REGINA – SaskTel is voicing its firm objection to a proposed 50% increase in local telephone rates in rural Canada, at least without an opportunity for residents in those areas to weigh in.
The Regina-based telco said in a statement that rate proposals made last week by Shaw, Rogers, Telus and Bell during the CRTC’s local telephone service hearing failed to address “the sharp inequalities in employment and incomes across the country”. SaskTel also suggested that the majority of “rural and northern residents do not understand the magnitude of the impact this public hearing could have on them”.
“We believe that these proposed local rate increases are unacceptable and that many residents are unaware of what is being proposed” said SaskTel president and CEO, Ron Styles, in a statement. “In our view, if the CRTC is going to accept such rate increases, then the public must have an opportunity to comment on the impact it would have on them. We are calling on the CRTC to launch a full public review in all regions of the country before any significant rate increases are imposed.”
During last week’s basic telephone service proceeding, some of the country’s biggest cable and phone companies argued that the National Contribution Fund is broken and that monthly telephone rates must be allowed to increase to $34 or higher. As a result, SaskTel said that customers living in rural and northern areas could face increases of approximately 50% or higher in what they pay for local telephone service.
