Top 10 reasons why Ottawa must reverse the CRTC decision:

1. Bell, Telus and the large cable companies now control 94% of the residential internet services market in Canada. This dominance stands in stark contrast to the competitive dynamic and choice that existed when internet access was first emerging. In 1998 competitors had 47% of the residential market however as high speed began to emerge competitors’ market share began to drop dramatically and is now virtually non-existent because the former monopolies have denied competitors fair economic wholesale access.
2. In the late 90s Canada was also leading the world in broadband deployment and state-of-the-art networks. Now Canadians pay more than all other G8 countries and get less.
3. Canada needs the latest and best technology solutions in order to stay competitive. If we allow more monopolization and less competition, there will be no pressure to innovate, and the Canadian economy will suffer.
4. Bell and Telus were subsidized by taxpayers to build their networks, and we all did that because we wanted the networks to help serve the public interest, not just the private interests of the telephone companies. The networks should continue to be regulated to ensure they serve the public interest, since we helped foot the bill to construct them.
5. Canada should be leading the world and Canadians should be receiving the innovation and choice that vibrant broadband competition would bring. This will not be achieved by allowing, as the CRTC is doing, the unregulated former monopolies charge retail customers what they want and to use their network dominance to eliminate competitors.
6. The evidence is clear from the past....when we have competition in broadcast and telecom markets, consumers get more and better services, at lower prices. Turning back the clock would produce exactly the opposite effect.
7. The US tried the approach the CRTC is advocating and it was a disaster. Estimates are that the cost to the US economy were $66 billion and 234,000 jobs.
8. If the federal government lets Bell and Telus have the power to harm competitors, smaller towns and rural Canada will suffer most. We need to stand up for all parts of Canada.
9. Bell and Telus, like most companies, offer more attentive service and more attractive offers when they know you have a choice.
10. The past rules have not harmed Bell and Telus on the contrary, they are among the largest and most profitable companies in Canada.