MONTREAL – Bell has announced plans to consciously uncouple its Fibe TV service from its Internet service starting early next year for new customers in Ontario and Quebec.
The announcement, made just hours before the CRTC kicked off its hearing into basic TV and packaging options (and knowing that some have complained that in order to get Fibe TV's $25 skinny basic TV service, they had to first purchase Bell's broadband) comes along with the ongoing alignment of its TV services across eastern Canada. Bell Aliant said in July that it was shedding its FibreOP branding in order to integrate with the Bell Fibe TV and Internet platform.
Bell also pledged to invest a further $1 billion this year to bring Fibe capability to approximately 3 million homes and businesses in Atlantic Canada, Ontario and Quebec, up from approximately 2.2 million at the end of 2015.
"As we align our next-generation IPTV technologies, we're bringing exclusive Fibe features to Atlantic Canada and new options for Fibe TV customers in Ontario and Québec," said Bell group president and chief brand officer Wade Oosterman, in the news release. "Fibe has become the country's most popular television service because of the constant stream of new content and feature innovations we're bringing to Canadian TV viewers. With these latest enhancements, we're making it even easier for consumers to experience all that Fibe can do."
A company spokesperson told Cartt.ca that existing customers will be able to split the two services as well, but it would depend on their individual circumstances, such as contracted bundles or promotional pricing deals.
