Bell Canada receives payphone windfall as Toronto airport wireless fight drags on

The dispute between wireless service providers (WSPs) and the administrators of the Pearson International Airport is benefiting one wireline carrier, although it would probably prefer to make its money the old fashioned way. The battle between the Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA) and the four major wireless carriers has been waged since last spring, resulting in the airport cutting power to three of the four WSPs. The management at Pearson announced last July that, as a result of the decreased wireless capability, it is offering free payphone calls in the airport. That program continues, even though the GM of media and communications concedes it has been expensive. Peter Gregg was not sure how much the airport has had to reimburse Bell Canada for the free calls. "But we do have about 28 million passengers come through this airport in a given year right now," he tells Network Letter. "And many of them do use the payphones." While Bell is getting money in one pocket, it is losing it from another. Bell Mobility is one of three WSPs that have had service at the airport reduced, the others being Telus Mobility and Rogers Wireless Communications Inc. Microcell Telecommunications Inc., whose contract runs until next August, has not yet been shut down, although Gregg says it may be cut off in the next few weeks. There are no plans for the two sides to continue talks. The negotiations had gone on for 15 months before the GTAA took its action. The CRTC, in Telecom Decision 2002-38, refused to step in to force the airport to keep the power on (NL Update, July 8/02). Rumors persist that other levels of government are working behind the scenes to reach a resolution but these reports remain unconfirmed. Gregg says some passengers were confused when the power was initially cut off in the summer. Even now, wireless service is spotty. "So you can make a phone call when you’re in the open areas of the departures hall, near the doorways, near a window, you’re fine," he reports. "But if you go inside the building deeper, you tend to lose the signal."

Bell Canada receives payphone windfall as Toronto airport wireless fight drags on

News | 10/08/2002 4:00 am EDT

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