Eastlink network upgrades risk shutting out competitors in Cape Breton, Fibernetics warns

The issue of telecom carriers disconnecting their legacy equipment and putting wholesale competitors at risk has cropped up again at the CRTC, this time on the East Coast. Ontario-based Fibernetics Corp. filed a Part 1 application with the regulator on March 17, asking it to prevent Bragg Communications Inc. (Eastlink) from decommissioning its copper facilities in Sydney, N.S., or at least allow it to continue serving its two customers over Eastlink’s new fibre facilities. The dispute arose after Fibernetics received notice in February that Eastlink had completed upgrading its network in the community and planned to decommission three coaxial nodes by Sept. 1. Eastlink allegedly told the company this means third-party internet access (TPIA) would no longer be available through those facilities, given that cable carriers are exempt from the wholesale fibre access mandate. Fibernetics said it asked the carrier to maintain its services until the CRTC comes to a final decision on how cable carriers must handle decommissioning, or grant it aggregated wholesale access to the new fibre to continue service for the two customers affected by the switch. Eastlink rejected both options and said Fibernetics would “need to source an alternate TPIA provider in the area,” according to the application. Although the change only currently affects two of Fibernetics’ customers, the company stated that it also affects “nearly” 1,000 addresses in the Sydney area because it would be blocked from making any of them a customer. “Eastlink’s actions will eliminate the competitive services presently being provided by Fibernetics and all other wholesale HSA providers within the affected region,” the company argued. Eastlink did not immediately respond to The Wire Report’s request for comment. Fibernetics highlighted a 2016 decision from the CRTC that acknowledged the loss of competitive choice during network upgrades, regarding a dispute between TekSavvy Solutions Inc. and Rogers Communications Inc. The commission found that network upgrades resulting in the foreclosure of competitor access to an Ontario neighbourhood would subject Rogers’ competitors to an undue disadvantage. It ordered wholesale access to be maintained over the new facilities. There are several ongoing disputes at the CRTC over network upgrades putting competitors at risk, the most recent involving TekSavvy and Cogeco Inc., which the CRTC has not yet issued a decision on. A previous fight between those two companies only saw an interim decision from the regulator. Fibernetics urged the CRTC to come to a final decision on what the rules are for telcos and cablecos when they remove facilities that wholesale competitors are reliant on. The company also backed a request from TekSavvy, issued back in November 2024, asking the CRTC to specify when cable carriers will be required to let competitors access their fibre networks, as they are currently exempt. Fibernetics quoted TekSavvy’s argument that this would “enhance market certainty and prevent investment strategies steered by regulatory gaming.” So far, the CRTC has only ruled that cable carriers are not required to provide wholesale aggregated FTTP access “at this time.” phalentm@thewirereport.ca

Eastlink network upgrades risk shutting out competitors in Cape Breton, Fibernetics warns

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By Phalen Tynes-MacDonald
|March 20, 2026

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Eastlink network upgrades risk shutting out competitors in Cape Breton, Fibernetics warns

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