CNOC wants Commission’s help with Eastlink decision
By Denis Carmel
GATINEAU – Recently, Technicolor, a modem manufacturer, discovered some of its equipment was faulty and thus informed it customers.
It told carriers that some modems were defective. “The TC Bulletin explains that a very small quantity of TC Modems built during a two-week manufacturing window between weeks 35 and 37 of 2018 were exhibiting an issue,” reads a Canadian Network Operators’ Consortium application to the CRTC.
Yet, according to CNOC, Eastlink decided to order its wholesale third party internet access customers to remove all Technicolor modems from that batch. CNOC also states that Technicolor believes the problem is a minor reporting issue that does not impact the core functionality of the affected TC Modems.
After an exchange of correspondence between CNOC and Eastlink, Eastlink apparently threatened to disconnect CNOC members if they failed to remove the modems, says the CRTC filing.
CNOC is proposing a more balanced approach claiming that to replace the Technicolor modems (whether they are faulty or not) would be costly and disadvantageous to Eastlink’s TPIA customers.
Finally, CNOC is asking for a rapid determination from the CRTC, since Eastlink has given CNOC’s member until March 24, 2020, to remove the modems.
Eastlink has until February 24 to respond.
