Search Results for: cogeco

Radio / Television News

Cogeco adds Sportsnet East HD in Quebec

MONTREAL – Cogeco Cable has added Sportsnet East HD to its line-up in Quebec, in most of the areas where Cogeco offers digital and HD television. The sports channel, which carries Ottawa Senators hockey, Blue Jays baseball, and other sports programming, is available on channel 545. “Cogeco Cable is committed to enriching its customers’ HD Television viewing experience”, said Ron Perrotta, vice president of marketing and strategic planning, in the press release. “The addition of Sportsnet East HD to our Québec HD TV offering allows our viewers to discover the outstanding quality of this technology. Our HD programming now includes 24… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

E! nets for sale: re-brand, re-program, or shutdown, are other possibilities

WINNIPEG – Canwest Global said yesterday afternoon it has launched a “strategic review” of its five E!-branded conventional television stations. Saying they are no longer core assets, the company wants to sell the stations and says it should take no more than six to eight weeks to conduct this review. The stations in question are CJNT-TV in Montreal, CHCH-TV in Hamilton, CHCA-TV in Red Deer, CHBC-TV in Kelowna and CHEK-TV in Victoria. There are three other E!-branded stations out west, but those are affiliates owned by Pattison Broadcasting. The sale of the stations is one of several choices being… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

SCTE Canadian Summit: New show is a hit

TORONTO – Praise was near universal for the brand new Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers Canadian Summit, which wrapped up Wednesday afternoon at the Toronto Congress Centre. The final registration number for delegates has not yet been tallied as there were a large number who registered on site, but the show was very well attended with delegates from across Canada – from the Territories to Regina to Newfoundland – and all points in between. If there were any complaints, it’s that the show wasn’t big enough (and that it snowed too much on Tuesday…). The 40 vendor tables sold… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

SCTE Canadian Summit starts on Tuesday!

EXTON, PA and TORONTO – The inaugural Canadian Summit of The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) will be held in at the Toronto Congress Cente next week, February 3 – 4, 2009. It is designed to facilitate the exchange of technical information specific to Canada among engineering professionals. Cartt.ca is the media partner for the event. Speakers will include Dermot O’Carroll and Tony Faccia of Rogers Cable, Chris MacFarlane of Cogeco Cable, Dennis Steiger of Shaw Cablesytems, Pierre Roy Poretta of Videotron, Steve Irvine of EastLink, Preston Gilmer of Sigma Systems, Oleh Sneizko of Aurora Networks, Scott Atkinson of Shaw… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

SCTE Ontario announces election results

TORONTO – Bruce Marshall from Mountain Cablevision has been elected as president of the Ontario chapter of the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) for the 2009 term. Boris Eventov (Cogeco Cable) has been named vice president; James Myles (Rogers Cable) is treasurer; and Bill McMillan (TVC) is secretary. Robert McCann (Clearcable Networks) will serve as director of training and events, and Daniel Sacolle (Cogeco Cable) is director of certifications. www.scte-ontario.com Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Cogeco continues to grow

MONTREAL – Despite the weakened economy, Cogeco Inc. maintained a solid growth curve in the first quarter of fiscal 2009, the company reported. Consolidated revenue at Cogeco Cable (including its territories in Quebec, Ontario and Portugal) increased by 18.9% to $299.4 million, consolidated operating income before amortization grew by 23% to reach $119.7 million, consolidated net income amounted to $23.6 million, compared to $20.4 million for the same period of the prior year, an increase of 15.7%, free cash flow reached $17.8 million, a 17.6% decrease over the prior year, and operating margin increased to 40% from 38.6%. Revenue-generating… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

SCTE Ontario Chapter elects 2009/10 directors

TORONTO – The Ontario Chapter of the Society of Telecommunications Engineers announced Monday that Daniel Sacolle (Cogeco Cable), Bill McMillan (TVC Inc.) and James Myles (Rogers Cable TV) have been elected by the membership to serve on the board of directors for the 2009/10 term. They assumed their roles as of January 1, 2009. Departing the board are chapter president Laura O’Hare, and vice-president Lawrence Watson (Rogers). The two new board members (McMillan and Sacolle) plus Myles, who was re-elected, join Boris Eventov (Cogeco Cable), Rob McCann (Clearcable Networks) and Bruce Marshall (Mountain Cablevision) to form the six-member 2009… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

The TUESDAY INTERVIEW: Dermot O’Carroll on the SCTE Summit, the young engineer award & the industry

THE FINAL PUSH IS on for the inaugural SCTE Canadian Summit, to be held at the Toronto Congress Centre February 3-4. The conference promises to be a key date in the engineering calendar for Canadian cable telecommunications engineers, technicians and vendors looking to share information and broaden their knowledge on challenges like switched digital, DOCSIS 3.0 and other myriad network issues. While vendor tables have long been sold out, registration for the conference is still open and can be accessed by clicking here. As well, the deadline for nominations for the first-ever young Canadian Engineering Professional of the… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Cogeco Data Services partners with TDSB

TORONTO – Cogeco Data Services has signed a 10 year deal with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) worth $39 million. The agreement calls for Cogeco Data Services to provide the TDSB with a wide area network connection to approximately 600 schools and administrative buildings serving over 300,000 students and 30,000 educators and administrators. Cogeco Data Services will “increase the reach and capabilities of the (existing) fibre backbone” by constructing additional fibre optic cable throughout the city, and providing a “substantially higher capacity connection for each location”, the press release said. CDS is the former Toronto Hydro Telecom. "The TDSB… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Cogeco Cable feels insulated against cooling economy, says CEO Audet

TORONTO – Even in bad economic times, consumers will keep paying for cable, Internet and phone services, and choose to compromise in other purchase areas instead, according to Cogeco Cable’s president and CEO, Louis Audet. “This has been our experience for the last 36 years – people tend to keep their television service (during difficult economic times),” Audet said. “And the Internet, of course, has become a necessity for households…and, of course, the phone. “But on the other hand, what you do see is a slower rate of growth, or you might see a bit higher bad debt come… Continue Reading