Can American cellphone carriers really not handle unlimited data plans on their current networks?
Allow me to answer this with a comparison of something I know better - Indonesian telcos have been offering "unlimited" data plans for the last 2-3 years, which actually give you a quota, say, 2 GB with the package's top speed, say 512Kbps, after which the speed will dial down to, say, 64 kbps when the quota is up. On top of that, almost all Blackberries have been using unlimited data plans for the last 2-3 years also. In a country with almost 80% mobile phone penetration, the networks are extremely congested, especially in urban areas, and complaining about mobile internet data speeds is the norm. Telcos who manage to upgrade their bandwidth usually find the extra capacity full within 3 months, leaving them back at square one.Congested networks lead to bad service and in a market that is 90% prepaid and phones are bought without contract, it will make the customer easily switch to another operator to look for better service.I don't agree on how US telco operators try to charge the customer for everything - i.e. a mobile internet data plan does not include tethering - but when it comes to unlimited data plans, it is truly a network issue.
Are abandoned cart emails allowed under Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL)? If so, under what circumstances?
Abandoned cart emails can be a tricky area under CASL because while they have a transactional feel, they are definitely promotional content. You may want to only send to potential customers who have already clearly given you implied or express consent previously.However, you can only send abandoned cart emails to those who have already added their email address into your checkout section (in theory), so you should consider including a section beneath that tells them exactly what emails they will receive once they do this, and that they can opt out at any time. This grants implied consent for abandoned cart emails, but it also gains express consent any time someone actually completes a purchase, because you’ve also taken their full contact information.For more on the nuances of CASL, read here.
Is it CASL-compliant to send an SMS to a potential subscriber to obtain express permission?
Yes, if you have their implied consent.An SMS request for express consent is considered to be a CEM, and therefore cannot be sent without implied consent.PROOF:1. This is from https://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/inter... (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission):2. This screenshot is taken From Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) Guidance on Implied Consent:Although the second screenshot says that “…therefore is not a method through which express consent can be obtained…”, a CEM is a CEM, the first screenshot clearly says, “…you can’t unless you already have implied consent”Briefly on the implied consent. You have the implied consent if:- if you found their phone online where everybody can see it, and they never mentioned they don’t want to be contacted;- if they bought something from you within the last 2 years;- if the were asking you about about your products/services within the last 6 month;(I can provide the links to the sources if you like, I’m just lazy)