TekSavvy Solutions Inc. says it’s owed tens of millions of dollars in rebates from excessive wholesale internet fees and won’t pay more to Bell or Rogers until the balance is settled.
TekSavvy’s announcement comes a day after the Federal Court of Appeal ruled against Bell, Rogers and several other carriers that sought to overturn a 2019 regulator’s order for them to slash wholesale rates retroactively and refund excess amounts collected over several years.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s order was stayed last September by the appeal court, meaning the rates charged to independent internet service providers didn’t change and the big carriers weren’t required to pay the rebates.
TekSavvy is the largest of Canada’s independent internet service providers, which collectively share about 10 per cent of the market.
The company is based in Chatham, Ont., and its largest base of customers is in Ontario, where Bell and Rogers are the largest internet service providers.
The carriers have mounted several challenges to the CRTC’s rate decision, including court appeals filed by Bell Canada and five of Canada’s largest cable operators: Rogers, Shaw, Quebecor’s Videotron, Cogeco and Eastlink.