Canada Splits Local Phone, DSL Services

s20451 writes "Running counter to the recent string of pro-consolidation FCC rulings in the United States, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has ruled that big Telcos like Bell and Telus must offer ADSL service even when local phone service is provided by another company. Effectively this ruling splits local phone and net services, opening both up for competition and lower prices. Press release here."

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slashdotted - full text of press release

[ih8apple]

CRTC directs incumbent telephone companies to offer high-speed Internet services to competitors' residential telephone customers

OTTAWA-GATINEAU -- In a decision issued today, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) directs the incumbent telephone companies to provide their retail high-speed Internet services to residential customers of competitors upon request.

The incumbents--Bell Canada, Aliant Telecom, Sasktel and TELUS-- are to remove the restriction in their rules that makes their high-speed Internet services available only to their own residential customers.

Today's decision is about removing the obstacles to fair competition, said Mr. Charles Dalfen, CRTC Chairman. Making the incumbents' high-speed Internet services available to the competitors' subscribers will give customers more choice when it comes to choosing local telephone service providers and should enhance competition.

In this decision (Telecom Decision CRTC 2003-49,[] Call-Net Enterprises Inc. - Request to lift restrictions on the provision of digital subscriber line Internet services), the Commission has determined that by refusing to provide retail high-speed Internet services to competitors' customers, incumbent telephone companies are unjustly discriminating against their competitors and giving themselves an undue preference. This practice contravenes subsection 27(2) of the Telecommunications Act which prohibits unjust discrimination and undue preference.

The decision requires the incumbent telephone companies to make their high-speed Internet services, including Lite services, available to a competitor's residential telephone customers, who are served by local loops i.e. lines leased by the competitors from the incumbent telephone company.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission is an independent public authority that regulates and supervises broadcasting and telecommunications in Canada.

Reference document: Telecom Decision CRTC 2003-49