Telecom Decision CRTC 2025-160

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Gatineau, 27 June 2025

Revocation of basic international telecommunications services licences

Summary

The Commission revokes the basic international telecommunications services licences of 88 companies that have failed to comply with the conditions of licence. The Appendix to this decision identifies the companies that have had their licences revoked.

Background

1. All entities that provide basic international telecommunications services (BITS) to Canadians are required, pursuant to subsection 16.1(1) of the Telecommunications Act (the Act) and Telecom Decision 2008-70, to be licensed by the Commission.
2. Pursuant to a condition of licence, licensees are required to keep current the information required by the Commission in the application form for the issuance or renewal of BITS licences and to file with the Commission particulars of any change to such information within 30 days of the licensee becoming aware of such change.
3. Licensees are also subject to annual reporting requirements pursuant to the following condition of licence:

   
   The licensee shall file with the Commission any information required to be filed, in such form as may be prescribed by the Commission. For example, the licensee shall comply with the telecommunications industry data collection process requirements set out in Telecom Circular 2003-1 and Telecom Circular 2005-4, as amended from time to time by the Commission.

Notice of intent

4. Despite Commission requests that licensees comply with these filing requirements, several licensees failed to comply. On 9 February 2024, the Commission notified licensees by email of the start of the annual telecommunications survey and its due date of 31 March 2024. The Commission then explicitly noted in an email dated 21 June 2024 addressing non-responsive entities that the overdue forms were required as a condition of licence for BITS. Furthermore, the Commission attempted to contact non-responsive entities by telephone between June and September 2024 regarding this matter.
5. Consequently, on 19 September 2024, the Commission, in accordance with subsection 16.4(1) of the Act, sent by registered mail to the contact addresses kept on file with the Commission a notice of intent to revoke the BITS licences of those licensees that had failed to comply with either or both above-referenced conditions of licence. The licensees were given until 30 November 2024 to file the required information with the Commission or make representations by the same date as to why they should not be required to comply with the conditions of licence.

Commission’s analysis

6. Eighty-eight companies have failed to file the required information or make representations. The Commission, pursuant to subsection 16.4(1) of the Act, therefore revokes the licences of the companies listed in the Appendix to this decision.
7. The Commission notes that any person providing BITS in Canada without a licence from the Commission may be found guilty of an offence punishable on a summary conviction under subsection 73(1) of the Act, which states the following:

   
   73(1) Every person who contravenes subsection 16(4) or 16.1(1) or (2) or section 17 is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction and liable

   (a) in the case of an individual, to a fine not exceeding fifty thousand dollars for a first offence, or one hundred thousand dollars for a subsequent offence; or

   (b) in the case of a corporation, to a fine not exceeding five hundred thousand dollars for a first offence, or one million dollars for a subsequent offence.

8. The Commission also notes that any person providing BITS in Canada without a licence may have an administrative monetary penalty imposed on them pursuant to section 72.001 of the Act.

Conclusion

9. In light of the above, the Commission, pursuant to subsection 16.4(1) of the Act, revokes the BITS licences of the companies listed in the Appendix to this decision. Revocation of the BITS licence will result in the removal of these entities from the following CRTC registration lists: Basic International Telecommunications Services, Resellers of Telecommunications Services, Resellers of High-Speed Retail Internet Services, Digital Subscriber Line Providers, Competitive Payphone Service Providers, Proposed Full Mobile Virtual Network Operators, Non-dominant Carriers, Proposed Competitive Local Exchange Carriers, Wireless Carriers, and Other Carriers.

Secretary General

Related documents

• Review of the basic international telecommunications services licensing regime, Telecom Decision CRTC 2008-70, 11 August 2008
• Telecommunications industry data collection: updating of CRTC registration lists, telecommunications fees, Canadian revenue-based contribution regime, international licences and monitoring of the Canadian telecommunications industry, Telecom Circular CRTC 2005-4, 9 February 2005
• Telecommunications industry data collection: updating of CRTC registration lists, telecommunications fees, Canadian contribution mechanism fund administration, international licences and monitoring of the Canadian telecommunications industry, Telecom Circular CRTC 2003-1, 11 December 2003

Appendix to Telecom Decision CRTC 2025-160

List of companies that have failed to comply with the conditions of the basic international telecommunications services licence

Date modified:

2025-06-27