Telecom - Staff Letter addressed to the Distribution List

Gatineau, 15 May 2026

Reference: 8640-B2-202506395

BY EMAIL

Distribution List

Subject: Bell Canada – Part 1 Application for forbearance from the regulation of residential local exchange services in Ontario and Québec – Request for information

Commission staff is presently considering the above-mentioned Part 1 application dated 22 December 2025. To help develop a fulsome record and assist the Commission in its assessment of the application, parties are asked to respond to the questions included in the appendix to this letter no later than 29 May 2026.

• Appendix 1 sets out questions for Astrocom.
• Appendix 2 sets out questions for Cogeco Connexion Inc. (Cogeco).
• Appendix 3 sets out questions for Bragg Communications Inc., carrying on business as Eastlink (Eastlink).
• Appendix 4 sets out questions for Nor-Del Cablevision Limited (Nor-Del).
• Appendix 5 sets out questions for Rogers Communications Canada (Rogers).
• Appendix 6 sets out questions for Québecor Media inc., on behalf of its subsidiary Vidéotron Ltd. (Vidéotron).

Bell Canada (Bell) will then have an opportunity to file a reply by 5 June 2026.

Confidential information

As set out in section 39 of the Telecommunications Act and in Broadcasting and Telecom Information Bulletin CRTC 2010-961, Procedures for filing and requesting disclosure of confidential information in Commission proceedings, parties may designate certain information as confidential. A detailed explanation of why the information is being designated as confidential and why its disclosure would not be in the public interest must be provided, including the reasons why the specific direct harm likely to result from disclosure would outweigh the public interest in disclosure. In addition to the confidential version, an abridged version of the document removing only the confidential information must be filed, or the reasons why an abridged version cannot be filed must be provided.

Sincerely,

Original signed by

Suneil Kanjeekal
Director, Dispute resolution and regulatory implementation
Telecommunications sector

c.c.: Bell, bell.regulatory@bell.ca
Execulink, andrea.atkinson@execulinktelecom.ca
Nexicom, regulatory@nexicomgroup.net
Telus Communications Inc., regulatory.affairs@telus.com
Blue Sky Economic Development Corporation, susan.church@blueskyregion.ca
Community Fibre Company, ben@communityfibre.ca
First Mile Connectivity Consortium, info@firstmile.ca
Independent Telecommunications Providers Association, regulatory@itpa.ca
Public Interest Advocacy Centre, tdawood@piac.ca
Rural Ontario Municipal Association, clowry@mississippimills.ca
Jacqueline Archibald, jackietarchibald@gmail.com
Kaitlyn Burton, krazykate_12@hotmail.com
Steve D, xset1sd@gmail.com
Eric Davis, mredavis@hotmail.com
Marcel Deleebeeck, mdeleebeeck@kwic.com
Scott Diamond, sdiamond@csolve.net
Richard Gould, mayor.gould@calvintownship.ca
Ingrid-Ann and Thomas Hussey, Thussey1111@gmail.com
Andra Kauffeldt, info@bancroft.ca
Robert MacMorran, Bob@woolmc.com
Marc Nanni, mn_crtc@proton.me
Tina Newlove, tina@tinanewlove.com
Keith Rasmussen, kiwikeith.r@gmail.com
John Smith, dsomers.jsmith@gmail.com
Gwendolen Stegelmann, g.stegelmann@outlook.com

Distribution List

Astrocom, billing@nrnetworks.com
Cogeco, toby.harper-merrett@cogeco.com
Eastlink, regulatory.matters@corp.eastlink.ca
Nor-Del, markb@nor-del.com
Rogers., regulatory@rci.rogers.com
Vidéotron, regaffairs@quebecor.com

APPENDIX 1

Questions for Astrocom

Astrocom has been named as a facilities-based competitor in Bell’s application for forbearance of residential local exchange services in Ontario. However, Astrocom is not listed as a registered competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC) on the Commission’s website. Without registering as a CLEC and abiding by the responsibilities and obligations of this type of carrier, Astrocom cannot be considered a facilities-based wireline competitor for the purpose of the competitor presence test.

1. Have you taken any steps towards becoming a registered CLEC in Canada and offer wireline telephone services?

APPENDIX 2

Questions for Cogeco

2. You have been named as a facilities-based competitor in Bell’s application for forbearance of residential local exchanges services in Ontario and Québec.

   1. For each of the exchanges listed in the table below, please indicate whether you are offering residential wireline local exchange services.
   2. If you are, please indicate the percentage of households that you are capable of serving in the exchange.
   3. In some exchanges, Bell has indicated the presence of another provider of wireline local exchanges services (Rogers or Vidéotron). Please indicate whether your networks overlap with this provider and estimate to what percentage.

Ontario

Québec

APPENDIX 3

Questions for Eastlink

3. You have been named as a facilities-based competitor in Bell’s application for forbearance of residential local exchanges services in Ontario.

   1. For each of the exchanges listed in the table below, please indicate whether you are offering residential wireline local exchange services.
   2. If you are, please indicate the percentage of households that you are capable of serving in the exchange.
   3. In some exchanges, Bell has indicated the presence of another provider of wireline local exchanges services (Execulink, Nexicom, Vidéotron). Please indicate whether your networks overlap with this provider and estimate to what percentage.

Ontario

APPENDIX 4

Questions for Nor-Del

4. You have been named as a facilities-based competitor in Bell’s application for forbearance of residential local exchanges services in Ontario.

   1. For the exchange listed in the table below, please indicate whether you are offering residential wireline local exchange services.
   2. If you are, please indicate the percentage of households that you are capable of serving in the exchange.

Ontario

APPENDIX 5

Questions for Rogers

5. You have been named as a facilities-based competitor in Bell’s application for forbearance of residential local exchanges services in Ontario.

   1. For each of the exchanges listed in the table below, please indicate whether you are offering residential wireline local exchange services.
   2. If you are, please indicate the percentage of households that you are capable of serving in the exchange.
   3. In one exchange, Bell has indicated the presence of another provider of wireline local exchanges services (Cogeco). Please indicate whether your networks overlap with this provider and estimate to what percentage.

Ontario

APPENDIX 6

Questions for Vidéotron

6. You have been named as a facilities-based competitor in Bell’s application for forbearance of residential local exchanges services in Ontario and Québec.

   1. For each of the exchanges listed in the table below, please indicate whether you are offering residential wireline local exchange services.
   2. If you are, please indicate the percentage of households that you are capable of serving in the exchange.
   3. In some exchanges, Bell has indicated the presence of another provider of wireline local exchanges services (Cogeco or Eastlink). Please indicate whether your networks overlap with this provider and estimate to what percentage.

Ontario

Québec

Date modified:

2026-05-15