Mobile chatter

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Introduced on the Canadian scene in the early 1980s, cellular phones have become essential gear for more than 7 million Canadians. By 1999, the number of cell phone subscribers had grown to more than one-third the number of traditional telephone landlines.

Still, as chatty as Canadians are, they have catching up to do when it comes to cell phone ownership. In 1998, there were 17 cell phone subscribers per 100 people in Canada. By contrast, Finland—where cell phones were introduced two or three years ahead of Canada—led the world in cell phone use with 57 subscribers per 100 inhabitants.

Early adapters paid a high price for one of the first mobile phones. They were luxury items, with a $2,000 price tag and additional charges for talk time. Today, cell phones can be purchased for less than $100. In 1997, the average annual spending on mobile telephone services in Canada was $457.