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In a letter, Bell MTS attributes the issues to the soggy spring weather combined with outdated cable infrastructure.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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Toronto police seek suspect vehicle after security guard shot outside Drake's mansion
Toronto police are seeking help from the public as they continue to investigate a shooting that seriously injured a security guard outside rapper Drake's mansion.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
These snakes not only fake their own deaths, they use gory special effects to do it
Awards season may be over for human actors this year, but there’s no rest for some of nature’s most audacious thespians.