Contact: Susan Hershman
(416) 523-6520, [email protected]
VMEDIA APPLAUDS CONSERVATIVE PARTY SUPPORT FOR COMPETITION IN TELECOM SERVICES
Three-Pronged Strategy Promises to Lower Mobile and Internet Bills for Canadians
TORONTO, September 10, 2021– VMedia Inc., a leading Canadian independent internet service provider, applauds the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC)’s new strategy to lower cell and internet bills for Canadians. Canadians already pay among the highest prices in the world for these essential services, and those prices are poised to increase further as a result of recent decisions by the CRTC that only benefit the big telcos.
A recently published statement by the CPC sets out a three-pronged strategy to lower prices:
- Increasing competition to drive down prices, by supporting smaller providers like VMedia to take on the national telecommunications giants.
- Including lower prices as a mandatory condition in federal wireless spectrum auctions
- Allowing international companies to provide internet and cell services to Canadian consumers, provided Canadian companies can compete in those markets as well.
“We encourage all of the parties in this campaign to unite behind this compelling solution to the telecom affordability crisis,” said Alexei Tchernobrivets, CEO of VMedia. “Canadians have been afflicted with unacceptably high telecom prices for years, while the big telcos are among the most profitable in the world.”
Until recently the CRTC and the federal government have worked to enhance competition to benefit Canadian families. In the last 2 years however the CRTC has reversed course for the benefit of the big telcos, and government has done nothing about it.
Most recently, the CRTC reversed a decision that would have allowed small providers like VMedia to further reduce their rates by up to 20%. That setback is currently under appeal to Cabinet.
The CRTC also reversed a decision that would have allowed companies like VMedia to provide competitive fibre services to large apartment buildings. Finally, the CRTC refused to allow companies like VMedia to compete with the big telcos in providing mobile services, denying Canadians substantial reductions to what are the highest mobile data charges in the world.
“The current regulatory framework, if administered by a CRTC that puts the interests of Canadians ahead of the profits of the big telcos, can allow small providers to compete, and ensure that Canadians pay fair prices for these services that no Canadian household can live without,” said Mr. Tchernobrivets. “We hope that the Cabinet formed by the government to be elected on September 20 will quickly make the easy decisions needed to benefit all Canadians.”
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ABOUT VMEDIA
VMedia is Canada’s leading independent telecom and broadcasting company available coast-to-coast, offering unlimited Internet, TV, Home Phone and Home Security services. VMedia’s mission is to provide the most affordable prices, the best choice and flexibility, dedicated consumer advocacy and ongoing service innovation. VMedia is recognized as an innovation leader in the industry, as the first to launch numerous consumer-friendly service and packaging features, and in particular is a pioneer in the development of live TV streaming solutions and IPTV broadcast technology, offering affordable choice and easy access to all your favourite TV entertainment. Visit www.vmedia.ca. It is also the parent company of RiverTV Inc., the owner of RiverTV, Canada’s first live and on demand streaming TV service. Learn more about this great new TV platform at www.rivertv.ca.
