Québecor’s CEO is accusing Bell and Telus of delaying negotiations to give the company access to their wireless networks through mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) agreements.
At the company’s annual shareholder meeting on May 11th, Pierre Karl Péladeau said the two telecom competitors are using “delay tactics” and “have been dragging their feet for years in order to stifle competition.”
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s (CRTC’s) ruling on MVNOs states Bell, Telus, Rogers, and SaskTel must sign wireless network agreements with regional providers wanting to expand the reach of their services.
The CRTC recently ruled that companies have three months to negotiate agreements.
“Fortunately, the new CRTC chairperson, Vicky Eatrides, was previously with the Competition Bureau, and she seems determined to put an end to the delay tactics that Bell and Telus are using to at least impede competition, if they don’t block it out right,” Péladeau said at the meeting, according to The Globe and Mail.
A Bell spokesperson refuted Péladeau’s comments to The Globe, stating his words are “without merit.” A Telus spokesperson said the company couldn’t comment on the matter but did confirm negotiations are “ongoing.”
The annual shareholder call followed Québecor’s first-quarter financial results for 2023. The company reported $1.1 billion in revenue, a 2.5 percent increase compared to Q1 2022. Revenue from their telecommunications business also increased by 2.4 percent.
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