Most of the company’s existing customers will see a “doubling or nearly doubling of their speed” at no additional cost, Distributel CEO Matt Stein told The Logic Tuesday. The firm will also cut its pricing for new customers and expand to four communities in Northern Quebec. (The Logic)

Talking point: Distributel is joining TekSavvy in making a play to take customers away from the Big Three, following a decision by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) that slashed the prices smaller companies need to pay large ones for access to their networks. Those large firms claim the CRTC decision will cost them at least $325 million and result in hundreds of thousands of Canadians not receiving faster internet. “It seems pretty disingenuous for them to cut rural investment,” said Stein, who added that smaller companies purchase access mostly for urban centres. The Distributel and TekSavvy price cuts signal a lack of concern about an ongoing court case in which the large telecoms have asked the Federal Court of Appeal to issue a stay on the CRTC’s ruling so they can continue charging higher prices. Distributel intends to intervene in the case.