MONTREAL – When it comes to unbundled DSL, Bell Canada must eliminate the surcharges foisted upon independent ISPs if Internet competition is to survive, a group of Quebec ISPs told the CRTC today.
Calling themselves the Coalition of Quebec Internet Service Providers, the group says it needs a compromise on a recent tariff notice Bell has filed with the Commission, “that will spare smaller ISPs from being subjected to further anti-competitive practices regarding naked DSL (unbundled local loops), a high speed DSL access without a phone line.”
“Bell Canada must waive their extra surcharges for reselling naked DSL to the smaller ISPs in order to maintain a mutually beneficial partnership with its wholesalers. If the situation persists as is, it will stifle competition and ultimately reduce consumers’ alternatives," explained coalition spokesperson Sophie Léger, Inter.net Canada’s president.
“The coalition is fully aware that Bell Canada provides naked DSL for free to Sympatico’s DSL subscribers in an effort to remain competitive in the face of rival cablecos’ growing popularity. However, DSL wholesalers such as the coalition members are charged an unreasonable price for this same service, which prevents them from offering their customers competitive rates,” it says.
In the best interest of consumers, the CRTC should encourage Internet access distributors – both DSL and cable – to wholesale their services in a manner and at a rate that allow resellers to remain competitive. Also, moving forward, the CRTC should regulate cablecos the same way it regulates telcos, says the coalition
Such regulations would create a more sustainable competitive environment, and would put a stop to the current marketing practices that endanger the financial health of smaller ISPs and, in the long run, consumers’ choice.
The coalition is a group of 15 Quebec ISPs whose mandate is “to advocate for CRTC regulations to end the problems encountered by unsustainable competition in the Internet and telecommunications market today, as well as to raise public awareness on issues ultimately affecting us all.”
Participants include:
Abacom Internet – Alain Parsons, president
AEI Internet – John Verreault, vice-president
B2B2C – Gilles Pichette, president
Colbanet – Joseph Bassili, president
CiteNet Telecom – Robert Milette, president
Infoteck Internet – Sylvain Juteau, president
Inter.net Canada Ltd. – Sophie Léger, president – Coalition spokesperson
Internet 9bit – Eric Bonanni, president
Internet Intermonde – Patrick Poirier, president
Megaquebec – Pierre Veilleux, president
Oricom Internet – Alain Bergeron, president
Questzones.net – Scott Deely, president
Rocler Technologies – Jacques Clermont, president
SecureNet – Jean Vandette, president
VIF Internet – Talal Al-Dik, president
