Police officers are seen on the platform as people wait for a subway train inside a Toronto Transit Commission station in downtown Toronto, Saturday, April 1, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston
TORONTO – The agency that operates Toronto’s subway system says a proposal by Bell Canada to revamp its wireless service model is a “non-starter.”
On Wednesday evening Industry Ministry François-Philippe Champagne called on Canada’s major telecom companies to reach a deal that would allow any company to access the TTC network.
Bell president and CEO Mirko Bibic responded to the minister that his company would only take part in the network if it has a chance to help build it with the other carriers, rather than paying access fees to Rogers in order to use the infrastructure.
TTC spokesman Stuart Green says that would mean awarding the agency’s wireless services to a consortium without a public tender.
He notes Bell participated in an open tender process more than a decade ago but was outbid by $20 million.
BAI Communications, which was awarded the contract, agreed earlier this month to sell its Canadian operations to Rogers, which plans to build a 5G network for the entire subway system in around two years.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 20, 2023.
Companies in this story: (TSX:RCI.B, TSX:BCE)
