The CRTC has denied a July 2024 application by far north provider Iristel to review and vary the commission’s June 2024 decision that found Iristel had failed to provide sufficient evidence to show it was wronged in an interconnection dispute with Bell and its subsidiary Northwestel.
In a majority decision posted Monday on the CRTC’s website, the commission stated the record does not establish substantial doubt as to the correctness of the CRTC’s Telecom Decision 2024-141, and therefore the commission denies Iristel’s review-and-vary application.
In its analysis of Iristel’s original Part 1 application of October 2023, the CRTC said it had not found that Bell or Northwestel committed tariff violations as alleged by Iristel, nor had enough evidence been provided to support an investigation of Bell and Northwestel’s actions. Iristel’s tariff violation claims were related to local network interconnection services provided to Iristel by Bell in Kuujjuaq, Quebec, and by Northwestel in Whitehorse and Yellowknife.
In its Monday decision, the CRTC reiterated that it had found there was insufficient evidence to determine any tariff violation had occurred and therefore, it said, it did not commit an error in law or fact in its June 2024 decision when it concluded insufficient evidence had been provided and no further action was required in the matter.
The commission reminded Bell, Northwestel and other telecom service providers that although they are allowed to negotiate off-tariff agreements, they are required to provide telecom services in accordance with the terms and conditions of their tariffs when requested to do so by another party. In instances where a tariff violation has occurred, the commission can take enforcement action, including imposing administrative monetary penalties, it said, adding this is simply not the case in the current matter.
