Canada allows competition in market for long-distance telephone service

Article Abstract:

Canada's Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission opened long- distance telephone services to competition June 12, 1992, ending the monopolies enjoyed by nine telephone companies in their respective areas. The decision is an attempt to reduce the price of communications services for industry and follows moves by some Canadian companies to the use of cheaper US-based services. Two Canadian companies, Unitel Communications Inc and BCRL Group, had petitioned the regulating agency to allow them to enter the long-distance market, opening it in the process to other carriers. Local telephone companies may try to match the lower rates of their new competition, as long as they do not raise local service rates. The companies currently subsidize local service with about 60 percent of their long distance revenues.

Telecommunications systems, Deregulation, Monopolies, Competition, Foreign Competition, Pricing Policy, BCRL

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Competition to invade Canada's market for long-distance public phone service

Article Abstract:

Canada's long-distance telephone service industry may be opened up to broader competition via a ruling by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. The commission is expected to allow Unitel Communications Inc and a group comprising British Columbia Railway Co and Lightel Inc to compete in Canada's $6.29 billion-a-year long-distance telephone market. Present regulation restricts which companies may provide long-distance telephone service. BCE Inc, Canada's largest telephone service provider, is leading the fight against regulation. At issue also is the amount that the newly competing companies will be allowed to contribute to local telephone service. Canadian telephone utilities allocate portions of their long-distance telephone service profits to subsidize local phone service.

Market share, Government Regulation, Telecommunications Service, Lightel Communications Inc., British Columbia Railway Co.

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BCE's Bell Canada unit plans to launch electronic data and transaction service

Article Abstract:

BCE Inc is seeking approval from Canadian regulators to be allowed to carry an electronic information and transaction service, known as Alex, for businesses and homes. Bell Canada will mainly confine itself to carrying services provided by others, but the company also plans to offer an electronic telephone directory and Yellow pages. Proposed services include news reports, stock quotation services, bill paying, shopping and banking from home. Bell Canada says it does not expect to turn a profit on the system for many years, but the company wants to stay at the forefront of industry technology. Bell Canada will rent terminals for 7.95 Canadian dollars (US$6.62) a month, with a basic charge of 10 Canadian cents a minute for using the network.

Information retrieval services, Online information services, Information services, BCE Inc., Online Information Service

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