Bell Canada President Admits ‘Congestion’ Issues Slowed Yukon’s Mobile Network

Mirko Bibic, president of Bell Canada, says the company takes complaints from Yukon residents about poor cell phone service in the territory “extremely seriously.”

Bibic was responding to a letter sent to the company by Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai this week, expressing frustration over poor mobile service in the area where the company is the dominant player.

He wrote in a response that Bell conducted an investigation after being notified of the problems customers were experiencing, which revealed that there were “congestion issues,” partly due to increased network usage.

Bibic’s letter states that the renovation work may also have caused some people to experience “intermittent disruptions”.

The company said it would monitor the situation to prevent similar problems in the future. Bell would also invest $22 million over three years to expand its network in the Yukon.

Pillai, in his July 25 letter to Bibic, listed a number of issues that have angered Yukon residents, including dropped calls, delayed text messages and “poor internet connections.” He also noted that reliable cell phone service is important in emergencies because it “can be a matter of life and death.”

“Bell must comply with the obligations imposed by the (Canadian Radio, Television and Telecommunications Commission) and do better,” Pillai said in his letter.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 26, 2024.

The Canadian Press