Telus wants your help to protect its internet competition at the expense of smaller ISPs

Telus wants Canadians to sign a petition to protect internet competition in response to a federal order that also intends to protect competition.

The core issue concerns an order from the federal cabinet directing the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to reconsider a part of its wholesale fibre access decision that allows the Big Three—Rogers, Bell, and Telus—to access each other’s networks through the mandated wholesale rates. The government raised concerns that allowing this would further enable the Big Three to control the space and use their dominance to push out competition from smaller players.

For those unfamiliar with wholesale, it mandates incumbent providers like Bell, Rogers and Telus allow access to their networks to small internet service providers (ISPs) at a set cost. This allows smaller players to offer internet services to Canadians even in areas where they might not have network infrastructure. The CRTC recently decided that Bell and Telus must open up their fibre networks to wholesale, which included allowing the Big Three access to each other’s networks. Now, some ISPs, the government, and even other incumbents have said that allowing other top-level carriers wholesale access could hurt competition.

“The government has concerns about fostering the viability of small and regional Internet service providers that provide alternatives and about maintaining investments in Internet infrastructure, particularly in underserved areas including rural, remote and Indigenous communities,” explained Innovation, Science and Industry minister François-Philippe Champagne in a statement.

Telus is one of the few pushing for the CRTC to keep its original order. The company broke ranks with the other members of the Big Three, with Rogers and Bell asking the CRTC to make them ineligible for wholesale access to their networks, per the Globe and Mail. Cogeco, Eastlink and Competitive Network Operators of Canada (CNOC) said in their application that allowing the Big Three to resell on each other’s networks was “bad for competition and network investment.”

Telus framed the order as an attack on internet competition and launched its ‘#YourInternetYourChoice‘ petition to influence the CRTC to keep its original ruling. Notably, if the CRTC changes the decision to block the Big Three from accessing each other’s networks via wholesale, it’d jeopardize Telus’ push into Ontario and Quebec. The company recently started offering its ‘PureFibre’ internet in Ontario and Quebec over Bell’s network.

“This is about ensuring Canadians have the freedom to choose the best provider for their needs. At Telus, we’re committed to delivering exceptional service, innovative solutions, and affordable pricing. We urge the CRTC to maintain its original ruling, which aligns with Canada’s goal of greater competition, better pricing, and enhanced consumer choice,” said Zainul Mawji, executive VP and president of consumer solutions at Telus, in a release about the petition.

Telus currently charges $79/mo for 1.5Gbps home internet in Ontario for 24 months (regular $130). Bell charges $110/mo for 24 months with a similar plan (regular $130), and Rogers charges $110/mo for 24 months for 1Gbps or $120/mo for 24 months for 2Gbps (regular $120 and $140, respectively). TekSavvy’s 1.5Gbps plan costs $99.95/mo for 24 months (regular $119.95). Oxio has a 1Gbps option for $55/mo, and Cogeco charges $54.99/mo for 1Gbps for 24 months (regular $99.99).

It’s also worth noting that Telus has, in recent years, acquired several smaller internet players, including Start.ca and Altima.

Source: Telus, Government of Canada, Globe and Mail