Cheaper cellphone bills could soon be reality thanks to this CRTC decision

Canadians could be paying less for a cellphone plan in the near future.

In a long-awaited decision, the country’s telecom regulator has approved the terms and conditions for a policy that will give Canadians more options when it comes to cellphone providers.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) confirmed the details of the mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) in a news release on Wednesday.

Today, we took an important step forward in our efforts to create greater choice and more affordable wireless services for Canadians, who depend on their smartphones now more than ever.
Learn more: https://t.co/vuDur8ZdvK pic.twitter.com/pOWVInvHmI

— CRTCeng (@CRTCeng) October 19, 2022

The policy opens the door for more companies, particularly smaller regional wireless providers in rural areas, to have access to the cellular networks of Canada’s telecom giants like Bell, Rogers, and Telus.

Minimizing the monopoly these major providers have will hopefully increase competition and therefore lower prices for cellphone plans, according to the CRTC.

“This will help provide more affordable options to millions of Canadians while increasing competition,” stated Ian Scott, chairperson and chief executive officer of the CRTC.

Now, it’s up to the large wireless providers to pick up the phone and begin accepting requests for access to their networks.

The CRTC says the telecom giants must negotiate with regional wireless providers to agree on MVNO access rates. The regulatory body will step in to act as an arbitrator if needed.

“We expect the large providers to negotiate in good faith and come to an agreement as quickly as possible with regional wireless providers,” added Scott.

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Canada is known for having some of the most expensive cellphone plans in the world, so this policy could be a welcome relief for your bank account.

The decision comes as the CRTC has delayed its ruling on Telus’ credit card processing fee, another thing driving up cellphone bills.

The regulator body notes that prices for mobile wireless services have dropped in recent years.

“For instance, the average monthly cost of a 5GB mobile package dropped by 11% between 2016 and 2021,” the news release reads.

The MVNO will be mandated by the CRTC for seven years, to give the regional providers time to build and expand their wireless networks.