B.C. wireless startup alleges Telus blocking launch of MVNO service

A wireless startup based in Terrace, B.C. is asking the CRTC to step in after Telus Corp. allegedly refused to provide mandated network access, a move the smaller company claims is an attempt to stifle competition. Every-Day Computers Inc., operating as Ev-Com, filed a Part 1 application with the regulator alleging Telus is engaging in unjust discrimination and creating “unreasonable barriers” to prevent Ev-Com from launching its mobile services. The dispute revolves around the CRTC’s mandated wholesale mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) framework, designed to allow regional carriers to use the networks of dominant providers like Telus as they build out their own infrastructure. Ev-Com, which holds spectrum licenses for Skeena, Prince George, and Smithers, B.C., says it has met all regulatory requirements but remains blocked by what it describes as a “chicken-and-egg” barrier imposed by Telus. According to the application, Telus has refused to negotiate on a roaming agreement until Ev-Com demonstrates an “active retail customer base.” Ev-Com argues this demand is commercially impossible to meet because “no rural consumer will subscribe to a service that only works within a 5km radius of a single tower.” The company maintains that a roaming agreement is needed to create a viable retail service, and withholding one is effectively a refusal of service. To be eligible for MVNO access, the CRTC requires regional wireless carriers to be registered with the commission, have a home network, and be “actively offering mobile wireless services commercially to retail customers.” Ev-Com argues that the “active service” requirement — when it comes to entering an access agreement — must mean “technical readiness” for a commercial launch, otherwise there would be no point in the regime. “It cannot be interpreted to mean that a carrier must build a fully functional national roaming product before it can sign the roaming agreement,” writes Ev-Com. “Such an interpretation would render the framework useless for new entrants.” Telus has reportedly refused to participate in CRTC-assisted mediation, insisting the regulator must first rule on Ev-Com's eligibility. Telus did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication. In its filings, Ev-Com also claims Telus is acting as a “secondary regulator” by questioning the technical viability of its spectrum licenses, issued by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED). Telus allegedly characterized Ev-Com's spectrum holdings as “doubtful” and “unviable” for consumer use, citing an upcoming March 2026 expiry date. Ev-Com countered that this is the standard annual renewal date and Telus has no standing to audit licenses granted by ISED. The startup went on to accuse Telus of hypocrisy, noting the major carrier recently filed its own application accusing BCE Inc. of degrading its wholesale fibre services. “TELUS cannot claim that delay tactics are illegal when it is the buyer, but standard practice when it is the seller,” Ev-Com told the commission. Additionally, Ev-Com says Telus is putting it at an “unreasonable disadvantage” by imposing “mystery shopper” eligibility tests and, before refusing an agreement, proposing wholesale rates higher than the retail rates of its own flanker brands. The company did not publicly share the proposed amount, but referred to Public Mobile’s rate of approximately $0.68 per gigabyte. Ev-Com said it was founded to address connectivity gaps in the rural Pacific Northwest, including along Highway 16, known as the Highway of Tears. The company stated that delays in the agreement are causing “irreparable harm” by burning through capital and missing critical summer construction windows for tower deployment. The application asks the CRTC to issue a mandatory order directing Telus to sign a wholesale access agreement within 10 business days of its decision. Ev-Com is also seeking a declaration that its current status satisfies the intent of the “active service” requirement. news@thewirereport.ca

B.C. wireless startup alleges Telus blocking launch of MVNO service

Regulatory |
By Wire Report Staff
|January 30, 2026

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B.C. wireless startup alleges Telus blocking launch of MVNO service

Regulatory | By Wire Report Staff |January 30, 2026

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By Wire Report Staff
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