Telus is calling out Bell for what it describes as a blatant abuse of regulatory process, urging the CRTC to throw out Bell’s latest application without further review.
In a letter to the CRTC on May 2, Telus criticized Bell for trying to force it to carry five new TV channels — like USA Network and CTV Nature — the same way it carries Rogers channels. Telus called the move unnecessary and a tactic to delay a decision.
“The Application is an abuse of Commission process, in support of a deeply cynical attempt to mislead Canadian consumers,” Telus wrote.
Telus and Bell are in a fight over TV channels, and things are getting messy. Telus says the move is just a distraction.
According to Telus, these channels aren’t really new at all. They say Bell just rebranded older ones that had already been dropped, and the issue is already being reviewed by the CRTC. Bell had already triggered a “standstill” rule back in October 2024, which prevents Telus from dropping the channels while the CRTC looks into it.
But instead of waiting for a decision, Bell filed another complaint, and Telus isn’t impressed. In a letter to the CRTC, Telus accused Bell of trying to delay the process, saying, “The only reason for Bell to bring the Application is to delay the Commission’s disposition of the Standstill Proceeding.”
Telus also claims Bell crossed a line by including private information from confidential settlement talks in its filing. They called it “a flagrant violation of settlement privilege,” and said the information was “unlawful” to share with the CRTC or the public. The filing was signed by Stephen Schmidt, Telus’ Vice-President – Telecom Policy and Chief Regulatory Legal Counsel.
Telus wants the CRTC to throw out Bell’s complaint entirely, saying it’s a waste of time and just a way for Bell to hold onto control. “Every day that passes is a day where Bell benefits,” the letter said. The dispute now sits with the CRTC, which will decide whether to move forward or shut it down.
In a statement to iPhone in Canada on Tuesday, a Telus spokesperson said, “Bell’s application is a distraction from our real complaints against their anticompetitive practices, as they refuse to negotiate in good faith to give our Ontario and Quebec customers access to Bell Media content like TSN and Crave.”
“We are fully compliant with CRTC regulations, and if Canadians are not choosing the replacement Bell channels, Bell’s time may be better served revising their content strategy to meet the needs of Canadians rather than creating an east west access divide to maintain a duopoly,” added Telus.
Keep your popcorn refilled folks, this TV fight between telecom giants is far from over.
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