By Denis Carmel
GATINEAU – Interconnecting on your competitor’s network can be a long, protracted process and Videotron, which is trying to get a foothold in northwestern Quebec, is discovering how frustrating it can be.
If it is tedious for a company of the size and sophistication of Videotron, imagine what it is when you are a smaller entity.
In September 2019, Videotron announced it would offer in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue “a full line of telecommunications services, including Internet, television and IP telephone service” by the end of 2019. But, to do so the company had to ride on Cablevision’s network as a third party internet access (TPIA) provider and work towards interconnection has not gone smoothly. As Videotron never misses an opportunity to mention, Cablevision and the local telephone provider Télébec, are both owned by Bell Canada, which, they argue, results in a monopolistic situation.
The Quebecor-owned company filed a new complaint with the CRTC on September 1st, demanding help from the Commission.
Videotron had to earlier go to the CRTC to get a ruling that would force Cablevision to let Videotron use its networks. The CRTC decision mandated Cablevision to give access once it filed tariffs. Those tariffs were finally approved in July 2020. However, back in February, Videotron and Cablevision had signed an agreement and started to work on interconnection points.
Videotron launched in the region on August 4th and it soon became obvious that the volume (filed with the CRTC in confidence by Videotron) of 
orders was larger than anticipated and mostly, larger than Cablevision could process, if we read between the lines of the application, since Videotron is seeking that Cablevision adds personnel to deal with the interconnection requests. Videotron says in its intervention it had to stop local marketing activities to deal with the situation.
Independent TPIA Ebox has also moved to launch in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region this summer.
“It’s disappointing to see Cablevision (Bell) persistently trying to stave off the arrival of healthy competition by all possible means,” said Jean-François Pruneau, president and CEO of Videotron. “Meanwhile, local residents are the ones who are losing out, yet again.”
Bell spokesperson Mark Choma, responded in an email to Cartt.ca “Cablevision follows the clear process in place to enable installation of reseller services on our network, is doing so in good faith and even added resources to manage demand since Videotron became a reseller in the region.”
Videotron is seeking an accelerated process, suggesting Cablevision and other intervenors be given five days to file interventions and then Videotron be given two days. The file has not yet been posted on the CRTC website, so the clock is not yet ticking.
Matt Stein, Chair of the Competitive Network Operators of Canada added to Cartt.ca: “We’re following the file closely, and look forward to seeing where it goes. CNOC members are used to the challenges of seeking the compliance of large incumbent phone or cable companies in order to provide the services the CRTC has mandated said incumbent to provide. It’s ironic to have found such common ground with Videotron.”
Videotron has also filed an application with the Quebec Superior court seeking damages of $12,968,000.
