Québecor wants the CRTC to lower the cost to access Bell’s disaggregated fibre network

Québecor wants to see Bell’s interim disaggregated fibre-to-the-premise (FTTP) access rates changed.

In a part 1 application to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), the company argues the rates should be “at least equivalent” to the interim aggregated FTTP access rates.

The CRTC issued those rates in November when it ordered Bell and Telus to give competitors in Ontario and Québec access to their respective FTTP networks within six months.

Bell launched an appeal, asking the court to overturn the CRTC’s decision.

In its filing, Québecor says the six month timeline for aggregated rates means competitors can only use Bell’s FTTP network  through the disaggregated model, paying rates it calls “excessively high.”

Québecor says rates under the disaggregated model have been “interim for more than six years,” and indicates the cost is almost two times higher for some internet packages compared to the aggregated rate. 

“Since access to Bell’s FTTP in aggregated mode will not be available for at least six months — which remains a very optimistic objective considering the use of legal proceedings and Bell’s history of using delaying tactics to evade its regulatory obligations — we ask the Commission to expeditiously approve new interim disaggregated FTTP access rates for Bell that are at least equivalent as the Bell’s interim aggregated FTTP access rates.”

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Source: Québecor/CRTC