OTTAWA – The CRTC has dismissed a complaint made against Bell TV by Quebecor Media Inc. over the way the DTH provider is combatting signal theft.
In a complaint dated March 23, 2009, Quebecor said that Bell TV had recently introduced a new sales method that would allow someone to equip themselves with one or several Bell TV receivers and to employ various methods of signal theft without Bell TV being able to track them. This practice of retailing ‘grab-and-go’ receivers calls into question the commitments Bell TV made in 2003 when it pledged to implement specific measures to combat signal theft, Quebecor claimed.
In its response, Bell TV said that methods used for signal theft have evolved to the point that the preventive measures put in place in 2003 are now outdated. It also outlined the practices that it has since adopted to combat signal theft, including ways to control the practice known as “account stacking”.
In its decision, the Commission concluded that the measures implemented by Bell TV do take into account the evolution of methods used for signal theft, that the measures are appropriate, and that no corrective action is necessary at the present time.
