New internet service labels not needed, Cogeco tells CRTC panel

American experiences with internet labelling regulations demonstrate that such rules are unnecessary in Canada, a Canadian telecom told the CRTC at the beginning of a proceeding on how to make shopping for internet services easier for consumers. The CRTC hearing was predicated by a bill passed in Parliament demanding companies provide clearer information to consumers about internet speeds being offered to them and what they receive. Cogeco Connexion Inc. appeared before the five-member panel Tuesday, June 10. Cogeco, which also operates in the United States under the name Breezeline, said the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules were imposed under different circumstances. Paul Beaudry, the company’s vice president of regulatory affairs, said the American market was plagued by inconsistent speeds offered by internet service providers (ISPs), making regulation necessary. The Canadian situation is not similar, he argued. Speeds in this country do not vary as widely so there is no likelihood of customers paying exorbitant prices for substandard service, he said. Cogeco’s chief legal and corporate affairs officer, Paul Cowling, said he is in agreement with the sentiment of providing people with enough information. “Cogeco agrees with the Canadian Parliament on the importance of ensuring that consumers have access to transparent and accurate information when shopping for an internet plan,” he stated. “However, the evidence on the public record in this proceeding demonstrates beyond a shadow of a doubt that Canadians have access to the information they need to make informed choices and that the imposition of additional regulatory measures by the commission would at best be unnecessary and at worst harmful to consumers.” Cowling cautioned against bringing in new rules. “More regulation is not always better for consumers,” he warned. Strong competition in the internet market has seen data caps disappear and prices drop, he added. Imposing new rules would only drive up costs, he posited. Peggy Barker, a board member of the Consumers’ Association of Canada’s Manitoba branch, took part in the afternoon session of the hearing. She dismissed concerns about the U.S. rules. “The comment about the experience in the States being that standardized labelling wasn't being used is, I think, dependent on how long the labelling has been available and how much the individual consumers know to be able to access and assess the information,” she told the commission. The original Canadian legislation, Bill C-288, was introduced into Parliament by Conservative MP Dan Mazier (Riding Mountain, Man.). He was the first witness at the proceeding Tuesday morning. “This hearing is not about whether internet service providers should provide standardized information to consumers,” he reminded commissioners. “That question has already been settled, unanimously by Parliament through bill C-288. The commission’s legal duty now is to determine how this transparency will be implemented, enforced, and provided in a format that is the most useful for Canadians.” Most Canadians do not have access to the high-powered legal and regulatory teams the telecoms deploy, he stated. They rely on consumer groups and people like him to make their arguments before the regulator. Mazier said that Canadian ISPs are able to get around advertising regulations by offering download and upload speeds “up to” certain levels -- if those levels are not reached, the law is not broken due to the wording of the ads. “As long as the service falls somewhere within the advertised range, they are following the rules,” the MP stressed. “If they promise speeds up to 50 megabits and the customer gets 10, that still technically meets the advertised speeds but it clearly doesn’t meet the consumer’s expectations.” The hearing is to continue on Wednesday with appearances by the Canadian Telecommunications Association, Telus Corp., BCE Inc., and OpenMedia. The proceeding is scheduled to last until Friday. ppark@thewirereport.ca

New internet service labels not needed, Cogeco tells CRTC panel

Regulatory |
By Paul Park
| June 10, 2025

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New internet service labels not needed, Cogeco tells CRTC panel

Regulatory | By Paul Park | June 10, 2025

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