Rogers request CRTC expeditiously order Bell and Telus to give it access to poles

Rogers Communications Inc. is asking the CRTC to mandate Telus Corp., BCE Inc. and its affiliates Bell MTS, Télébec, and Northwestel, to attach small cells to their poles, claiming their refusal to attach the equipment “has had, and will continue to have, a profound effect on the deployment of Rogers' broadband network.” “Small cells are a key enabler of 5G wireless technology. Poles are ideal supporting structures for small cells. While Bell and Telus have deployed their own small cells on their poles, they have blocked competing wireless providers like Rogers from doing so,” Rogers wrote to the commission. In a Part 1 application filed with the commission on July 4, but made public Wednesday, Rogers accused Bell of delaying its requests and Telus of “abruptly” changing its mind. “Bell has refused to process permit applications for small cell attachments to its poles since December 2019,” Rogers wrote. The company added that it and Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron sought a similar order from the commission three years ago, yet no decision on the application has been issued. According to Rogers, in 2022 Telus said the company could apply for permits for its small cell attachments but changed its mind in May. “Telus abruptly changed its position and announced that it would not accept or process Rogers’ requests to attach small cells” on the basis that the CRTC intends to launch a proceeding regarding the placement of equipment on incumbent local exchange carriers' (ILEC) support structures, according to the application. The CRTC announced it intended to launch that proceeding in February in a decision that set expedited timelines for large telephone companies to provide competitors with access to poles, increased reporting requirements for pole access requests to enhance transparency, and determined that new parties seeking access to poles are not responsible for certain costs. Rogers argued to the CRTC that there are no determinations from the February order that would halt its application. “It would be extraordinarily ironic if – a decision intended to facilitate competing broadband network deployment – now allowed Bell and Telus to deny access to their poles for the deployment of competing 5G wireless network infrastructure,” Rogers wrote. Rogers also requested the commission consider its application on an expedited basis with 10 days for interventions in response to the request for interim relief and five days for replies. “Without access to Bell and Telus poles for the deployment of their small cells, competing wireless service providers have been forced to delay their wireless network deployments and/or implement more costly deployment strategies. Losses resulting from these additional costs and anti-competitive delays are not recoverable,” Rogers wrote. – Reporting by Jenna Cocullo at jcocullo@thewirereport.ca and editing by Phalen Tynes-MacDonald at pcreed@thewirereport.ca.

Rogers request CRTC expeditiously order Bell and Telus to give it access to poles

News | July 12, 2023

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Rogers request CRTC expeditiously order Bell and Telus to give it access to poles

News | July 12, 2023

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