Bell and Telus have ended a heated regulatory battle over fibre internet access, marking a sudden truce in a year defined by network-sharing disputes.
The two telecom giants agreed on February 23 to withdraw mutual complaints filed with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). Each company had previously accused the other of intentionally sabotaging access to their respective fibre optic networks. The CRTC officially closed the case on Friday morning.
This dispute stems from a wholesale framework requiring major carriers to let competitors use their high-speed lines to sell internet plans. While the policy aims to bolster competition, the rollout has been described as “chaotic” by Tahira Dawood, acting general counsel for the Public Interest Advocacy Centre.
“Unless there is clarity, fair rates and clear access to ensure all providers, including smaller ISPs, can compete on a fair level, it is unlikely to improve the status quo,” Dawood told The Globe and Mail.
Before the settlement, Bell had characterized the situation as “untenable,” claiming that Telus provided broken ordering systems that stretched service windows for new customers into weeks. Telus countered with its own allegations, stating that Bell had “drastically degraded” its ability to sign up new users.
Independent providers like TekSavvy and Every-Day Computers intervened in the case, reporting similar technical roadblocks. Andy Kaplan-Myrth, TekSavvy’s head of regulatory affairs, noted that incumbents sometimes charge customers less than the mandated wholesale rate competitors must pay, making the math for smaller players nearly impossible.
The CRTC maintains that the policy is gaining traction despite the friction. Commission spokesperson Mirabella Salem noted that “tens of thousands of households have already subscribed to internet services enabled by the access.”
However, data released by the regulator this week shows a different reality for independent operators. Their market share has been cut in half since 2020, now sitting at just 4.2 per cent. Following the settlement, Bell confirmed it intends to begin expanding its service into Telus’ Western Canadian networks shortly. This should bring some new internet bundles and offers for those in Western Canada, so stay tuned, folks.
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They’ve always had a relationship. Bell uses Telus cell towers and Telus satellite tv was a rebadged Bell satellite
And Bell still does not have fibre internet in all areas of southern ontario.