The CRTC last week approved, by majority decision, a May application from Northwestel proposing to introduce two new 1 Gbps business internet packages to its general tariff.
The new packages include Northwestel’s Cable Business Internet 1 Gbps Unlimited package, with a download speed of 1 Gbps and an upload speed of 40 Mbps, and its FTTP Business Internet 1 Gbps Unlimited package, with symmetrical 1 Gbps download and upload speeds. Both packages are priced at $499 per month.
Northwestel said in its application its 1 Gbps cable business internet package would be…
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By Ahmad Hathout
Apple is asking the Federal Court of Appeal to review whether the CRTC is inappropriately demanding the disclosure of what it calls competitively sensitive financial information as part of the implementation of the Online Streaming Act.
The California-based music and TV streaming giant is arguing that the CRTC has not explained in its November decision on the definition of Canadian programming why the streamers need to publicly disclose annual contributions they make to domestic content and their gross Canadian broadcasting revenues.
“The decision to presumptively disclose … has not reasonably been explained to be and is…
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By Ahmad Hathout
The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) is asking the Federal Court of Appeal to review the 20 per cent minimum copyright ownership threshold set by the CRTC that the creative group argues fails to give Canadians effective control to exploit their works as required by the law.
The trade group, which represents over 600 creative companies, argues in a leave application filed late last week that the regulator, in its November 18 decision defining “Canadian” programming, did not explain how that minimum 20 per cent Canadian control over the intellectual property translates to Canadians controlling…
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By Ahmad Hathout
Major foreign streamers are asking the Federal Court of Appeal to review the CRTC’s decision to force them to disclose certain financial information that the regulator says is in the public interest.
The Canadian affiliate of the Motion Picture Association (MPAC) and its members, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Paramount+, are arguing that, by declaring certain financial information “public,” the CRTC is effectively pre-empting their ability to designate certain competitively sensitive information as confidential as is their right under section 25.3 of the Broadcasting Act, which was amended by the Online Streaming Act that…
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By Ahmad Hathout
Akash Broadcasting Inc. has been granted a hearing at the Federal Court of Appeal over a decision by the CRTC to reject its buy of AM radio station CKMX in Calgary.
Akash, an operator of ethnic stations, had entered into an agreement with Bell in 2024 to acquire the assets of the station, which has been off-air since June 2023. It then went to the CRTC for approval of the transaction.
In October, the CRTC denied the application because it came while the commission reviewed applications for another commercial radio station in the city. Akash’s application came approximately two…
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The CRTC is seeking a data service to monitor and measure competitive forces in the Canadian internet services market, following its new regulatory policy mandating wholesale access to the large telephone companies’ last-mile fibre networks across the country.
The telecom regulator has pre-identified Boston-based Opensignal as the supplier of the data service, but has issued an advance contract award notice (ACAN) to allow other interested suppliers to submit bids.
The CRTC and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) are looking to contract a company to provide timely and granular ISP…
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By Ahmad Hathout
The CRTC said Wednesday it will expect online streaming undertakings to provide described video for new, third-party and legacy programs and described audio for news and information programs.
The policy, part of the implementation of the Online Streaming Act, will apply only to English- and French-language scripted pre-recorded programs and partially scripted live events of national interest, such as the Academy Awards and the Olympic Opening Ceremony.
New original programs are those that are created or commissioned by the streamer and made available on its platform; third-party programs are those created by other companies but is being made available…
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By Ahmad Hathout
The CRTC said Monday that there isn’t enough evidence on the record to show that Bell is imposing on Quebecor an undue disadvantage by allegedly forcing disproportionate wholesale transport charges on its subsidiary.
Quebecor filed an application over two years ago claiming that Bell has been forcing its subsidiary, Fibernoire, to renew a wholesale fibre transport agreement on terms that would allegedly subject it to an undue disadvantage: better prices in exchange for a long-term contract and a commitment to minimum annual revenues – which Bell says is a common practice that provides revenue and…
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By Ahmad Hathout
Apple has filed a letter to the Federal Court of Appeal requesting that the panel of justices review a recent CRTC decision that it believes could bolster its challenge to the commission’s own base contribution ruling.
In the letter dated December 11, the tech giant alleges that the CRTC has handicapped the attorney general – its legal counsel at the court – by stating in paragraph 4 of its November decision on the definition of Canadian content that the commission believes defining such programs is “a necessary step before establishing financial or…
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The CRTC said Friday that Wingham, Ontario can sustain at least one additional FM radio station.
The decision comes after the regulator launched a proceeding to replace an existing AM station in the small community earlier this year. The proceeding followed an application by Blackburn Media Inc. to operate an English-language FM station on the 104.3 MHz frequency, instead of its existing AM facility, which it said has experienced failing equipment and infrastructure that are expensive to maintain.
The application required that the CRTC consult the public and then make a determination if adding a station would harm…
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