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…
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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…
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QUEBEC CITY — As part of the Quebec-Canada Operation High Speed initiative, the federal and provincial governments announced today a joint investment of $45 million awarded to Telus and Sogetel which will help to deliver high-speed Internet access to more than 8,000 households in the Chaudière-Appalaches region by September 2022.
Telus will receive $13.3 million in funding to provide high-speed Internet connectivity to 2,700 homes, while Sogetel will receive $31.7 million to provide coverage to 5,400 households in the region, says the governments’ joint press release, which did not outline the service providers’ investments in these broadband projects.
However, Continue Reading
MONTREAL — Cogeco Inc. last night released its financial results for the second quarter of 2021, reporting its overall revenue increased by 6.9% to reach $653.2 million for the three months ended February 28, 2021, compared to the same quarter of 2020.
Looking at which aspects of the company’s business enjoyed revenue increases in Q2 2021, Cogeco’s Canadian broadband services revenue increased by 10.1% “as a result of the DERYtelecom acquisition completed on December 14, 2020, the cumulative effect of sustained demand for residential high speed Internet since the beginning of the pandemic, and rate increases implemented for certain…
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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…
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QUEBEC CITY — In two separate announcements today, Cogeco Connexion and Bell Canada have been awarded more than $50 million in combined funding as part of Canada-Quebec Operation High Speed, to bring high-speed Internet services to underserved households in the Memphrémagog regional county municipality (RCM) and Bas-Saint-Laurent region, respectively.
Cogeco is receiving $22.7 million in joint funding to provide high-speed Internet access to close to 3,000 households in the Memphrémagog region by September 2022. Cogeco’s investment in the project was not announced.
Municipalities who will benefit from the Cogeco broadband project include:
Austin, Ayer’s Cliff, Bolton-Est, Eastman, Hatley, Canton de…
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By Steve Faguy
IN CANADIAN BROADCASTING’S regulatory system, the industry is represented by two separate yet equally important groups: the broadcasters who always want less regulation, and the interest and artist groups who always want more. These are their demands.
Canadian content
In its commercial radio policy, which the CRTC is reviewing, and what much of this series has been about, the most famous content quota requires 35% of popular music broadcast on Canadian radio stations be Canadian.
Unsurprisingly, major broadcasters want a lower quota. They have taken aim at this particular bullseye before. The Canadian Association of Broadcasters proposes 25%. For…
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QUEBEC CITY – A $19.8-million joint investment from the federal and provincial government as part of Canada-Quebec Operation High Speed will help deliver broadband to more than 1,600 households in the Mauricie region.
The residents there will have access to Cogeco high-speed Internet services by September 2022.
The investments announced will accelerate the deployment of reliable, high-performing infrastructure in the following municipalities:
Des Chenaux RCM: Batiscan, Champlain, Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel, Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan, Saint-Luc-de-Vincennes, Saint-Maurice, Saint-Narcisse, Saint-Prosper-de-Champlain, Saint-Stanislas.
Maskinongé RCM: Saint-Boniface, Yamachiche
Mékinac RCM: Grandes-Piles, Hérouxville, Lac-aux-Sables, Lac-Normand, Saint-Adelphe, Sainte-Thècle, Saint-Roch-de-Mékinac, Saint-Tite, Saint-Séverin, Trois-Rives
Shawinigan Territory: Shawinigan
“Over the next few months, Cogeco will take an…
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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…
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MONTREAL — Cogeco Connexion announced today NBCUniversal’s all-reality SVOD streaming service hayu is now available to subscribers of Cogeco’s new IPTV service Epico (which launched in January).
After setting up an account on hayu.com/cogeco, Epico customers will have access to more than 300 shows and 8,000 ad-free episodes through their hayu subscription, such as Keeping Up with the Kardashians and series exclusively available in Canada such as Love Island UK and Love Island Australia, and Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.
Epico customers who sign up for hayu can currently take advantage of a free one-month trial offer…
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