CRTC DROPS LOCAL PHONE MONOPOLY
By Adnews Staff
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission threw open the doors to the local telephone market last week, with two companies saying they're set to jump in. Sprint Canada has already announced it will be entering the game in mid-1998, while MetroNet of Calgary will launch its local service in early 1998. Advertising for Sprint is done by Grey Advertising of Toronto. Due North Communications of Toronto was recently handed the MetroNet account after a competition with four other agencies. Sprint has been providing long-distance service in Canada since 1994, MetroNet offers local data communications services in Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton and Montreal. Under the CRTC guidelines, the local telephone market will open Jan. 1, 1998. Telephone companies may also offer broadcast services at that time. Existing local telephone companies must let new carriers buy some of their services if the new carriers can't set up their own. New local competitors will be allowed to use existing long-distance subsidies to reduce the cost of local service in high-cost areas. Local phone rates will rise by $3 a month on Jan. 1 and companies must reduce the price of ovaerall phone services by 4.7%.