CRTC finalizes fibre wholesale rates after three-year wait
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has finalized the wholesale rates for third-party access to incumbent fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) networks. The new rates, which are similar to previous interim rates, set access prices for networks operated by Bell, Telus, and SaskTel. The decision has drawn criticism from independent providers like TekSavvy and the Competitive Network Operators of Canada (CNOC), who argue the rates are too high and will hinder competition.
Key Takeaways
- Bell Ontario and Quebec FTTP wholesale access is now $68.26 for 3 Mbps to 1,500 Mbps and $77.20 for 1,501 Mbps to 8,000 Mbps.
- TELUS rates are $77.21 to $81.81 in Alberta and B.C., and $57.86 to $62.45 in Quebec, depending on speed tier.
- SaskTel’s aggregated FTTP access rate is $67.97 for all speeds from 15 Mbps to 1 Gbps.
- TekSavvy’s Andy Kaplan-Myrth said the final rates are “very disappointing” and that nothing changed after a three-year wait to lower retail prices.
- CNOC said the decision “end[s] independent competition” in Canada’s consumer internet market and argued Bell’s eBox retail pricing sits nearly 40% below the CRTC wholesale rate alone.
Why It Matters
The immediate effect is that ISPs now have final, non-interim fibre wholesale rates to price against, rather than waiting on temporary pricing that had been in place since 2024. That gives smaller providers and incumbents a clearer input for fibre offers, while the CRTC says it will keep monitoring the market and the rates are similar to what has already produced tens of thousands of new customers. The broader fight is over whether those rates still leave room for independent competition, especially with cable wholesale pricing still unresolved. Watch for the CRTC’s wider cable wholesale decision, which TekSavvy says is still outstanding.
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