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INUVIK
Inuvik can now look forward to the benefits of competitive telephone service.

Maged Bishara is vice-president of operations with Iristel and ICE Wireless. - NNSL file photo

On Dec. 17, Iristel launched local phone services in Inuvik, Whitehorse, and Yellowknife through a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network.

Iristel is now the sole competitor to NorthwesTel for telephone services after a Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission ruling which required NorthwesTel to open its network to competition effective May 1.

Maged Bishara, vice-president of operations with Iristel and its sister company, Ice Wireless, said the new service will provide advanced telephone system options for a fraction of what Northerners are currently paying.

"What we're going to do ... is provide services for what they should be valued at," he said. "That's the main drawback of a monopoly and protectionist environment. Basically, and honestly speaking, that is what we're going to do because the monopoly is over."

The company will provide services in a residential or corporate capacity as well as provide support for telephone service resellers.

Iristel owns the infrastructure required for its Voice over Internet Protocol and so does not resell services bought from another company, such as NorthwesTel, as has been the case for some Internet competitors in the NWT.

NorthwesTel declined to comment on any plans to adjust rates or services provided as a result of Iristel's entrance into the Northern telephone market due to competitive reasons.

However, Emily Younker, spokesperson for NorthwesTel, stated in an e-mail that NorthwesTel believes competition brings opportunities and "it is up to NorthwesTel to capitalize on those opportunities."

SSI Micro, which offers Internet service in competition with NorthwesTel, has expressed an interest in entering the telephone service market as well.

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