OTTAWA – The federal telecommunications regulator says it has made decisions that it hopes will provide greater competition in the mobile wireless market.

The CRTC says it is giving mobile virtual network operators which resell wireless communications service in more rural areas access to the wireless networks of Canada’s largest telecom providers.

The regulator says the changes will help ensure that the calls and data sessions of MVNO subscribers do not drop when they move between coverage zones and that MVNO access is offered on current and future wireless networks, including 5G.

The CRTC says it is denying several provisions that would make the MVNO access service more restrictive and is preventing any provisions that would restrict regional providers from reselling their wholesale access to other MVNOs.

Bell Mobility, Rogers, Telus and SaskTel must now begin accepting requests from regional wireless carriers for access to their networks and enter negotiations with regional wireless providers to agree on wholesale MVNO rates.

The CRTC established a policy last year to help MVNOs to be launched in the Canadian market.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2022.

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