DEREGULATING LOCAL PHONE in major urban centres in 2007 seems to me to be the right thing to do.
"The idea that somehow the cable guys are at a disadvantage to the telcos has not been proven so far in the entry of the cable industry in local voice," Lawson Hunter, Bell’s chief corporate officer said to me Wednesday. I agree with him. To a point.
Setting aside the unprecedented use of the provision in the Telecom Act that let’s the government issue policy directives to the CRTC (until 2006, it just hadn’t been done), it’s time to…
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MONTREAL – Cogeco Cable Inc. announced today it will be issuing 4.5 million subordinate voting shares, raising $173.2 million on a bought deal basis at a price of $38.50 per share.
The company, with cable, Internet, and telephone services in Quebec, Ontario, and Portugal, says net proceeds from the offering will be used to repay debt and for general corporate purposes.
Under the offering, the shares will be offered for sale to the public in each of the provinces and territories of Canada. The underwriting syndicate includes Scotia Capital Inc. acting as bookrunner and is being co-led by GMP…
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BROCKVILLE – Cogeco Cable has announced the launch of its digital phone service in Brockville, Ont.
With this latest service extension, Cogeco hopes to boost subscriptions to other company services. To this end, Cogeco is offering promotional package deals covering digital phone service, cable TV, and high-speed internet.
As of Nov. 30th, according to company statements, digital telephone service was available to 72% of homes in Cogeco Cable territory in Quebec and Ontario.
www.cogeco.ca.
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TORONTO – A great opportunity to socialize with chapter members and learn more about CTAM Canada’s plans for 2007 will happen Wednesday January 24th in Toronto.
This is an event you don’t want to miss! Do you have a friend that’s not a member? Bring them along to see what membership in CTAM Canada is all about! Enjoy a fun filled evening with great hors d’ouvres, cocktails, prizes and friends.
WHEN: Wednesday, January 24, 2007, 6 to 8 p.m.
WHERE: Flow Restaurant and Lounge www.flowrestaurant.com; 133 Yorkville Ave.; Toronto, ON
COST: Free
REGISTRATION: RSVP by e-mailing Andrea Gagliardi at…
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MONTREAL – Cogeco Inc. posted substantial growth in the first quarter of fiscal 2007, driven largely by its cable operations in Ontario, Quebec and Portugal.
In the first quarter of fiscal year 2007 revenue increased by 45.9% and operating income before amortization increased by 45.8% compared to the same period last year.
Cogeco Cable achieved one of the best revenue generating units growth of its Canadian operations history and includes results fro, Cabovisao – Televisao por Cabo, Portugal.
The media sector (Cogeco is the majority owner of TQS and also owns several radio stations) contributed to these results with…
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PETERBOROUGH – Lindsay Broadband has hired Christopher Skarica as its new vice-president of engineering.
Skarica spent 11 years in cable (Maclean-Hunter, Rogers, Cogeco) before moving to Nortel Networks in 1999 and then Broadbus Technologies (now Motorola) in 2004.
Prior to Nortel, he was the director of engineering for Cogeco Cable’s Ontario Operations. "Christopher has played key roles in the design and implementation of new technologies in cable TV networks including dual band and multi-beam satellite reception, two way optical and RF HFC equipment, SA and GI digital video compression systems, digital DWDM optical transport networks, Packet Cable compliant voice…
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NOW THAT MY TWO-AND-a-half year old daughter has outgrown her predilection towards throwing things at our living room television (think keys and golf balls, not stuffed animals), I decided my Christmas gift to the family (okay, to me) would be a new television.
I want my HDTV.
Last month though, CTAM Canada published a piece of research which said, in essence, that Canadian consumers are not getting enough information on how to get the best high definition experience and too often are leaving the stores without a digital cable or satellite receiver, which is the best way (and…
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MONTREAL – Cogeco Radio-television said Tuesday it will not exercise its right to purchase the 40% interest in Quebec broadcaster TQS that it doesn’t already own and that the parties have agreed to extend its partnership agreement until at least January 1, 2009.
The change of control of Bell Globemedia on August 31, 2006 triggered the right for Cogeco to acquire all of CTV’s shares in TQS. Cogeco owns 60% of the network.
"We mutually agreed to postpone the put call option window that would have opened February 15, 2007… to January 1st 2009," said Cogeco CEO Louis Audet.
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TORONTO – Never one for lengthy media sessions, Cogeco CEO Louis Audet practically demanded that reporters ask him about its newest purchase, Portuguese cable and telecom outfit Cabovisao, prior to the cable company’s annual general meeting in Toronto on Tuesday.
So, how is it going there? Audet was typically reserved in his remarks, saying "integration is going well," but his body language conveyed some excitement towards what he sees as a key strategic growth opportunity.
Admitting "not all of our shareholders were enthusiastic about the acquisition," Audet sings the praises of Cabovisao, it’s growth opportunities and employees, noting he…
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TORONTO – Despite the hue and cry over the supposed nasty effects of new media, radio, a so-called old media, continues to post gains here in Canada.
According to Canadian Broadcast Sales, national radio sales for the first quarter of the 2007 broadcast year (September to November ’07) represent the medium’s highest-ever total revenue quarter as sales rose by 8.2% compared to the same period last year. The Toronto market took 42% of the growth.
CBS is a national sales firm representing approximately 60% of all private Canadian radio stations, a total of 128 markets, with clients including Corus,…
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