By Denis Carmel
GATINEAU – On May 12th, Rogers and Videotron filed an application together asking the CRTC to force Bell to let wireless providers, like them, to attach small wireless cells to Bell telephone poles at the Support Structure Service Tariffs set by the CRTC some 15 years ago.
Small cells are a key component of the wireless network helping accommodate the increasing demand for high-speed wireless data. It will in time become a key component of the 5G networks. The SSST was first established so that other telecoms could serve customers without building another set of poles.
To that point: “Bell has begun to deploy its own small cells on joint-use poles. At the same time, Bell has refused to process applications submitted by the Applicants to attach small cells to Bell poles pursuant to Bell’s Support Structure Service Tariffs. To justify its conduct, Bell has asserted that wireless attachments are governed exclusively by the tower sharing conditions of licence that have been established by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada,” reads the application.
Videotron first asked Bell to attach such equipment back in April 2016. “Among the more egregious discrepancies between the terms that Bell has offered to permit Videotron to access Bell poles for DAS attachments is a rate that is more than 30 times the tariffed rate (and in Bell Canada’s case, almost 50 times the tariffed rate) and a Bell right to terminate access to its poles without cause on 180 days’ notice, “continues the application.
Rogers, for its part, has been wanting to attach this equipment for over a year.
The applicants request the Commission to order Bell to proceed according to Support Structure Tariffs and “given the nature of Bell’s non-compliance and the negative implications of Bell’s conduct for competition and affordable telecommunications services, this may also be an appropriate case to order the payment of an AMP (administrative monetary penalty) to promote compliance and deter future attempts to circumvent tariff terms and conditions for public good facilities and services,” concludes the application.
Parties have until June 15, to intervene.
Photo is from the Videotron-Rogers application showing Bell wireless attachments on one of its own poles in Mississauga.
