Bell says CRTC’s MVNO proposal is ‘highly aggressive,’ puts spending at risk

GATINEAU, Que. — Bell Mobility says a forced regulatory introduction of mobile virtual network operators into Canada wouldn’t provide a meaningful benefit to consumers but would slow investments in the nation’s communications infrastructure.

Bell Canada chief executive Mirko Bibic says the CRTC should not adopt such an “aggressive form” of regulatory intervention when the Canadian wireless market has never been so competitive.

Executives of the Montreal-based company were commenting on the second day of public hearings before the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission in Gatineau, Que.

The CRTC departed from its usual approach last year and said it was in favour of ensuring that MVNOs can connect to the three national networks owned by Bell, Telus and Rogers through mandated access.

Bibic says that any form of involuntary adoption of MVNOs will have a negative impact on investment at a critical time for the development of Canada’s high-speed wireless and fibre optics communications backbone.

Bell Mobility is the first of the Big Three national carriers to testify at nine days of CRTC hearings. A delegation from Telus is scheduled to appear Thursday and Rogers will appear next week.

 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 19, 2020.

Companies in this story: (TSX:BCE, TSX:RCI.B, TSX:QBR.B, TSX:SJR.B)

The Canadian Press