CRTC launches review of approach to Internet services competition and lowers some wholesale rates effectively immediately

OTTAWA, ON and GATINEAU, QC, March 8, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, the CRTC is launching a consultation on the Internet services market to increase competition, create more choice and lower prices.

The CRTC recognizes its current approach is not meeting its objective of encouraging more competition in the Internet services market.

The CRTC will re-examine the rates competitors pay large telephone and cable companies for access to their networks. While it carries out this review, the CRTC is imposing an immediate 10% reduction on some wholesale rates.

The CRTC will also examine on an expedited basis whether large telephone and cable companies should provide competitors with access to their fibre-to-the-home networks, thus enabling faster Internet speeds to their customers.

The CRTC is welcoming comments until April 24, 2023 on the question of mandating access to fibre-to-the-home networks.

For all other issues within the scope of the review, comments are accepted until June 22, 2023.

Canadians can participate by:

• filling out the online form;
• writing to the Secretary General, CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario K1A ON2; or
• sending a fax to [phone].

All comments received will form part of the public record and will inform the CRTC's decision.

Quote

"The CRTC is taking immediate action to promote competition in the Internet services market. This starts today with a 10 percent reduction on some wholesale rates. We look forward to hearing from everyone who will participate in our public proceeding so that we can strike the right balance between lower prices and continued investment in high-quality and reliable networks."

- Vicky Eatrides, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, CRTC

Quick facts

• Competitors need to access the networks of large telephone and cable companies to offer Internet, television and telephone services to Canadians.
• The CRTC is immediately lowering some wholesale rates by 10% and will reassess wholesale rates more broadly during its review.
• The CRTC considers that access to fibre-to-the-home networks is essential to support competition. It will examine on an expedited basis whether large telephone and cable companies should provide competitors with access to their fibre-to-the-home networks.
• The CRTC will not pursue a broader implementation of the disaggregated model for wholesale access to the large companies' networks; however, this model will remain where it has already been approved.

Associated links

• Notice of hearing – Review of the wholesale high-speed access service framework (Notice of consultation CRTC 2023-56)
• Reconfiguring disaggregated wholesale high-speed access services (Telecom Decision CRTC 2023-53)
• Canadian Network Operators Consortium – request for temporary access to fibre-to-the-premises facilities (Telecom Decision CRTC 2023-54)
• John P. Roman – Request for review of CRTC's determinations regarding forbearance (Telecom Decision CRTC 2023-55)

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SOURCE Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

Media Relations, [email protected], [phone]; General Inquiries, [phone], Toll-free 1 (877) 249-CRTC (2782), TTY [phone]