Distributel, an independent telecom acquired by Bell in September 2022, is reportedly set to discontinue its Wholesale Broadband product as of December 31, 2021, according to a memo obtained by iPhone in Canada.
The news was communicated via an email sent to all wholesalers on June 1, 2023, but many providers reportedly failed to receive the message. The issue came to light after July 1, when providers found themselves unable to submit new orders or manage existing customers, according to a source familiar with the matter.
“As with any business, we are continually re-evaluating our product lines to ensure we focus our core business on services which provide the most value for us and our customers,” explained the email. It further clarified that while currently active end-users will not be affected immediately, no new orders will be accepted, and the wholesale portal will be shut down. End-user cancellations will only be accepted via email.
Distributel’s broadband resale services will end on December 31, 2023, terminating services provided to any remaining active end-users. This means wholesale resellers won’t be able to sell their services to customers anymore.
Distributel thanked its wholesale customers for their business and directed any questions to their Wholesale Account Relations Manager.
The apparent discontinuation of Distributel’s Wholesale Broadband product comes less than a year after its acquisition by Bell, a move seen as reducing competition in Canada when it comes to independent internet service providers.
We’ve reached out to Bell for comment and will update this story accordingly.
