CRTC promises cheaper internet for Canadians is coming, once again • iPhone in Canada Blog

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced intermediate wholesale rates that smaller providers will pay major telcos for access to their fiber networks.

This decision aims to expand the availability of high-speed internet services at affordable prices throughout the country. The move follows a series of steps by the CRTC to increase competition on the Internet, in a situation where incumbents have long dominated.

In November 2023, the CRTC granted smaller providers access to fiber networks in Ontario and Quebec, regions where competition “has declined most significantly.” Since then, those intermediate rates have allowed new Internet service options to emerge.

In August 2024, The CRTC expanded access to the fiber networks of major telecommunications companies nationwidewith a deadline for implementation in February 2025. Today’s announcement finalizes the interim tariffs, which are based on detailed cost analyzes provided by the telcos. The tariffs are intended to balance investment in high-quality networks while ensuring that smaller providers can compete effectively.

“Today’s decision will give Canadians new options for internet, television, home phone and smart home services. We’re already seeing competitors using fiber access to bring new offerings to Ontario and Quebec, and we look forward to this broader access benefiting even more Canadians,” Vicky Eatrides, president and CEO of the CRTC, said in a statement Friday evening.

The reaction to the news was not positive. Users responded to the CRTC on X at word“Hm maybe try setting wholesale rates lower than Bell and Telus’ effective retail rates”, and others intercepted with“I’ll believe it when I see it. Because the opposite happened with mobile phone and roaming charges. They went up instead of down. We need real competition with the new foreign ownership rules. Let the American telcos in!!!!”.

Okay, did your internet prices go down thanks to the CRTC? Tell us in the comments…