Bell says it is free to withhold new services in dispute with CCSA

BCE Inc. is not unduly preferring its own TV service and is simply withholding new services and features as leverage in its negotiations with the Canadian Communication Systems Alliance, as is its right, according to Bell's response to a CCSA complaint. In a Sept. 18 CRTC filing in response to CCSA's August complaint, Bell says that the "standstill rule" of the Wholesale Code is meant to prohibit the withdrawal of services and features carried by members "prior to the dispute and the expired agreement." "To the extent that we can exert pressure from new services and/or features, we believe that we are within our rights to do so," Bell wrote in its filing with the CRTC. In its complaint, the CCSA, which represents small telecoms, had alleged that by "unreasonably denying or delaying access by CCSA Members to its programming services,” Bell is in violation of the “competitive safeguards” provision of its own license, as well as Wholesale Code rules for discretionary services. The CCSA did not detail which specific channels or features it says Bell is withholding in its original heavily redacted complaint. Bell says it has not denied access to additional services, and it just wants CCSA members to pay the asking price. "Quite the contrary, they were available (and are still), on the condition that Members pay for these services in accordance with reasonable terms and conditions," Bell wrote. The details of those costs were redacted. In an intervention in support of CCSA's complaint, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre advised that the CRTC should "Carefully consider CCSA’s confidential evidence" to determine whether or not Bell's withholding of certain services is "unreasonable." PIAC also suggested that in its decision on the matter, the regulator should reveal the details of Bell's denial of access. "This transparency could help to guide future behaviour by Bell Media (and other vertically-integrated television broadcasters) vis-à-vis all CCSA members and other independent broadcasting undertakings," PIAC wrote. "Such transparency would also inform/educate Canadians about the increasingly complex workings of the Canadian broadcasting system, which exists for their benefit." In its intervention, PIAC also pointed to another recent complaint against Bell over undue preference from VMedia Inc. On Aug. 5, VMedia complained that Bell was withholding its approval of certain apps carrying Bell programming, and “linked the approval of VMedia’s launch of the apps, to VMedia’s provision of further information about the Wholesale Customers, subsequent to which Bell would finalize its review and approval of distribution of their services via the apps to ‘approved customers’.” In that proceeding, Bell asked for and was granted an extension on its response to VMedia's complaint, in the hopes that Bell and VMedia could come to an agreement in the meantime. The CRTC gave Bell a deadline of Monday to file its response, which as of Monday afternoon was not yet posted to the regulator's website. In an intervention in the CCSA complaint, Hastings Cable Vision Ltd. wrote that it is a CCSA member, supports the organization's complaint, and asks to be considered a party to the complaint. Last year, Hastings Cable Vision launched an IPTV service with TekSavvy Solutions Inc. — Reporting by Michael Lee-Murphy at mleemurphy@thewirereport.ca and editing by Anja Karadeglija at akarad@thewirereport.ca

Bell says it is free to withhold new services in dispute with CCSA

News | September 21, 2020

Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need.

FREE TRIAL

SUBSCRIBE

Inside The Wire Report

Information

Hill Times Publishing

Get in Touch With Us

Bell says it is free to withhold new services in dispute with CCSA

News | September 21, 2020

Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need.

FREE TRIAL

SUBSCRIBE

Related Stories

Legal dispute between Bell, Rogers over Discovery channels ends

Rogers buys Bell’s stake in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment for $4.7B

Iristel asks CRTC to penalize Northwestel for disconnection in billing dispute

Woman sues Bell, Nordia after alleged privacy breach by call centre employee

Reuse & Permissions

Inside The Wire Report

Information

Hill Times Publishing

Get in Touch With Us