Telecom now says bulk agreements can be good for customers
Beanfield Technologies Inc. has withdrawn a complaint filed to the CRTC in September 2023 that alleged Rogers’s bulk internet service agreement practices in multi-dwelling unit (MDU) buildings were giving the cable giant an undue advantage.
In a letter made public on the CRTC’s website on Sept. 10, the telecom regulator said Beanfield submitted a letter to the commission on Aug. 14 withdrawing its Part 1 application in which it had complained Rogers’s practices served to limit competition and were inconsistent with the CRTC’s MDU access framework. Bulk service agreements are multi-year contracts one service provider has with the developer of a building to provide default internet service to all tenants of the building, meaning the residents pay for a single provider’s internet through their rent or fees.
The CRTC said in its Sept. 10 letter that it considers the Part 1 application to be closed.
“Beanfield has gone through a period of change. We brought in a new CEO in mid-2024 and a new Chief Legal & Regulatory Officer later that year, and with fresh leadership came a fresh look at our priorities,” a Beanfield spokesperson told Cartt. “After reviewing our 2023 application and the positions we took, we decided to withdraw it because some of those arguments no longer reflect how we see the market.
“Our view today is straightforward: bulk arrangements can be good for customers, especially when it comes to keeping internet affordable,” the spokesperson added. “But we also believe residents deserve real choice, and that the MDU market should be competitive and fair for everyone. That is how it should be.”
At the time of the application filing, Rogers said in a statement to Cartt its bulk service agreements were fully compliant with the CRTC’s MDU rules.
“We are challengers,” the Beanfield spokesperson continued. “We have always been willing to push for a better deal for customers, and that has not changed. We currently have two applications before the CRTC, both of which will directly impact the MDU space. We care about getting this right, and we are united behind that goal. We are leaning in, not stepping back.”
Toronto-based Beanfield has an outstanding CRTC application for timely access to a condo at 50 Charles Street East in the city. It also has an application for CRTC involvement in accessing Rogers support structures.
