SaskTel says CRTC’s “aggressive” plan to phase-out local service subsidy regime will hit customers hard

REGINA – Count SaskTel among those opposed to the CRTC’s proposed plan to phase-out the local service subsidy regime.The local voice service subsidy was designed to keep wireline voice service affordable in high cost serving areas. The CRTC’s preliminary view is that customers with access to wired Internet at speeds as low as 1.5 Mbps have access to “reliable broadband Internet access service” which can replace traditional voice service and that these customers no longer need the voice subsidy. SaskTel said that it agrees with the CRTC’s decision to establish a universal fixed broadband service standard for all Canadians with...