Rogers announced Monday the sale of all of its shares in Cogeco to pension fund Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec.
The transaction, worth $829 million, will allow the cable giant to reduce its debt and exit non-core businesses as it focuses on its core competencies, including telecommunications after its acquisition of Shaw.
“This sale further demonstrates our commitment to strengthen our investment grade balance sheet and aggressively reduce our debt leverage ratio,” Tony Staffieri, Rogers president and CEO, said in a press release. “We’re tracking six months ahead on our deleveraging priorities and we’re committed to reducing our debt leverage ratio…
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Telecoms note spectrum cap kept prices reasonable
By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – Innovation Canada released the results of the 3.8 GHz spectrum auction Thursday, with Cogeco getting a piece as it prepares mobile wireless market entry and Quebecor capturing a slice for its western Canada push.
Telus took home the largest number of licences with 1430 for a price of $620 million to cover 33 million Canadians. Bell was next with a spend of $518 million for 939 licences with expected population coverage of 34.6 million Canadians. Rogers spent $475 million for 860 licences with expected population coverage of 35 million. Videotron…
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By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – A representative from music and podcast streaming service Spotify told the CRTC Wednesday that the platform hopes the idea that online streamers should make a base financial contribution to Canadian content doesn’t spread to other jurisdictions.
“You are the only country in the world that is looking at those contributions, at least at this stage, and we actually hope that this is not going to spread to other countries because we will be in real difficulty,” Olivia Regnier, senior director of public policy for Spotify, told the commission.
“Now, we understand the situation, we understand the rationale…
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Rogers and Cogeco urge lowering regulatory burden and need to sustain local news
By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – Representatives from Rogers argued Tuesday that if online streamers are not required to commit a base financial contribution to the enhancement of Canadian content, traditional Canadian broadcasters must not be required to do the same.
Broadcasting distribution undertakings are required to commit a certain percentage of their previous year’s revenues toward Canadian content funds – for example, a chunk of the base 5 per cent goes toward the Canada Media Fund every year. The CRTC is now asking whether it should similarly require a…
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By Ahmad Hathout
Cogeco CEO Philippe Jette said Thursday that the company is still in commercial negotiations to access the national wireless networks to launch its first wireless business, adding it is preparing to enter that business in the United States.
The Montreal-based telecom has been trying to negotiate access for months to launch its mobile virtual network operator business. The CRTC said it expected national and regional carriers to negotiate access by August 7 or else propose arbitration at the commission.
But Jette said during the company’s fiscal fourth quarter earnings call Thursday that even if the company…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC last week informed Cogeco Communications via a letter it was closing a tariff application proposing revisions to Cogeco’s third-party internet access (TPIA) tariff, and suggested the ISP resubmit the application with additional information required under the commission’s tariff application rules.
In its Sept. 8 application to revise its TPIA tariff, Cogeco said it had started to increase the upload speed of its 360 Mbps and 1 Gbps downstream high-speed retail internet services from 30 Mbps to 100 Mbps, and this increase would be progressively rolled out throughout Cogeco’s serving…
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By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – Representatives from the country’s largest independent internet service provider spoke directly with CRTC chair Vicky Eatrides in February about acquisitions that have swept the industry in recent months, according to documents obtained by Cartt.
Andy Kaplan-Myrth, TekSavvy’s vice president of regulatory and carrier affairs, sat down with the head of the regulator to talk about an “overview of market conditions for retail internet services,” including “observed pricing trends,” and a discussion “regarding the recent acquisitions in the market,” according to an outline of the morning meeting held on February 15 and obtained via access to information…
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OTTAWA – The Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC) announced Tuesday a number of changes to its board of directors that include long-time board member Jim Deane assuming the role of chair.
Until his retirement from Regina-based Access Communications earlier this year, Deane had served as Access CEO since 2000. He has been a CPAC director for more than 20 years “and brings a wealth of institutional knowledge to the role” of board chair, says a press release announcing CPAC’s board changes.
Pam Dinsmore, vice-president of regulatory for cable at Rogers Communications, is joining the CPAC…
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Bell is currently going through “strategic review” on programming
By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – Bell has revealed that WildBrain’s heavily redacted application last month accusing it of giving an undue preference to Corus on children’s programming distribution also accuses the large BDU of breaking the CRTC’s standstill rule.
Bell alleges in the reply dated September 8 that WildBrain is claiming the standstill rule – which stipulates that the BDU must continue to distribute channels on the same terms and conditions even while in a dispute – has been invoked because the parties began negotiating potential terms for a new…
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MONTREAL – Cogeco announced Friday that it has appointed Valery Zamuner as its senior vice president and chief corporate affairs and legal officer.
Zamuner will lead the corporate affairs and legal, regulatory and government teams and interact with external stakeholders. Her role is effective Monday.
“Valéry’s experience in leading large teams makes her the ideal candidate in helping us achieve our strategic objectives, while she will also play a key role in the priority projects that will shape the future of our company,” Philippe Jette, Cogeco’s president and CEO said in a press release.
“I am delighted to welcome Valéry to our…
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