GATINEAU – The CRTC today told Ice Wireless that allowing its Sugar Mobile customers to roam constantly on the Rogers Wireless network violates its roaming agreement and that it has 50 days to stop.
As Cartt.ca has reported, Ice had applied to the CRTC for relief against Rogers Communications after the national operator told Ice more than a year ago it was violating their agreement – and it would be terminating that contract, along with roaming service to Sugar customers.
Ice Wireless operates a mobile network that includes coverage in the three Canadian Territories and some…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC has signed a memorandum of understanding with the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs to fight unsolicited commercial electronic messages (spam) and the threats they pose to citizens in both countries.
Canada and New Zealand are members of the Unsolicited Communications Enforcement Network (UCENet), an international network of enforcement agencies responsible for spam and unsolicited communications.
This agreement, announced Thursday, say the two agencies pledge to share information and intelligence, where permitted by the laws of each jurisdiction, regarding spam.
“This agreement demonstrates our ongoing commitment to work closely with partners to fight unlawful communications and protect Canadians…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC is calling for comments as it prepares to undertake a review of the competitor quality of service (Q of S) regime.
The existing competitor Q of S regime has been in place since the Commission finalized the rate rebate plan (RRP) for competitors in 2005. Noting the number of changes to the telecommunications marketplace and to the Commission’s regulatory measures since then, the Commission said Thursday that it is seeking feedback on whether a competitor Q of S regime continues to be required and, if so, how it should be structured.
Interventions and comments should be submitted to…
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Minister Joly says "timing was right"
GATINEAU, QC – Canadian Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly is sharing some of the input she received during her recent consultations on Canadian Content in a Digital World.
Based on feedback collected by Ipsos via the online portal, in-person events, social media discussions and mail and e-mail submissions, What We Heard Across Canada: Canadian Culture in a Digital World, released Tuesday, identified the following eight key themes and messages heard during the consultation:
– Showcasing Canada’s cultural sector: increased support for production of Canadian content as well as sustained efforts on marketing and communication will help underscore…
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REGINA – The CRTC’s decision to overhaul what it means to provide a basic telecommunications service to Canadians has SaskTel CEO Ron Styles worried.
The Commission’s policy announcement, made December 21st, is too vague and leaves open the possibilities of higher telecom rates for rural customers, lower profits and decreased investment, said the CEO. For example, while the Commission has said the existing $100 million subsidy to help serve high cost rural areas will be rolled into a new fund aimed at getting 50 Mbps downstream and 10 Mbps upstream to all Canadians, no matter where…
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REGINA – After taking over a month to digest and study the decision, SaskTel today expressed concerns that the CRTC’s recent policy announcement regarding basic telecommunications services plans will cause it to raise its rates.
The Commission’s decision to phase out the $100 million local service subsidy for rural areas in Canada (to be replaced with other broadband-focused funding formulae) includes the loss of a $16 million subsidy in 2016/17 for rural telephone subscribers in Saskatchewan, said the company in a press release Monday.
The reduction in subsidy could potentially result in rate…
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WITH ITS SUPER BOWL SIMSUB decision, which finally came to pass Sunday of course, the CRTC decided that a relative few people complaining they couldn’t watch American ads (ads!) was more important than the promotion and funding of Canadian content.
The decision to set aside simultaneous substitution and, essentially, cause direct harm to Bell Media – the company which purchased the rights to the game in Canada – is a fundamental departure from what the Commission is supposed to do, which is promote, foster and enable the distribution of Canadian content and culture through the Canadian broadcasting system. It’s impossible…
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GATINEAU – The CRTC kicked off its planned review of its three-year old Wireless Code of Conduct on Monday by asking Canadians to share their views and experiences with it.
The Commission launched an online discussion forum, open from February 6 – 14, and promised that all comments made by Canadians during the online consultation will be considered as part of the review.
The Code’s public hearing will run from February 6 – 9 and aims to assess the Code’s effectiveness and whether it should be updated to reflect the evolution of the wireless market.
“We are giving Canadians another opportunity…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC is calling for comments as it prepares to undertake a review of the regulatory framework for text-based message relay services.
Message relay services (MRS) are text-to-voice services that enable people with a hearing or speech disability to make and receive telephone calls. The Commission currently requires wireline telephone service providers to offer two types of MRS: teletypewriter (TTY) and Internet Protocol (IP) relay services. Wireless service providers are generally not required to provide MRS, at present.
Specifically, the Commission has asked for input on how MRS could evolve to respond to users’ needs in today’s market, whether…
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GATINEAU – A four-day hearing will begin Monday morning as the CRTC dives into a review of its three-year old Wireless Code of Conduct.
This code of conduct which, among other things, forced Canadian wireless companies to stop offering contracts longer than 24 months to customers, was one of chairman Jean-Pierre Blais’ initial major policy shifts driving his oft-stated consumer-first agenda.
The code, as the CRTC says, aims to make it easier for individual and small business consumers to get information about their contracts with wireless service providers and about their associated rights and responsibilities, establish standards for industry behaviour,…
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