By Ahmad Hathout
The federal government’s procurement website published late last month a contract on behalf of the CRTC that requests a report that delves into a comparative analysis of international mobile wireless roaming rates.
The regulator is asking for an in-depth analysis of the rates provided by Canadian carriers versus their international peers in the United States, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Australia, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.
“The study must include an analysis of the factors that may explain the differences (e.g. regulatory, economic, geopolitical, structural and/or technical)” in the pricing between the Canadian and international carriers, according to a statement of work.
“The resulting report may inform the next steps the CRTC may take on this topic,” the statement added. “If the CRTC determines that a public process will be held on this topic, CRTC staff will include a version of the report, which may be abridged, in the public record of the process. Otherwise, a version of the report will be made available on the CRTC website.”
The CRTC wants the report to track factors including bundling, data caps and overage charges; different roaming plans, including flat daily, three-day, monthly and pay-per-use; whether emergency services is considered pay-per-use and if machine-to-machine communications are included; and assess trends and technology changes that could influence the roaming market.
It also wants the report to analyze those international rates with any regulatory changes in those jurisdictions over the last five years.
The CRTC said it will share with the winning bidder preliminary research it has conducted as well as internal documentation, such as wholesale agreements of the Canadian carriers.
The bid deadline is February 1, 2024 with a proposed start date of February 19. The due date for the work is 12 weeks from the signing of the contract, which ends May 31, 2024.
The contract is part of the CRTC’s investigation into mobile roaming rates after some Canadian carriers, including Bell and Telus, raised those rates in the spring of 2023, which prompted Innovation Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne to send a letter to the regulator asking it to look into the matter. The Liberal government’s 2023 budget included a commitment to tackle “junk fees,” which include those roaming rates.
The CRTC requested in June specific information related to that investigation, including details from the Canadian carriers on specific agreements they have with international providers.
The regulator concluded in its decision in April 2021 to grant limited mobile virtual network operators mandatory access to the large wireless networks that mobile wireless prices remained high in Canada compared to other jurisdictions, which it said wasn’t wholly explained by cost and network quality.
But that decision did not investigate roaming rates.
