OTTAWA – Told by Cabinet on Friday, Public Notice on Wednesday.
The CRTC issued the required public notice today on the rethink it’s been told to do on last May’s voice over IP decision. The new federal government told the Commission on Friday that it was to reconsider last year’s decision, in light of the current telecom market conditions and the Telecom Policy Review Report filed in March.
The CRTC’s decision determined that VOIP is voice and that existing regulations covering telecom would stand. That largely means that the incumbent telcos still had to file for tariff approval when they altered pricing while local telephony newcomers such as Vonage or Cogeco could price things as they saw fit.
Since tariff approvals now come in about nine or ten days, local phone newcomers could get a head start in any price duel.
Most of Canada’s incumbent telcos appealed the decision.
Comments are due in quickly – with a May 23 registration date and June 5th comment submission deadline. Replies are then due June 15th.
