Trudeau aims for lower internet prices

Bloomberg

Justin Trudeau’s government has issued a new policy that tries to make internet access less expensive in Canada by changing the rules for companies that own large communications networks.
The government has asked the country’s telecommunications regulator to craft new regulations that would force major providers such as BCE Inc and Rogers Communications Inc to sell access to their wireline networks at regulated rates that will lead to ‘better prices and more choices’ for consumers.
Under the new directive, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission will also have to ‘ensure that wholesale internet access is available evenly across market’ and at speeds that consumers want. The proposal may help smaller firms that lease network capacity from big telecomm companies and resell internet services to consumers.

The government aims to finalise the policy direction by this fall. It didn’t elaborate on specific details of the plan, meaning it will be difficult to determine financial implications for telecommunications companies.