First phone markets deregulated in Canada

OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC is deregulating the first residential telephone markets in Canada, in Fort McMurray, and parts of the Maritimes. The ILECs, TELUS and Bell Aliant, will no longer need to get the commission’s approval to set local phone rates or introduce new services and packages. The systems in Fort McMurray, Fredericton, Charlottetown, and Halifax are the first of likely many to get approval in the coming months. The CRTC says it’s received enough applications for deregulation to cover more than 60% of the residential phone lines in Canada. The commission says it’s considering the other applications and could...