OTTAWA – Public Mobile is the latest new wireless entrant scheduled to have its ownership structure scrutinized by the CRTC.
In a letter to the nascent company dated December 18, secretary general Robert Morin advised that Public Mobile will be subject to a Type 2 review of its ownership and control in order to determine its eligibility to operate as a Canadian telecommunications common carrier.
“When reviewing the ownership and control of Public Mobile, the Commission will apply the existing jurisprudence relating to determinations of control in fact, cognizant of the fact that in varying Telecom Decision CRTC 2009-678, the Government stated that the “decision to vary is specific to the facts of this case” ”, the letter reads.
According to the Commission’s framework with respect to Canadian ownership and control reviews, a Type 2 review consists of a written, bilateral review, resulting in the release of a public record and decision. It is much less onerous than the Type 4 review that the Regulator conducted with fellow wireless entrant Globalive.
The Commission described Public Mobile’s ownership structure as being of “a complex nature and could hold precedential value for the industry and the general public”. It will not seek third-party submissions.
