March 3, 2008 CRTC announces new rules for
wholesale telecommunications services...

The Commission will maintain the requirement for telephone companies to provide interconnection services to competitors. Interconnection services allow competitors to access telecommunications networks in order that their customers may call individuals who have a different service provider. The Commission will also continue to mandate the provision of wholesale services used to provide services that are in the public interest, such as 911 and message relay services.

As part of this proceeding, the Commission revised its definition of an essential service. To be considered essential, a facility, function or service must:

* be required by competitors to provide a retail telecommunications service,
* be controlled by a company that could use its market power to lessen or prevent competition, and
* provide a functionality that would not be practical or feasible for competitors to duplicate.
...

Backgrounder on wholesale telecommunications services
Wholesale services
...
Categories of wholesale services
a) Interconnection
Interconnection services allow competitors to access telecommunications networks in order that their customers may call individuals who have a different service provider. Their provision will continue to be mandated.

These services permit interconnection between:

* local networks,
* local and long-distance networks, and
* wireless and wireline networks.

Note: Underlines are mine.

I think this new CRTC framework still applies to Bell Canada (vs TSI). They'll need someone higher up to stand up to CRTC.