Bell loses CRTC appeal
Canadian Press – February 12, 2024 / 7:28am | Story: 471933
Photo: Canadian Press
Bell Canada sign in Ottawa on Wednesday, September 7, 2022. A federal appeals court has denied BCE’s request to block a regulatory decision that allows independent companies to use their own fiber to sell Internet services to customers. Networks in Ontario and Quebec. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
The Federal Court of Appeal has denied BCE’s request to block a regulatory decision that allows independent companies to sell Internet services to customers using its fiber-optic network in Ontario and Quebec.
Friday’s court ruling came a day after Bell Canada announced it would cut 4,800 jobs and may further reduce network spending based in part on the CRTC’s direction.
The company granted Bell’s request for leave to appeal the CRTC’s preliminary ruling, but the company said it had not shown that there was a risk of irreparable harm, and held the decision pending the outcome of court proceedings. The company’s request for a stay was denied.
The CRTC’s decision last November was aimed at stimulating competition in internet services, and at the time it said its review would make that direction permanent and potentially extend it to other states. He was pointing it out. Federal regulators began a five-day hearing Monday as part of their review.
Bell accused the CRTC of having a “predetermined” outcome regarding the review, noting that the commission’s previous direction has reduced incentives to continue building fiber-optic networks.
The company responded last fall by cutting its network investment plans by $1.1 billion through 2025, including at least $500 million in cuts this year, pre-empting regulatory decisions it deemed unfavorable. It warned that further cost cuts could be made if the company felt it needed to.