Industry committee  Precisely. Our experience and that of the operators we've spoken to has been that reaching an agreement on commercial terms is absolutely impossible. The only way to obtain an agreement is basically to sell the company.

Industry committee  That's correct.

Industry committee  We believe introducing service-based competition is the key to solving Canada's competition problems once and for all. Mergers between the big companies will continue. The only way to foster viable competition for all Canadians and keep prices in check is through service-based competition, in other words, the entry in the marketplace of mobile virtual network operators.

Industry committee  No, we do not provide 5G service currently. As I explained, we weren't able to reach an agreement on commercial terms to become a mobile virtual network operator, so that isn't a service we can offer at this time. The deployment of 5G service is a natural progression in technology, just as important as the emergence of high-speed Internet service and all the other innovations we have seen.

Industry committee  I believe you're talking about fibre to the home connectivity.

Industry committee  Before the service can be made available, the CRTC has to decide on the final network configuration and determine how it should be built. It also has to set the final rates, which have to make sense and allow for viable competition. That's what matters most right now.

Industry committee  It's simply a matter of bringing in regulations.

Industry committee  Thank you for your question, Mr. Lemire. Yes, I would be glad to tell you a bit about it. Obviously, some information is confidential, so I'll have to watch what I say. As I mentioned, EBOX has made repeated attempts to become a mobile virtual network operator, but unfortunately, we always had trouble reaching an agreement.

Industry committee  Thank you. My name is Jean-Philippe Béïque, and I am the CEO of EBOX, the largest alternative telecommunications provider in Quebec. EBOX provides services to more than 90,000 customers in major markets such as Montreal and Toronto, as well as in areas like Abitibi, where competition is scarce.