Bell Canada Blackmail

If you want to know why it's a bad idea to let a private corporation build and own a major piece of public infrastructure, here's why:

Bell may refuse to upgrade to next-generation networks if the Canadian government does not concede to demands, a statement from the company proposes. The country's telecommunications regulator, the CRTC, recently issued a ruling that would require the company to open up its next-generation networks to competitors. Bell is only one of two national Internet service providers in Canada however, and would likely gain no more than diminished profits if forced to cope with competition.

As Electronista points out, it also makes it harder to control, throttle and monetize basic Internet access.

Maybe its time to start thinking about public infrastructure as... belonging to the public again.

UPDATE: MTS files an appeal asking essentially the opposite,

MTS argued in its appeal the CRTC has refused to mandate former monopoly telephone companies to provide competitors with fair access to the local broadband networks, leading to higher prices for consumers.