Canada Opens FTTH Networks to Competitors in Ontario, Quebec

Canada’s telecom regulator, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), announced on Monday that, on a temporary and expedited basis, it is offering competitors a workable way to sell Internet services through the fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) networks of large telephone companies in Ontario and Quebec, where competition has significantly decreased. The regulator stated that it is taking this action to enhance the options and affordability of high-speed Internet services for over five million Canadian households.

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Also Read: CRTC Takes Major Step to Boost Cellphone Service Competition in Canada

CRTC’s Push for Enhanced Competition

As a result of this initial decision, large telephone companies are mandated to grant competitors access to their fibre-to-the-home networks within six months. This timeframe allows competitors to prepare their networks and develop information technology and billing systems, the official announcement said.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) pointed out that in recent years, the percentage of customers served by competitors has significantly decreased, with the most substantial decline occurring in Ontario and Quebec, where independent competitors now serve 47 percent fewer customers than they did just two years ago. The CRTC also observed that several competitors have been acquired by larger Internet providers, leaving Canadians with fewer options for high-speed Internet services.

Bell Canada’s Response

Following the CRTC’s decision, Canadian media and telecom company Bell announced its intentions to cut capital expenditures and scale back the expansion of high-speed fibre Internet due to the decision discouraging network investment.