CEO Péladeau has already said he is interested in Freedom Mobile
By Ahmad Hathout
MONTREAL – Quebecor CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau has been making headlines in recent weeks by suggesting he is interested in acquiring Freedom Mobile in the event that condition is forced by regulators as part of a Rogers-Shaw merger. Now, he’s sending lobbyists west to familiarize the brand.
During a conference call related to his company’s first quarter earnings report this month, Péladeau expressed interest in taking Videotron’s brand nationwide. He said regulatory conditions are better now, following the CRTC’s decision to give regional carriers access to the wireless…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU — The CRTC today denied an application by Xplornet to review and vary the Commission’s 2019 decision which created the Internet Code, specifically regarding the policy covering the conditions under which Internet service providers can disconnect customers.
In the Internet Code (Telecom Regulatory Policy 2019-269), the disconnection conditions set out by the Commission say an ISP can disconnect customers who fail to pay a past-due account only if the amount owing exceeds $50 and if the account has been past due for more than two months.
During the proceeding which resulted in the Internet Code, the Commission initially drafted…
Continue Reading
By Greg O’Brien
MONTREAL and OXFORD, N.S. – Should the Competition Bureau decide Freedom Mobile must be sold as a condition of Rogers Communications being able to purchase Shaw Communications, count Eastlink founder John Bragg and Quebecor Inc. CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau as interested.
During his company’s first quarter conference call with financial analysts today, Péladeau said the Commission’s new wireless policies, coupled with the potential for Freedom Mobile coming on the market, could mean conditions are right for the company to move beyond its home province.
“We’re pleased with the CRTC decision allowing facilities-based MVNOs, as it confirms the importance…
Continue Reading
CRTC focuses on accelerating regional carrier network builds. Eyes now on Cogeco if regulatory conditions satisfy mobile entry
By Ahmad Hathout
GATINEAU – In requiring the country’s largest telecommunications companies to negotiate access to its wireless network with regional carriers, the CRTC has signaled its desire to bolster the fourth players and help accelerate the expansion and deployment of those networks, the Commission’s head Ian Scott said Thursday.
But the Regulator will not require those regional carriers to come to commercial arrangements with smaller players on that leased capacity, with Scott only saying they are permitted to do so.
In essence, Thursday’s decision…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU – The CRTC today decided to mandate mobile virtual network operators for the Canadian wireless market – as long as companies who want to be one already own and operate network facilities and Tier 4 or higher (3, 2, 1) spectrum.
The Commission is calling it “wholesale facilities-based MVNO access service” and the decision also makes it clear this new “wholesale roaming policy applies to fifth-generation (5G) networks. This confirmation is important to help ensure that competition can continue to grow as the mobile wireless service market evolves to 5G.”
In short, that means companies with existing facilities like…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU — Cartt.ca readers will be glad to know the CRTC’s new wireless policies will finally be released this week, with mandated mobile virtual network operators (will they or won’t they?) undoubtedly the biggest item of interest among telecom providers, big and small.
A Commission spokesperson confirmed the policy decision will be issued at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 15 (i.e., after the stock market closes).
It’s been a long wait, seeing as the Commission first announced the wireless policy review proceeding back in February 2019, held a public hearing in February 2020 and final submissions were in July…
Continue Reading
CNOC says the company didn’t remove older modems from compatibility list
By Ahmad Hathout
GATINEAU – Rogers Communications is suggesting an application to allow third party internet access (TPIA) providers who lease access to its networks to sign-up new subscribers on legacy DOCSIS 3.0 modems past June this year would delay its upgrade plans and cost it millions of dollars.
The cable giant said it gave members of the Competitive Network Operators of Canada (CNOC) a full year to adopt the newer DOCSIS 3.1 modems, which it said will allow it to introduce greater network capacity, faster upload and download speeds, and…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU – Today, the CRTC denied an application brought by large facilities-based ISPs to review and vary telecom regulatory policy 2019-269, specifically, the application of the Internet Code.
“The applicants (Bell, Rogers, Telus and others) submitted the Commission erred in its determination to apply the Internet Code to only the 10 largest facilities-based ISPs at this time; however, the Commission finds that the applicants have failed to demonstrate that there is substantial doubt as to the correctness of that determination,” reads today’s decision.
“As stated in Telecom Regulatory Policy 2019-269, the Commission expects that all Internet service providers will…
Continue Reading
By Greg O’Brien
OTTAWA – While one question was answered Wednesday, a few others have arisen surrounding the June 2021 auction of 3500 MHz wireless spectrum.
There was much speculation whether Shaw would take part in the auction, now that Rogers is buying the company, and on the list of qualified bidders released by Industry, Science and Economic Development Wednesday, Shaw is absent, so it’s officially out. As we reported, it probably would have been disqualified from bidding on set aside spectrum anyway, if it had taken part.
“This confirms Shaw is all in on the proposed deal with Rogers…
Continue Reading
By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – Independent internet service provider TekSavvy said this week a lower court made an error when, for the first time, it ordered Canada’s ISPs to block the websites of an alleged copyright infringer.
That’s because the Federal Court, in ordering the blocking of websites associated with alleged IPTV infringer GoldTV, leaned too much toward the rights of the copyright holders at the possible expense of free expression and the impact it could have on legitimate content, it alleged in a two-day hearing at the Federal Court of Appeal this week.
TekSavvy is challenging the first site-blocking order…
Continue Reading
