Canadian telecoms face new network sharing mandate

The Canadian telecommunications landscape is set to change significantly as large telecom companies will soon be required to share their fibre internet infrastructure with smaller competitors. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced that this measure, previously applied only to Ontario and Quebec, will be extended across the entire country beginning in February 2025.

The decision aims to lower internet prices and increase consumer choice by allowing smaller providers to access the fibre networks of major telecom companies. However, move like this one follows concerns about the decline in competition among high-speed internet service providers, particularly in Canada’s two most populous provinces.

While the new regulation will apply to existing fibre networks, any new infrastructure built by the large telecom companies will only be available to competitors after a five-year period. The CRTC believes that these changes will ensure that Canadians have access to higher-speed internet at more affordable prices without discouraging investment in quality networks.

There is no doubt that this change reflects ongoing efforts to create a more competitive and consumer-friendly telecommunications market in Canada, with the ultimate goal of improving service quality and reducing costs for all Canadians.