OTTAWA – In a move that seems dangerously close to stepping on the CRTC’s toes, the Competition Bureau has kicked off a new market study to examine broadband competition and consumer habits in purchasing internet services.
The Bureau said Thursday that the study will focus on the state of competition in Canada’s broadband sector plus seeks “to identify positive steps that regulators or policymakers could take to further support competition among broadband providers”.
The study will address four broad themes: the ability of broadband providers to deploy competitive service offers, consumer reactions to new competitive alternatives, the impact of existing regulation on broadband providers, and whether there are lessons to be learned from how other countries manage and regulate broadband competition.
“There are few products more vital to Canada’s economic future than broadband”, said Competition Commissioner John Pecman, in a statement. “We want to shine a light on potential competitive issues in a sector at the heart of our daily lives.”
Further information on how to get involved is available in the Market Study Notice.
