Search Results for: cogeco

Cable / Telecom News

Cogeco announces partners to enable launch of wireless services in Canada

As Cogeco continues preparations to launch wireless services in Ontario and Quebec, the Montreal-based cable company announced Monday strategic partnerships with an undisclosed national wireless network operator and Eastlink to facilitate the development of Cogeco’s wireless service in Canada. Cogeco has signed a five-year mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) agreement with the national wireless network operator, giving Cogeco access to its wireless network. The agreement prevents Cogeco from disclosing the name of this network partner, said a Cogeco spokesperson when contacted via email by Cartt. In addition, Cogeco has entered into a separate five-year agreement with Eastlink for the… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

CRTC asks Rogers, Cogeco to continue providing competitor service after wholesale decision

The CRTC has asked Rogers and Cogeco to continue to provide competitors access to their networks as the regulator moves to address the impact of copper decommissioning on the wholesale internet market. On the same day the regulator released its wholesale rate decision, the CRTC sent a letter to various large and regional telecoms Tuesday notifying them that it is asking Rogers and Cogeco to continue to provide competitors access to its older facilities as they move toward pure fibre. Rogers and TekSavvy asked the CRTC in June to suspend a Part 1 application filed by the independent… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Cogeco says Canadians will likely interact with new AI customer service chatbot in ‘coming weeks’

By Ahmad Hathout The combination of Cogeco’s Canadian and American operations is already yielding cost-saving results, the telecom’s executives said Friday, which includes an artificial intelligence chatbot that is managing some of the telecom’s customer service interactions. “The results are above our expectations so far,” Frederic Perron, the telecom’s president and CEO, said of the chatbot called Charlie on the company’s fiscal third-quarter conference call. “In less than one month, Charlie has successfully handled tens of thousands of customer interactions, many of which did not require a transfer to a human. “Charlie will continue to evolve and will be deployed in Canada… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Cogeco combining Canadian and U.S. telecommunications operations

Cogeco announced Wednesday a new organizational structure combining the commercial, operational and technical functions of its Canadian telecommunications business Cogeco Connexion and its U.S. telecom business Breezeline into a single North American organization. Cogeco said in a press release the streamlined structure “will enable the creation of strong cross-border centers of expertise in key strategic areas such as digital, advanced analytics, and technology.” In addition, it “will also accelerate the deployment of top talent and best practices across the organization and will facilitate the harmonization of systems and platforms,” Cogeco said. “We identified… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

MVNO negotiations not much further along, Cogeco says

By Ahmad Hathout Cogeco is still working toward securing a deal with the national carriers to launch its mobile virtual network operator business on their networks, the telecom’s senior vice president and chief financial officer said Friday. “Where we are right now is we’re still in negotiations…at the same time building what is required to launch as well,” Patrice Ouimet said during the company’s fiscal second-quarter conference call with analysts. “I would say the situation is not that different from what I said last quarter. That being said, we are making progress.” Ouimet said he couldn’t go any deeper because these are… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

CRTC orders Cogeco to ensure TekSavvy has facilities access at two Ontario locations

By Ahmad Hathout The CRTC has ordered Cogeco on Monday to ensure TekSavvy can continue to access its facilities at two Ontario locations the cable provider said it would need to migrate to fibre by May 1. Cogeco’s transition to fibre facilities would lock TekSavvy and its customers out of locations in Burlington and Windsor – where it uses the Montreal company’s older coax facilities – in part because the commission does not allow mandated access to cablecos’ bundled middle and last mile fibre infrastructure, the Chatham-based company argued in an application in January. TekSavvy also alleged Cogeco… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Cogeco launching mobile service in U.S.

Cogeco announced Thursday it is launching mobile services under its Breezeline brand in the United States. The product will operate as a mobile virtual network operator, meaning it will use the networks of other carriers, and will be offered in a bundle where it has wired internet service. Breezeline has broadband services in 13 states. “We are thrilled to announce the launch of mobile services within our Breezeline operating regions,” Frédéric Perron, president and CEO of Cogeco said in a release. “This important new service will not only help us expand our product offering, but will also allow us to better… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Frédéric Perron appointed as Cogeco president and CEO; Philippe Jetté to retire

The boards of directors of Cogeco Inc. and Cogeco Communications Inc. announced Monday the appointment of Frédéric Perron as president and CEO and director of both companies, effective immediately. Perron most recently held the position of president of Cogeco Connexion, Cogeco’s Canadian broadband business. He succeeds Philippe Jetté, who is retiring but will serve as a strategic advisor to the incoming CEO and the boards of directors until Aug. 31, 2024 to facilitate a seamless transition in leadership, a press release says. “We are very pleased to announce the appointment of Frédéric as… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Rogers, Cogeco fend off Telus proposal on wholesale access

By Ahmad Hathout Telus’s proposal to ride on its competitors’ internet networks outside of its home territory would be destructive to facilities-based competition and would create an existential crisis for regional wholesalers, two prominent cable companies told the CRTC on Thursday. Representatives from Telus said Wednesday that the Vancouver-based telecom should be able to wholesale internet capacity from competitor networks to drive diversity of choice and competition, or the regime would be “useless.” The telco also pushed back against claims that it is a national incumbent, instead saying that its preferred status would be a regional player that’s a new… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Cogeco acquires Niagara Regional Broadband Network

Cogeco announced Monday its Cogeco Connexion business unit is acquiring Niagara Regional Broadband Network (NRBN) from the City of Niagara Falls and the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, who will both remain minority shareholders in the company. The acquisition of the Niagara Region provider of fibre-based internet, telephone and television services will strengthen Cogeco’s presence in the region and allow it to support the continued growth of NRBN, a Cogeco press release says. “We are delighted to welcome NRBN to the Cogeco family,” Philippe Jetté, president and CEO of Cogeco Communications, said in the… Continue Reading