Tuesday, 3 March 2015

Mobile TV App Pricing

Q62: Will Bell's appeal of the CRTC's Mobile TV decision at the Federal Court of Appeal succeed in overturning that decision?
Yes: 25%
No: 75%
(Decisions by other courts are irrelevant.  The Federal Court of Appeal must substantially overturn the CRTC's decision, but not all of the decision must be overturned)

For its mobile customers, Bell currently offers lower prices (effectively) for programming streamed using its Bell TV app.  Programming not available through the Bell TV app is thus more expensive than that available through the Bell TV app.  In a recent decision, the CRTC found that this is unlawful (this was seen as support for net neutrality).  Bell is attempting to appeal the decision at the Federal Court of Appeal.

I do not think Bell's appeal will succeed, although the stories do not make this clear.  My general sense is that overturning CRTC decisions through the legal process is a difficult thing to do.  This appeal seems more like a delaying tactic to stop the decision from going into force than anything else.



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