Wholesale-based ISPs back Quebecor’s fibre complaint against Bell

The Competitive Network Operators of Canada (CNOC) and TekSavvy Solutions Inc. have both rowed in behind Quebecor Inc. in a complaint the regional competitor filed against BCE Inc. in February over access to Bell's fibre infrastructure. CNOC thinks the CRTC should go further than what Quebecor is asking for, however. While many of the details of the complaint are redacted, Quebecor had asked the CRTC to mandate that Bell freeze its rates until the planned review of the regulatory framework for wireline services is over. Quebecor filed its complaint in late February, two weeks before the CRTC launched a fresh review of the wireline wholesale regime, as well as an expedited review of access to fibre-to-the-premises. CNOC argued in an Apr. 3 filing that while it did not oppose the request for the commission to freeze rates for transport services in areas where Bell is the dominant provider, a rates freeze wouldn't "fully address the significant problems" associated with the wholesale transport market. "For example, freezing Bell Canada’s current rates for wholesale transport services would undoubtedly freeze rates at levels that are already inflated, not just and reasonable, and are stifling competition," CNOC wrote in its intervention. "Moreover, it is not clear how such a freeze could be operationalized given that the base rate for Bell Canada’s various wholesale transport services is not known." TekSavvy, too, weighed in to support Quebecor's request for a rates freeze. "Bell should not take advantage of its dominant market position, including monopoly or quasi-monopoly presence in some areas, to charge rates for transport services that present insurmountable barriers to competition," the Chatham, Ont.-based wholesale competitor wrote in its own Apr. 3 intervention. TekSavvy concedes that it has not yet entered into any commercial agreements for the provision of unregulated transport services with Bell in areas where Bell is the dominant provider. "That being said, as we provision more disaggregated services in areas that are less and less urban," TekSavvy argued, "it will become more likely that we encounter areas where Bell is the dominant provider, and the prospect that they charge unreasonable rates or impose unreasonable terms would threaten the viability of wholesale services in those areas."

Wholesale-based ISPs back Quebecor’s fibre complaint against Bell

Brief | April 5, 2023

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Wholesale-based ISPs back Quebecor’s fibre complaint against Bell

Brief | April 5, 2023

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