It's an interesting model of business. They really are a software development company when you drill down and have an army of nerds to pay for and they're offering you access to what is basically a large database. I think of it this way: Link has been around for what, like 15 years or something like that? So in marketing terms, it's well past the early stages of their product lifecycle when new users and early adopters of any technology pay the highest prices (look at any Apple product). In theory, the cost should have been reduced because they have a huge share of the market and, frankly, even I know how to write software now so the cost of coding and creating software is limited to how much time you spend to develop it. In the world of today versus the world of 1995, an upstart "Link", if it was smart, would market itself by offering a free download of the software and then different packages based on levels of usage...infrequent posters of trucks or freight would pay less than those who might want full-on posting every minute. Plus, taking a page from the world of eBay, verification and dispute mechanisms when buyers and sellers of freight are troublesome. In my mind, Link could make just as much money, if not more, by having a lower monthly rate but base it on usage kind of like how you can manage your data usage on your cell phone or home internet.
The other thing that bothers me about Link is that it's not regulated by the CRTC under the Telecommunications Act, which states that nobody can operate a telecommunications service without filing rates with the CRTC and defines telecommunication as:
“telecommunications”
« télécommunication »
“telecommunications” means the emission, transmission or reception of intelligence by any wire, cable, radio, optical or other electromagnetic system, or by any similar technical system;
“telecommunications common carrier”
« entreprise de télécommunication »
“telecommunications common carrier” means a person who owns or operates a transmission facility used by that person or another person to provide telecommunications services to the public for compensation;
“telecommunications facility”
« installation de télécommunication »
“telecommunications facility” means any facility, apparatus or other thing that is used or is capable of being used for telecommunications or for any operation directly connected with telecommunications, and includes a transmission facility;
“telecommunications service”
« service de télécommunication »
“telecommunications service” means a service provided by means of telecommunications facilities and includes the provision in whole or in part of telecommunications facilities and any related equipment, whether by sale, lease or otherwise;
“telecommunications service provider”
« fournisseur de services de télécommunication »
“telecommunications service provider” means a person who provides basic telecommunications services, including by exempt transmission apparatus;
“transmission facility”
« installation de transmission »
“transmission facility” means any wire, cable, radio, optical or other electromagnetic system, or any similar technical system, for the transmission of intelligence between network termination points, but does not include any exempt transmission apparatus.
It also defines "intelligence" as:
“intelligence”
« information »
“intelligence” means signs, signals, writing, images, sounds or intelligence of any nature;
So Link satisfies the definitions under the Act for being a facility and a common carrier to transmit information (intelligence) for compensation to the public and, therefore, their rates should be regulated. In fact, when Link is down and you can't use it, is that not comparable to when your phone at the office is down and you have to call the phone company, who is accountable to a government agency? When Link has that many users and market power, it's a wonder why nobody has stepped up and challenged them.