Canada and French Polynesia introduce new telecommunications reforms

In Canada, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly has launched the Telecom Competition Roadmap, a strategic plan featuring 18 actions scheduled for 2026 and 2027. The initiative aims to lower costs for phone and internet services by breaking down regional barriers that prevent smaller providers from competing with major carriers like Rogers, Bell, and Telus. Key measures include allowing mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) to rent capacity on larger networks and implementing a ‘dig once’ approach to facilitate fiber installation alongside infrastructure projects.

In French Polynesia, President Moetai Brotherson has presented a new bill to the Council of Ministers regarding the legal regime of external telecommunications and mobile roaming. The legislation seeks to regulate mobile roaming between local operators to ensure equitable access and transparent pricing. This move follows challenges where price competition in dense areas impacted service deployment in isolated archipelagos. The bill aims to stimulate innovation and provide a stable framework for controlling international signal transmission and roaming agreements.