for better cell service, and yet nothing has been done.
“Enough is enough,” he said.
Mr. Aswal has started a petition to get better cell service in the area. He’s hoping between his store in Foresters Falls and Kenny’s Store in Westmeath, more than 500 signatures can be collected within two weeks.
Then he can again contact the various municipal, provincial and federal politicians, as well as the various companies and ministries, and get better cell service.
