OTTAWA – The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) is once again asking the CRTC to prevent streaming service shomi from being offered only to Rogers or Shaw internet customers.
The consumer group filed a new application with the Commission on Monday, after having its previous complaint returned by the Regulator last month in the wake of BRP 2015-86 that proposed establishing a new service category for hybrid VoD services. While PIAC said that it will file comments on that matter, it added that it “had to address lingering problems with the shomi service that likely would not be addressed in the CRTC’s HVOD hearing”.
PIAC’s new application claims that tying shomi to a Rogers or Shaw Internet subscription or BDU service confers an undue preference on their affiliated internet service or BDU service, “unjustly discriminating against independents internet service providers or BDU services and their subscribers”, in violation of the Telecommunications Act and the Digital Media Exemption Order made under the Broadcasting Act.
“Shomi cannot tie internet access to Shaw or Rogers without hurting other internet providers and their customers,” said PIAC executive director and counsel John Lawford, in a statement. “We have called on the CRTC to stop this unduly preferential offering.”
