Days after Rogers launched its 5G network for several underground TTC subway stations and tunnels, Bell and Telus are raising questions on how that could happen.
The three telecom companies are part of an ongoing consultation with Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada to examine licensing on the transit system.
“Rogers clearly continues to seek to advantage itself at the expense of Toronto residents and is showing brazen disregard for the ongoing consultation,” Ellen Murphy, a spokesperson for Bell, told The Star.
Telus further argued Rogers did little to meet with other providers to discuss how they could get on board.
“Rogers has demonstrated a complete lack of cooperation on access for all riders, refusing to meet with other mobility providers or grant roaming access,” Richard Gilhooley, a Telus spokesperson, told the publication.
In the continued back and forth, Rogers has argued that’s not the case.
“Bell and Telus have been playing games instead of negotiating on behalf of their customers — after showing no real interest for over 10 years in providing wireless services or raising public safety concerns about the limited coverage in the TTC,” Rogers spokesperson Cam Gordon told The Star.
Of particular importance with the new network access, as the company previously noted, is how its upgrades help all TTC riders better connect with emergency services.
ISED launched the consultation process after Rogers acquired BAI in April, taking over the infrastructure that provides wireless access to TTC riders underground.
The leading telecom companies filed their initial responses to the consultation earlier this month. In it, Rogers argued the ongoing debate shouldn’t stop it from offering its customers service.
“Depriving customers of service in this manner would prioritize the interests of certain carriers over consumers,” its response stated.
In their respective replies, Bell and Telus urged the government to make Rogers wait to roll out the service until other providers can come on board.
The deadline to provide comments on these responses was August 28th.
Source: The Star
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