Panel Suggests Canada Ease Telecom Restrictions

PANEL SUGGESTS CANADA EASE TELECOM RESTRICTIONS
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Ian Austen]
A Canadian government panel has called for the elimination of foreign ownership restrictions on telecommunications companies as well as the deregulation of telephone and Internet services. The report by the Telecommunications Policy Review Panel, released Wednesday, outlines a plan for gradually reducing the limits on foreign control of telephone companies, after an examination of similar restrictions on Canadian broadcasters and cable operators. The review panel broadly adopted recommendations from Telusthe dominant telephone company in western Canada, and BCE, which is based in Montreal and owns Bell Canada, for the elimination of price regulation and other restrictions on telephone companies. Many of the policies were originally intended to increase competition in the telecommunications market from new companies. Although the panel recommends methods for protecting consumers, including harsher penalties for unfair competition, and the development of Internet services in rural areas, Lawson A. W. Hunter, BCE's chief corporate officer, said that it largely reflected his industry's viewpoint. "This report is very, very strong on that stuff," he said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/23/business/worldbusiness/23dereg.html?pa...
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