Canada maintains internet decision in blow to rogers and bce

(Bloomberg) – Canada chose not to force the ruling of a regulator who forces the largest telecommunications companies to rent their broadband networks to competitive companies, and the wishes of some of the biggest players, including BCE Inc. and Rogers Communications Inc., Melanie Joly, announced the decision in a social media post late Wednesday. “It will immediately make more competition on existing high-speed internet services networks across the country,” she said. The country’s telecommunications regulator previously decided that BCE, Telus Corp. and Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. “Must provide competitors with workable wholesale access to their fiber networks” at regulated rates. Cable companies are also expected to allow competitive firms to use their networks “to serve consumers at the highest available speeds.” The government had the power to end the decision. BCE, Rogers and others, including Cogeco Inc. They have argued that they will have to cut billions of dollars in broadband networks if other companies are allowed to simply drive on the back of it with competitive services. BCE CEO Mirko Bibic said in an interview that the company is now focused on ensuring that the government understands that network builders who build at a significant cost and take a significant risk are fully compensated for building costs and investment risk. ” “The Carney government has declared its priority is to build a strong Canada and this decision makes exactly the opposite. It did not do Canadian companies to invest in Canada, “Rogers spokeswoman said in” NE -mail statement. Cogeco said in a news release that it was being “upset” by the decision of Minister Joly and intends to continue to challenge the policy regime in court. On the other side of the debate, Telus, based in Vancouver, is in general. With the new policy, it can offer competitive broadband packages in Ontario and Quebec, two provinces that have about 60% of the population of Canada, but where the company has not built up extensive broadband networks and has a minimal market share. That new accountable market compensates more than the increasing competition it probably has in its less populated home province of British Columbia. -With help from Stephanie Hughes. (Update with BCE and Cogeco statements in the sixth and eighth paragraphs.) More stories like these are available on Bloomberg.com © 2025 Bloomberg MP