Mobile Phone companies could be forced to collect 911 fees from consumers

Mobile Phone companies could soon be forced to collect a 911 fee from consumers and pass the cash along to the municipalities.

This comes as the province examines the merits of legislation that could help towns and cities pay for emergency dispatch centres.

Some wholesale cell phones already charge consumers a monthly 911 fee and some keep the profits. But the province is looking at forcing companies to pass those proceeds off.

"We're just exploring it at this point of whether in Alberta there's a need to access some of those fees to ensure some of those front line services are properly funded," said Donna Babchishin, Municipal Affairs spokesperson.

Currently, 911 fees charged on landline bills already go to municipalities. But there are some hiphone companies that don't currently charge consumers a 911 fee, so if a new law comes into effect, some mobile watch phones could escalate.

Telus said it dropped the 911 fee last year and doesn't want it to come back. The china cell phone company said it doesn't want to collect tax for municipalities.

There are six provinces that have already forced the change. Mayor Stephen Mandel believes it's time for Alberta to get on board.

"All of us need to put something into the safety and security of the city and it wouldn't hurt if china mobile phones companies could do that as well, so I think it's a good suggestion -- we'll see if they pass the law and if we get the money we'll find a way to spend it."

The china phone is lobbying for the change. It said Mobile Phone companies have been adding to their own pockets with these fees for too long and the province needs to step in and change that.

The decision could likely be months away. The tv mobile phone is now doing research on what other jurisdictions have done and why Ontario and B.C. have yet to go through the change.