AS MORE AND MORE TV channels and data applications come on stream, there’s less and less bandwidth available on cable plants.
That’s where switched broadcast, or switched digital video, comes in. While the process is invisible to consumers, it can save up to 60% of a cable company’s bandwidth. Basically, it holds back channels that aren’t being watched from the network.
So, while two neighbors might watch the same TV stream of the British Open since the broadcast channel will nearly always be on, the Pet Network and other smaller channels will be held off the cable plant until…
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MONTREAL – Cable Satisfaction International’s bankruptcy monitor and interim receiver (RSM Richter) will ask a court in Quebec today to approve the recent sale agreement of CSII’s largest asset, Portuguese cable operator Cabovisao.
CSII has been in Companies Creditors Arrangement Act (bankruptcy protection) since 2003.
Cogeco, as was announced nearly two weeks ago, has signed an agreement to purchase the Portuguese operations for $658 million.
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IF RHETORIC AND HYPERBOLE were gasoline, a single spark would have razed the entire Toronto Congress Centre this week.
The speeches from Bell Canada Enterprises CEO Michael Sabia and Telus CEO Darren Entwistle at this week’s excellent Canadian Telecom Summit – as well as comments from a few others who work under them – suggest that not only are the communications of all Canadians utterly crippled by wacky regulation, but that our CRTC stands in the way of all Canuck creativity, innovation and productivity.
It’s an absurd notion, really. But it’s one much of the nation’s consumer media has…
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MONTREAL – Cogeco Cable launched its digital phone service in Niagara Falls today.
Currently, 50% of homes passed in the corporation’s territories have access to digital phone service. Service will continue to be rolled out to most cities in Cogeco Cable’s territories by the end of 2006.
www.cogeco.ca
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MONTREAL – Louis Audet knew what was coming – and Friday’s Cogeco Cable conference call to explain the company’s $658 million purchase was set up as best he could to assuage the fears of investors.
Financial analysts who follow the company had been warning Audet for the better part of a year that they thought the European expansion strategy Cogeco was pursuing was a bad idea – and once Friday’s deal to buy Portuguese cable outfit Cabovisao was announced, the markets responded by pummeling the cable company’s stock price. It ended Friday at $24.36, down 16.9% on the…
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OTTAWA – With re-comments re-due today on the CRTC’s reconsideration of its 2005 decision on voice over IP telephony regulation, three of the four largest Canadian MSOs came down on the side of the Commission in a joint submission filed this afternoon.
Last month, the Federal Cabinet told the CRTC it had to re-think the decision it made on VOIP telephony and have a decision – again – within 120 days of the May 7th announcement. The cabinet edict was in response to appeals filed by all but one of Canada’s incumbent telephone companies.
Cogeco Cable, Quebecor Media’s…
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MONTREAL – As has been rumored since last summer, Cogeco Cable has agreed to buy Portuguese cable company Cabovisao-Televisao por Cabo S.A.
Cabovisao is owned by Cable Satisfaction International Inc. (CSII), Catalyst Fund Limited Partnership I.
CSII has been in bankruptcy protection and looking for a buyer for the cable company it built since 2003.
The 464.9 million Euro (C$658 million) purchase price includes all the shares of the second largest cable operator in Portugal as well as the purchase of senior debt and reimbursement of certain other liabilities of Cabovisao. The agreed-upon purchase price for the shares…
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ON THE SURFACE OF IT, allowing customers to pay one subscription fee for Star Choice satellite service at their home and cottage is a very consumer-friendly idea.
Most folks, Star Choice is assuming in offering this deal, generally aren’t in two places at once and are instead watching TV at home during the week and then at Lake Whatsit on Saturday and Sunday. Why not offer to let those consumers pay just one subscription fee? It’ll engender loyalty after all, because who doesn’t like to pay less?
But it’s never that simple, is it?
Videotron named the practice…
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MONTREAL – Today, Cogeco Cable launched its digital phone service in Fort Erie, Ontario.
Currently, 47% of homes passed in the company’s territories (primarily in areas of southwestern Ontario and southern Quebec) have access to Cogeco’s local phone service. Service will continue to be rolled out to most cities in Cogeco Cable’s territories by the end of 2006.
www.cogeco.ca
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MONTREAL – According to a published report out of Europe, Canadian MSO Cogeco Cable has pulled out of bidding for a group of cable companies in Belgium.
According to Telecom Paper (subscription required), Cogeco "is no longer interested in acquiring the group of eight cable operators in Wallonia (the southern, French-speaking half, of Belgium).
"(E)ight Belgian operators, owned by local municipalities and Electrabel, are looking for a partner to help develop new services, such as Internet, digital TV and telephony," says the brief story.
There are three remaining European bidders, according to the story.
This could be the…
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