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An advocacy group called the Competitive Network Operators of Canada is warning that new rules in Canada put smaller ISPs at a disadvantage.

By: Brad Randall, Broadband Communities

A Canadian advocacy group is fighting new rules that allow Canada’s largest telecoms to enter the fiber resale market.

The battle over the rules comes in the aftermath of a ruling from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission last year.

That ruling, which forced Canada’s largest telecoms to open access to wholesale fiber access to other providers, impacted TELUS, Bell, and Rogers.

As part of the ruling, the commission “also allowed these large players to enter the resale market themselves,” a January release from the Competitive Network Operators of Canada stated.

The advocacy group, which goes by the acronym CNOC, has dubbed TELUS, Bell, and Rogers as Canada’s ‘big three’ in a new advertising campaign.

The campaign aims to ban all three companies from engaging in the resale market, the advocacy group’s announcement said.

The group argues that the current ruling by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission will lead to less competition.

“The Big Three companies will offer bundled wireless and internet services at attractive prices outside of the traditional operating territories for a time while squeezing smaller regional and independent providers out of the market,” their release said. “Once this brief flurry of ‘competition’ passes, they will return to form, end discounts, and hike prices.”

The release further labels the companies an oligopoly that is “taking advantage” of the commission’s decision.

“The CRTC must act to close this loophole so that Canadians have real choice in the telecommunications market with more options, better service, and fair pricing,” the organization’s announcement said.

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