GATINEAU — Cartt.ca readers will be glad to know the CRTC’s new wireless policies will finally be released this week, with mandated mobile virtual network operators (will they or won’t they?) undoubtedly the biggest item of interest among telecom providers, big and small.
A Commission spokesperson confirmed the policy decision will be issued at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 15 (i.e., after the stock market closes).
It’s been a long wait, seeing as the Commission first announced the wireless policy review proceeding back in February 2019, held a public hearing in February 2020 and final submissions were in July 2020.
Cartt.ca will bring you all the details of the big reveal on Thursday. In the meantime, please have a look at our coverage of the whole proceeding, which involved many more issues than just mandated MVNOs. That said, Telus was the strongest anti-mandated MVNO voice at the hearing, saying it would cost 5,000 jobs if forced upon the wireless industry and that Telus would slice $1 billion from its spending.
This morning during his company’s second quarter conference call with financial analysts, Cogeco president and CEO Philippe Jette said he was hoping for a favourable decision, specifically for its proposal, the hybrid mobile network operator model (HMNO), which would essentially allow MVNOs but only if the new wireless operator already owned and operated their own networks in the areas it wants to launch mobile wireless service.
Jette said Thursday’s policy announcement is now even more important, given the proposed purchase of Shaw Communications by Rogers. “This proposed merger has underscored how urgent it is for the federal government to take clear policy steps in the wireless sector that can finally deliver increased competition for all Canadians,” he said on the call, adding the HMNO solution provides “equilibrium between investment, innovation and competition.”
“We continue to be interested to add mobile services to our offer, given the right circumstances,” Jette added.
