Days before the end of his term, the chairman of Canada’s telecom regulator is warning that his successor may need to intervene directly in the wireless market to deliver more competition and lower prices for consumers.
Jean-Pierre Blais, whose final day at the helm of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission is Saturday, said in a speech Tuesday that Canada lacks the competition that puts “downward pressure on retail rates” seen in the U.S. industry.
“Unless things change, the CRTC will need to act to increase wireless competition, which will in turn deliver lower wireless retail rates, raise data caps and spur further innovation,” he said, according to prepared remarks.
Mr. Blais, who has made consumers the focus of the commission’s work during his five-year term, said one option is for the CRTC to directly regulate retail rates, “although we would much rather see increased competition between providers create better choices for customers.”
Adrian Wyld – Globe and Mail – June 13, 2017.
Want More Investigative Content?
Years of slow over priced service, it’s time.