Canada is so behind in Mobile phone service...

Luckily or unluckily, I have a few friends in the UK and I marvel at how far advanced they are in both pricing and usage of Mobile phones. For example, you can buy TOP UP card in the UK at corner stores. Not only do these top up cards come in a range of prices - $5, $10, 15$ and up, you can use them or not and they will still retain their value. This is very unlike here in Canada where it is "use it or lose it" policy. If you don't use your TOP UP minutes in thirty days, bye-bye - time to fork out more cash. Also in the UK, you can buy phone out of vending machine and at the Tube newpaper shops. It can't get easier than that. This along with the usual 45 minute wait time to get a new mobile phone in Canada or even for someone at BELL at to even answer a simple question begs the simple query - what the heck is taking us so long to catch up?
Well the answer, unfortunately is always simple and the same - money. They make more money gouging us this way, so why switch. For that simple reason, I really try not to use my mobile phone. Why should I line their pockets when my own are threadbare?