CRTC approves local competition implementation plans

The CRTC announced Tuesday it has approved the implementation plans for local competition and wireless number portability submitted by 13 of Canada’s small incumbent local exchange carriers. In a decision last May, the commission set a target for all Canadians to have access to Internet speeds of 5 Mbps or faster for downloads and 1 Mbps for uploads by 2015. The decision, known as “obligation to serve,” also said “market forces and targeted government funding, an approach which encourages private and public partnerships,” should drive broadband expansion, inlcuding in rural areas. The CRTC said Tuesday that it approved $176,000 in start-up costs and an average $136,000 per year in on-going costs in Bruce Telecom’s territory, where Rogers Communications Inc. and Bragg Communications Inc. subsidiary Eastlink expressed interest to operate. The commission determined that all steps required to allow for local competition and wireless number portability in the territory of Bruce Telecom be completed by July 23, 2012. The CRTC said it also received a local competition implementation plan from CoopTel last June, in which Telus Communications Corp. expressed an interest to interconnect with the company to allow Cogeco Cable Inc. to compete in CoopTel’s serving territory. The commission said CoopTel estimated it would incur approximately $383,000 in start-up costs and an average $107,000 per year in ongoing costs to implement local competition in its serving territory. On Tuesday the CRTC said it approved $226,000 in start-up costs and $60,000 per year in ongoing costs for the implementation of local competition in CoopTel’s territory. Several other implementation plans from various French-language local exchange carriers were also approved. In its obligation to serve decision, the commission said it would maintain its current framework with a view to increasing competition and expand consumer choice.

CRTC approves local competition implementation plans

Brief | January 25, 2012

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