Thread by @mediamorphis

Almost choked on b'fast this AM w/ this credulous front page @globeandmail story on how Rogers is pushing Xplornet to @ISED_CA & @CompBureau as its preferred option to replace the mobile wireless operations of Shaw that it seeks to buy. #CRTC theglobeandmail.com/business/artic… @FP_Champagne

For 1, this isn't news. It’s been in the works for over a month w/ Rogers doing everything it can to scupper other bids from, eg. from Videotron, Globalive, etc. Less credulous journos might raise a few Qs about this vs serving as transmission paths from Rogers to GM readers. 2/X

A more inquisitive article might discuss, for ex. the fact that Xplornet has never aimed to be a strong competitor to Rogers, BCE or Telus but to supplement their operations in rural markets & areas the big 3 national carriers do not want to serve. 3/

Xplornet has been such a disaster in terms of becoming an effective new rival by filling the gap after BCE acquired MTS in 2017 that its mobile operations were spun off into a separate entity when Xplornet was acquired by Stonepeak in 2020. Why? B/c Stonepeak didn't want them. 4/

In MB, Explornet has lost market share over time & its plans are now more aligned w/ the big 3 nat'l carriers wrt higher prices & restrictive mobile data terms, lousy service &, afaik, w/ only one retail outlet to serve MB subs. Xplornet is a study in failure vs an option in 5/.

the proposed Rogers-Shaw deal. The @CompBureau staff report advised that the BCE/MTS deal be rejected but bureau leadership @ the time overrode them. Let’s hope that this time will be different, esp. b/c of lessons learned & b/c there's a new leader at the Bureau, @MFJBoswell. 6/

The idea that Rogers is pushing the Xplornet option would be laughable if (a) the Liberal Govt, @ISED & @CompBureau didn't have such a poor track record wrt coms market consolidation & (b) we didn’t have such lazy journalists making this appear to be a realistic option. 7/

This article does not cover the idea that a Rogers/Xplornet deal wld involve a network sharing agreement but that'd be folly b/c it assumes Rogers would do what it’s interests are 180° opposed to: support a new formidable 4th mobile operator to replace one that already exists. 8/

This article also does not reflect on the ETHI committee report that recommended that the deal either be stopped dead in its tracks or that structural separation measures be put in place. ourcommons.ca/Content/Commit… 9/

The idea that replacing a 4th mobile operator that has spurred lower prices, bigger data plans & better service in ON, AB & BC w/ Xplornet whose fate wld turn on Rogers doing what is @ odds w/ its interests & that regulators could monitor things afterwards is a fairy tale. 10/

This is not only true of Canadian experience but also US & EU lessons. On such matters, don't read the @globeandmail but see, eg: doi.org/10.1093/epolic… doi.org/10.1093/icc/dt… courtlistener.com/recap/gov.usco… justice.gov/atr/page/file/… wired.com/story/opinion-… promarket.org/2021/04/23/dis…