Quebecor kills Manitoba expansions plan, blames CRTC decision

Quebecor says a Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) decision on access rates to the Telus wireless network is causing it to “suspend the launch of data-rich plans in Manitoba.”

Quebecor president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau said in a statement that the MVNO rates set by the CRTC, and the regulated domestic romaing rates, “are among the highest in the world.”

The company said that Canada’s regulated domestic roaming rates are up to six times higher than in Europe.

“Since this decision will increase our costs considerably, making our operations unprofitable, we will be forced to reconsider our pricing and our expansion into some regions of Canada.

For example, we have no choice but to suspend the launch of data-rich plans in Manitoba, just as we were preparing to offer our services there,” said Péladeau.

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