NNSL (May 27/98) - As competition in the North's telecommunications sector approaches, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission wants to hear from Northerners.

To generate comments, the CRTC has scheduled public consultations June 25.

Among the areas the CRTC is looking for comments on:

• Telephone company obligations where services costs are high.

• Subsidies.

• Types of acceptable technology in high cost area (wireless or satellite, for example).

Yellowknifers will get the chance to comment via an audio-video conference set up at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Other locations linked to the consultation include Cambridge Bay's Arctic Islands Lodge, Hay River's Ptarmigan Inn, Inuvik's Mackenzie Motel and the Sinniktarvik Hotel in Rankin Inlet. The consultation will be based out of the Navigator Inn in Iqaluit.

Following the morning session, a public forum will allow individuals to express views on other CRTC subjects like television programming and new media.