GATINEAU – After nearly two years since the CRTC set lower rates which the incumbent wired telecom carriers such as Bell and Rogers were to charge third party internet access providers like TekSavvy and Start.ca for access to those wired networks, the CRTC has decided to backtrack.
In its decision today on a review and vary filed by the incumbents (after they had appealed to both cabinet and the courts, too) the Commission today said it will make the interim wholesale rates which have been in place since 2016 the new permanent rates, except for a supplementary…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA — The federal government announced today more than $6 million in funding is being provided through the Universal Broadband Fund’s (UBF) Rapid Response Stream to Bell, Cogeco Connexion and Lakeland Networks to bring high-speed Internet to 2,374 underserved homes in central and eastern Ontario.
In total, 15 communities in the regions of Clarington, Lake of Bays Township, Leeds and Grenville, Merrickville-Wolford, Northumberland County, Spencerville, Newtonville, Newcastle, West Guilford, Baysville, the Municipality of Dysart et al, and Wasauksing First Nation will benefit from the investments.
UBF funding will be distributed as follows:
Bell: $2,637,164
Cogeco Connexion: $2,855,180
Lakeland Networks: $701,055
Receiving funding…
Continue Reading
CEO Péladeau has already said he is interested in Freedom Mobile
By Ahmad Hathout
MONTREAL – Quebecor CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau has been making headlines in recent weeks by suggesting he is interested in acquiring Freedom Mobile in the event that condition is forced by regulators as part of a Rogers-Shaw merger. Now, he’s sending lobbyists west to familiarize the brand.
During a conference call related to his company’s first quarter earnings report this month, Péladeau expressed interest in taking Videotron’s brand nationwide. He said regulatory conditions are better now, following the CRTC’s decision to give regional carriers access to the wireless…
Continue Reading
Says facilities-based is best
By Ken Kelley
TORONTO – When CRTC Chairperson and CEO Ian Scott looks back on all that has transpired in the last 15 months, he is especially proud of the way Canada’s ISPs rose to the unprecedented technological demands and other challenges posed by the pandemic. Speaking yesterday during a virtual event hosted by Canadian Club Toronto, Scott told Android Central’s Shruti Shekar industry players both big and small deserved a proverbial tip of the hat.
“Both large and small players navigated network management during an incredibly transformative period without a lot of disruption,” he told Shekar. “The…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – Through the federal government’s Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) Rapid Response Stream, the Government of Canada announced $7.7 million will go to five telecom operators to bring high-speed Internet to over 2,800 more homes in southwestern Ontario
Bell Canada, Cogeco Connexion, GBTEL Inc., Quadro Communications and Vianet will build out 11 projects to connect over 2,800 underserved households to high-speed Internet in the communities of Allenford, Camlachie, Campbells Cross, Cedarhurst Park, Colchester, Connor, Deerbrook, Everett, Lucan, Marthaville, Oxley, Rosemont, Sauble Beach, St. Joachim, Tara, Thamesford and Wyoming.
The rapid response stream funding means the projects must be completed before the…
Continue Reading
Association says consensus was achieved
By Steve Faguy
GATINEAU – The Canadian Association of Broadcasters’ submission to the CRTC’s commercial radio policy has exposed a long-standing rift between large and small broadcasters, and one of them is speaking up to say the CAB’s comments do not represent them.
Leclerc Communication, which owns two radio stations in Quebec City and one in Montreal, owes its very existence to the CRTC’s Common Ownership Policy, which sets limits on how many stations in one market a company can own. When Cogeco bought Corus’s Quebec radio stations in 2011, it was forced to divest two stations…
Continue Reading
TORONTO — Canadian Broadcast Sales (CBS) today announced the launch of AudioVelocity, a new digital audio platform it says is designed to deliver advanced advertising solutions and real-time measurement to radio and podcast advertisers.
Providing enhanced targeting capabilities, the AudioVelocity platform allows advertisers to deliver messages through streamed and on-demand content via connected devices across CBS’s portfolio of leading Canadian broadcasters and podcasters, including confirmed partners Rogers Sports and Media, Corus Entertainment, Pattison Media, Cogeco Media, CBC, Vista Radio, Radioplayer Canada, Golden West Broadcasting, Blackburn Radio, and MBS Radio.
“Radio already delivers massive reach, excellent cost efficiency, and demonstrated impact for…
Continue Reading
QUEBEC CITY — As a result of a $62.8-million joint investment made as part of the Canada-Quebec Operation High Speed program, 15,350 households in the Laurentides region will have access to Cogeco high-speed Internet services by September 2022.
According to the announcement made today, Cogeco will receive $48.9 million in funding through the program to deploy high-speed Internet services to the targeted municipalities in La Rivière-du-Nord regional county municipality (RCM), Les Laurentides RCM, and Les Pays-d’en-Haut RCM (the full list of municipalities is below). That suggests Cogeco is contributing the other $13.9 million to the projects.
Cogeco will take an inventory…
Continue Reading
QUEBEC – A total investment of $50.1 million from the Canada–Quebec Operation High Speed fund will see 6,930 households in the Centre-du-Québec region gain access to high-speed Internet services by September 2022.
Regional operator Sogetel will receive $24.2 million to provide coverage to 4,330 households and contribute $8.8 million of its own cash. Cogeco will receive $14.4 million to connect 2,600 households, for a project with a total value of $17.1 million.” The investments announced will accelerate the deployment of reliable, high-performance infrastructure in the targeted cities, municipalities and parishes listed in the annex. Over the next few months, Sogetel…
Continue Reading
LIGHTHOUSE COVE, Ont. – Construction has begun on the first of several projects to deliver better broadband to rural Essex County.
TekSavvy broke ground recently on its $2.1 million project to serve 540 homes and businesses in the community of Lighthouse Cove with fibre broadband, beginning by early 2022.
It’s part of a larger $19 million push in the county co-ordinated by SWIFT, in partnership with the federal and provincial governments as well as TekSavvy and Cogeco, to deliver high-speed internet to more than 5,170 underserved homes and businesses within Essex County. $8.5 million comes from SWIFT (which is of…
Continue Reading
