GATINEAU – After last week receiving a letter from third party internet access providers which said new install practices being instituted by incumbent network operators to protect people from Covid-19 were onerous and preventing new customers from being connected, the CRTC sent a letter back urging everyone to, well, work it out.
TekSavvy and the Canadian Network Operators Consortium filed a letter to the CRTC asking it to investigate how the incumbent ISPs are prioritizing their own customers for installs, repairs and maintenance during the coronavirus pandemic. Since the resellers use the incumbents’ network capacity, they also rely on their technicians to service those connections, and that has been a problem now for some weeks.
“While TekSavvy and CNOC recognize in their letter that the Covid-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for all Internet service providers, and they appreciate that wholesale HSA service providers are taking measures to address such challenges, they are concerned that in the rush to develop new processes to mitigate risk related to the pandemic, wholesale HSA service providers are unilaterally changing regulated processes or processes that are necessary to deliver regulated services,” reads the CRTC letter sent to parties this week.
TekSavvy and CNOC noted an increase in failed orders of their own and an increased amount of time to process new orders – and said even though we are all living through an unprecedented social crisis, the regulations surrounding the provision of wholesale broadband access must still be adhered. “TekSavvy and CNOC are further concerned that the wholesale service providers may not be applying the same process changes to their retail Internet services compared to changes imposed on wholesale customers,” said the CRTC letter.
TekSavvy and CNOC also asked the Commission to tell the incumbents to file what their new pandemic processes are so everyone can see what changes have been made.
Since the original letter, Shaw Communications responded with one of its own, saying it is still processing TPIA interconnection orders – and that if TekSavvy and CNOC are having problems, they should take them up with their network providers first.
“Shaw indicated that for its part… it is not denying any reasonable request of individual wholesale customers for additional capacity on commercial terms,” says the CRTC letter. “Shaw asked Commission staff to disregard the highly inappropriate approach adopted by CNOC and TekSavvy and stated that their request should be rejected outright on the basis that the allegations are vague and unsubstantiated.”
The Commission told the parties now is not the time to require new filings and that is expects wholesale HSA providers to “continue to provide the best possible service consistent with existing policies and regulations, and to work collaboratively with their wholesale customers to keep Canadians in every region connected” and if precautionary measures to limit the spread of Covid-19 are required, “wholesale customers must have appropriate notice of all process and other changes impacting them and are not subject to undue preference or unjust discrimination that would jeopardize their ability to serve their own customers or compete effectively.”
The Commission also noted the communications industry has responded to the crisis well “by introducing consumer-friendly measures” and that everyone must “continue to work together and effectively collaborate in ensuring that the needs of Canadians for high quality communications services are met and no one is left behind in all regions of our country.”
