Independent telcos call Bell abusive, anti-competitive

OTTAWA – Recent, large, price increases imposed by Bell Canada on independent telcos in Ontario and Quebec for access to Bell’s unbundled local loops must be overturned by the Competition Bureau, say those independent telecommunications providers.In a letter sent Friday May 17 to the Bureau’s Anthony Durocher, deputy commissioner, mergers and monopolistic practices branch, the Independent Telecommunications Providers Association (a group of 21 independent telcos in rural Ontario, Quebec, and B.C. which serve about 180,000 access lines) called for:“An investigation by the Bureau into price increases recently announced by Bell Canada applicable to Unbundled Local Loops (ULLs), which are facilities...