Competitive pay-telephone service provider tells CRTC Bell should pay its bills

An Ontario-based pay-telephone owner and competitive pay-telephone service provider (CPTSP) wants the CRTC to order BCE Inc. to pay for providing toll-free services using regular business lines, arguing that the large telecom is trying to push out the competition. Friday, the CRTC published Part 1 application, dated Aug. 2021, by SDI Telecom -- the only and last CPTSP in Ontario -- to order Bell and others to pay SDI’s unpaid invoices in 30 days as well as implement a flat-rate compensation for pay telephone using any type of line (SIM card, VOIP, Landline) from any Canadian Telecom Carrier. SDI claims that in 2015 Bell converted most of SDI lines from pay telephone access lines (PAL) to business lines in and never told SDI that it can’t use business lines for his pay telephones. SDI noted that a 2019 CRTC decision stipulates that SDI “is entitled to receive, from Bell compensation of $0.25 per toll-free call made over Bell Canada-provided business lines to support retail pay telephone service. SDI is also entitled to receive, from Bell Canada and , the associated reports for toll-free calls originating from payphones owned by SDI and made over business lines.” “It is clear that Bell wants, at any price, the elimination of SDI Telecom Bell competitor for many years. When Bell stopped the toll free reports in 2019, Bell knew very well that they would be cutting immediately SDI toll free calls, the most important revenue from all Canadian carriers,” SDI wrote. “It is unclear why Bell did not advise SDI in 2019 that it will be using business lines instead of PAL lines and provide SDI with the opportunity to switch all payphones lines to PAL service. SDI would have made the switch right away in an effort to avoid filing an application to the CRTC and pursuing litigation.” SDI took Bell to a small claims court in July 2021, claiming Bell owed SDI $83,643.71 in payments (although SDI acknowledged it is aware that Small Claims Court cannot rule over $35.000). The SDI noted that “in or around” 1998 the regulator “mandated CPTSPs competitor to Bell pay telephone division.” It claimed that since then, many CRTC decisions confirmed that toll free call compensation must be paid by the interexchange carrier (ICX) to the CPTSP -- meaning -- telecom carriers like Bell must compensate SDI. SDI installs pay telephones outside in public, low income, areas including near homeless shelters across Toronto. “The main users of public pay telephones are primarily low income and homeless populations. SDI is dedicated to supplying its working pay telephones to the low income population in Toronto. In addition, SDI pay telephones are also located in areas that are not covered by Bell pay telephones due to the high volume of vandalism and maintenance,” SDI noted in its complaint. “The public pay telephone users depend on SDI public pay telephone all day and every day of the year.” It said it has been working with Bell for the past 18 years, and during that time the large telecom company has allegedly been “using elimination tactics” to remove competitors. SDI said it is the last one left in Ontario compared to two decades ago when there used to be approximately 400 CTPSPs in the province. “Therefore, it is imperative that SDI receive toll free call compensation revenue in full without deduction. Bell has not paid toll free compensation to SDI since December 2018. SDI asks the court to order Bell to pay SDI’s invoice in full without deduction in a timely manner,” it wrote in its July complaint. -- Reporting by Jenna Cocullo at jcocullo@thewirereport.ca and editing by Paul Park at ppark@thewirereport.ca.

Competitive pay-telephone service provider tells CRTC Bell should pay its bills

News | November 8, 2021

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Competitive pay-telephone service provider tells CRTC Bell should pay its bills

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