Bell MTS reveals cause of faulty landline services in Manitoba

After dealing with several complaints, Bell MTS has shared the reason why its landline phone service was not working.

As CTV News reported last week, many people complained about the service provided by Bell MTS, which resulted in the federal regulator, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), mandating the company to explain why there were so many problems in the Winnipeg area and how it planned to fix the issue.

Charlene Bosch, the owner of Bosch Greenhouses, said it was not easy to let customers know when her seasonal business was planning on opening up this year.

“We have to be able to let them contact us,” said Bosch, adding they could not connect by phone.

She said the Bell MTS phone service, which she said has never been perfect, was worse than usual starting in March.

“I phoned MTS and they couldn’t hear me, I could barely make them out. I said, 'Somebody’s got to fix this because this is our business line.'”

In a letter, Bell MTS attributes the issues to the soggy spring weather combined with outdated cable infrastructure.

Bell bought MTS five years ago and it is also the parent entity for CTV News.

“MTS' practices involved very short term solutions that left the network vulnerable to water penetration in the face of heavy rainfall,” the letter said.

The letter also said since 2017, Bell MTS has spent $330 million to improve and maintain the existing wireline network and is now accelerating its fibre service expansion, estimating half of those in the Winnipeg area will have access to it by the end of the year.

“Unfortunately, given the state of the copper network we inherited, this is not an issue that can be overhauled and corrected within the few years we have owned the network,” Bell MTS said in the letter.

It also said to deal with the unprecedented number of service calls it is doubling the number of line technicians by hiring and training more. On top of that, employees have been pulled from other markets to service Winnipeg, with many working overtime.

The antiquated cable explanation is too late for Bosch.

“They should have known what they were walking into when they made the offer purchase,” said Bosch.

Bosch has already changed service providers.

The CRTC said it is reviewing Bell MTS' response and will determine if additional steps are needed.