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By brians, June 29, 2009 12:02 pm

Michael Geist and others have reported that Rogers has again started inserting substitute content into the webpages of its customers. They originally started doing this in Decmber 2007 and backed off due to some media outcry, and perhaps pressure by Google.

Some are saying that this is a big outcry over nothing, but I think there’s a point to be made here. With both this example and their DNS error page, and it’s not just that they are doing this. They are doing it poorly.

If you look at the design and text of the pages they are inserting Rogers could do so much better.

Example 1: Michael Geist’s example page.

The text takes up half the screen. It’s not clean and tight. It even goes so far as to mention ‘if you’ve upgraded already – ignore this message’. If you’re going to take over someone’s screen, shouldn’t you already know if they’ve upgraded?

This could be improved with a small corner box at the top of the page – unobtrusive, which brings up a more detailed message about what they are looking for here. Instead this ugly box takes over much of my page and doesn’t add a whole lot of value – especially since it will have come up somewhat randomly for the user.

Example 2: Let’s take the more relevant example, the DNS error page. In my example here I entered for “gogle’ in my URL bar and reached a page with some ugly ads, bad search links and sponsored results. It’s quite clear what my mistake was here. Quite likely I was looking for Google. Why not just have a simple, clean interface outlining what the DNS server thought I was looking for. Google doesn’t seem to have a problem figuring this out. Even better, why not just send me to Google if the URL was close enough.

If you’re going to do page takeovers (and I’ll leave my comments about this until later), they are a chance to communicate and interact with your customers. Why does Rogers insist on looking like a 3rd tier cybersquatter, rather than craft an elegant and page which adds value to their customers experience? They can’t be making that much money from the URL redirect page, and instead raises the ire of Net Neutrality advocates for diminishing their internet experience.

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By brians, June 17, 2009 1:29 am

It’s challenging to think of a topic for the first post of a blog. There’s many things to write about and so much going on in the Canadian landscape.

I have a number of ideas of topics to write about but I thought it best to start with why I’m blogging in the first place. As those who know me know, I’m not short of opinions on technology and telecommunications issues, as well as on the Canadian small business and startup funding situation.

My background and inspiration to write about such topics start with growing up with a father who was deeply involved in building structures in Canada so that small business could find funding. He was the founder of Sharwood and Company,  a small merchant bank, now Spire Sharwood and wrote extensively in his time about the industry in Canada. I remember reading many of his “Sharwood Reports” when I was young – policy and thought pieces that still influence public policy today.

I also am inspired by Iain Grant, the founder of SeaBoard Group, a telecom research house and consultancy, where I worked for about 5 years. Iain is a well known pundit and writer on the telecommunications industry and bring with him a wealth of knowledge about the history of the industry as well as insights and wisdom. Known for being controversial and outspoken, he is not shy about promoting his views on the industry, and working hard for his clients developing thoughts on the industry.

While at SeaBoard Group I also met a number of reporters, writers and analysts who I continue to read and inspire me to put my own stake in the ground. These include Kevin Restivo, who I worked with at SeaBoard Group, and was a technology reporter for the Financial Post, Mark Evans, another great writer and social media expert and long-time blogger, Alec Saunders, an entrepreneur from Ottawa who writes insightfully about the industry, Mathew Ingram, long time and fanatical twitterer and reporter and social media expert from the Globe and Mail and Michael Geist, who I’ve only met once or twice a while ago, but whose opinions shape the Canadian digital landscape.

My current posting is with HomeStars, where I’m inspired every day by a team of great people including the founder, Nancy Peterson. I love the challenge of starting and growing companies, especially in early days. And I’m inspired by the great people who surround me and help the progress every day.

There are many others that inspire me to write and many other blogs and twitter feeds I read regularly and I’ll keep adding them to a blogroll at the side.

Writing a blog like this is a time commitment, and hopefully I’ll put away a few minutes every couple days and add my 2¢ to the digital conversation.