Search Results for: cogeco

Cable / Telecom News

Cogeco Cable buys Quiettouch

MONTREAL – Cogeco Cable has reached a definitive agreement to acquire all of the shares of Quiettouch Inc., the companies announced Monday. Quiettouch provides outsourced managed IT and infrastructure services including hosting, virtualization, firewall services, data backup with end-to-end monitoring and reporting, plus enhanced and traditional co-location services. Catering to mid-market and larger enterprises in Canada, it operates three data centres in Toronto and Vancouver, as well as a fibre network within specific business areas of downtown Toronto. Cogeco president and CEO Louis Audet called the move in line with the company’s strategy of developing the business market. “This acquisition will enable us to… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Vertical Integration: EastLink, Cogeco, CCSA members and CBC demand hard and fast rules

GATINEAU – A code of conduct for vertically integrated broadcast and distribution groups, content exclusivity on mobile and the need for a skinny basic package were the primary discussion points discussion during the fourth day of the CRTC’s examination of vertical integration. EastLink noted during its opening remarks that access to content is a “critical driver” of not only its cable distribution service, but for all of its services, and therefore rules need to be established to ensure equitable access to content. “Programming services dictate contract terms requiring distribution in high penetration packages, packaging requirements and, in some cases, with the… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Cogeco warns of DTV transition

MONTREAL – On August 31, 2011, most local television broadcasters will switch their current analog signals over to digital, Cogeco Cable noted today in a press release. “Cogeco Cable wishes to inform its television customers that they will not be affected by the transition and that they will continue to receive their channels using the equipment they already have,” reads the press release. “They will not need to change their actual TV set or obtain any additional equipment for any TV set connected to Cogeco’s cable service in order to maintain their current choice of channels. “In fact, the transition to digital… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Cogeco Data aims for simplicity with new B2B services

TORONTO – Cogeco Data Services rolled out a new suite of voice and data services on Monday that it says will help businesses reduce complexity and work more efficiently. The new managed services include a Layer 3 MPLS-based connection with class of service capabilities intended to help businesses prioritize data traffic in an optimal way. The IP-based VPN service allows customers to extend their organization’s infrastructure by connecting multiple locations, such as branch offices, vendors and suppliers over a secure and fully managed network. They also include a managed Ethernet service, a Layer 2 MPLS-based connection that enables customers to control… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Cogeco boosts speeds in North Bay

MONTREAL – Cogeco Cable is launching its Ultimate 30 and Ultimate 50 high speed Internet packages for consumers in North Bay, ON, as well as its new Business Ultimate 30 and Ultimate 50 packages for businesses. Powered by DOCSIS 3.0, Cogeco says the packages offer advantages in speed and pricing compared to competitors.  Ultimate 30 package offers speeds of up to 30 Mbps for downloads and up to 1.5 Mbps for uploads with a monthly download cap of 125 GB.  For the Ultimate 50 package, speeds can reach 50 Mbps for downloads and 1.5 Mbps for uploads with a… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Astral, Cogeco call for overhaul of radio regs

MONTREAL – Two of the country’s largest radio broadcasters are calling on the CRTC to make changes to its commercial radio policy. After appearing in front of the Commission last week to week to reaffirm their respective compliance with the radio policy on French-language music content, Astral Radio and Cogeco Diffusion both suggested that the policy needs to be updated to reflect the shift in tastes and music listening habits of French-language listeners that are increasingly being to world and English-language music. “An overall review has become all the more necessary because the radio industry is currently undergoing significant changes”, reads… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

CRTC to expedite decision on Cogeco’s traffic stations

MONTREAL – Cogeco Diffusion said that it is “pleased” that the CRTC has promised to review its application for two new traffic-oriented radio stations “without delay.” As Cartt.ca reported, the radio division of Coegco Inc. is seeking licences to operate two AM specialty traffic news stations in the Greater Montréal area under a cooperation agreement with the ministère des Transports du Québec. The move is part of the provincial government’s measures to reduce the impact of the major work on the Greater Montréal area road network over the next few years which it estimates will impact some 1.3 million road… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

New Cogeco radio stations will track traffic conditions in Montreal

MONTREAL – The radio arm of Cogeco Inc. will create two new specialty traffic stations to serve the Greater Montreal area after receiving provincial funding for that purpose on Monday. Starting next fall, road users in Montreal will be able to listen to Cogeco Diffusion’s French and English stations on the AM band for live traffic updates, information on road work, and weather conditions from 4:30 AM (6 AM on weekends) through 1:00 AM. Cogeco said that it will receive $1.5 million per year per station from Transports Québec to finance a portion of the dedicated traffic radio operations through… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Cogeco Radio gets interim injunction against two former employees

MONTREAL and QUEBEC CITY – Radio broadcaster Cogeco Diffusion announced Monday afternoon it was granted an interim injunction by the Superior Court of Québec against two former employees. Sébastien Lavoie and Jean-Pascal Lemelin, respectively the former Program Manager and Music Director and former Assistant Program Manager and Music Director for Québec City radio station CFOM (102,9 FM) and the Québec City and regional CKOI radio stations resigned on March 29, 2011 and left the company the same day. They have since joined Astral Media’s NRJ Radio in the city. “The purpose of this injunction is to preserve confidential program data belonging to… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Cogeco’s profits flat despite “solid” second quarter

MONTREAL – Despite gains at its main Cogeco Cable unit, second quarter profits at Cogeco Inc. were modest, the company announced Friday. Cogeco Inc. recorded a net profit of $10.6 million for the quarter ended February 28, 2011, almost identical to a year ago when it posted profits of $10.5 million.  Revenue rose 6.6% to $350.6 million, led by its cable sector and the purchase of Corus’ 11 radio stations in Quebec, which closed in February. Cogeco Cable posted a net income of $31.2 million, up 4.6% from $29.8 million in the same period last year, while revenue grew 5% to… Continue Reading