Bell asks for conditions on ruling

CRTC is consulting with stakeholders over internet competition

- SAMMY HUDES

The CRTC's interim decision last November temporarily required Bell and Telus Corp. to provide competitors with access to their fibre-to-thehome networks in Ontario and Quebec within six months

BCE Inc. is urging the CRTC to implement conditions such as caps on eligible speeds and initial access restrictions if the regulator allows smaller internet providers to use rivals' fibre networks to offer their services to customers.

Representatives of Bell Canada's parent company appeared before the CRTC on Wednesday as part of the commission's consultation on internet competition.

The appearance comes less than a week after Bell pinned a hefty amount of blame on the CRTC when it announced it would slash nine per cent of its workforce and potentially further scale back investment in its fibre network.

Bell chief legal and regulatory officer Robert Malcolmson told commissioners their previous calculation that granting temporary wholesale internet access wouldn't lead to spending cuts was "dead wrong."

"The question... is whether the commission will double down or pause and consider how investment incentives can be restored while maintaining the vigorous price competition that is so clearly occurring in the marketplace," Malcolmson said.

The CRTC's interim decision last November temporarily required Bell and Telus Corp. to provide competitors with access to their fibre-to-the-home networks in Ontario and Quebec within six months.