GATINEAU – TekSavvy is asking the CRTC to update the approval processes for competitor tariff filings, which it says are causing a widening gap between when new service speeds are offered at retail by incumbent carriers and when wholesale competitors gain access to those same speeds.
“Because of the tariff application process currently in place, competitors are left to wait for Commission approval for access to new service speeds,” a Part 1 application from TekSavvy posted to the CRTC’s website last week says.
“Meanwhile, incumbent carriers immediately begin offering the new speeds to their retail customers, insulated from any wholesale competition,…
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Officially filed application to Competition Tribunal seeking to block the merger
GATINEAU – The Competition Bureau has filed applications to prevent Rogers Communications from acquiring Shaw Communications, in part due to its findings that competition has already taken a hit since the announcement of the proposed merger.
“Following an extensive investigation, the Bureau determined that competition between Rogers and Shaw has already declined,” a press release says. “The Bureau’s position is that if the proposed merger is allowed to proceed, that harm will continue and may worsen.”
The investigation found before the merger was announced, “Shaw planned to enter new wireless…
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By Brad Danks
THE GOVERNMENT’S BILL C-11, the Online Streaming Act, is now making its way through the House of Commons. The legislation has its share of critics, many of whom fear its intent or the role it gives to the CRTC to regulate the Internet. They fear something they currently have will be lost. I think this fear is unfounded. Those of us in the more traditional broadcasting industry understand that this legislation is critical to ensure that the Canadian audio-visual sector evolves to meet the threats and benefit from the opportunities present in the online streaming environment.
Let’s be clear…
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TORONTO – Early Saturday morning, Rogers Communications issued a press release saying it was notified that the Commissioner of Competition will file applications to the Competition Tribunal opposing the company’s proposed $26 billion purchase of Shaw Communications.
Despite that, the two companies said in the release they remain committed to the deal and they are engaged in sale process for full divestiture of Freedom Mobile to maintain strong fourth carrier. Both Xplornet and Quebecor are rumoured to be in negotiations to buy Shaw’s wireless assets.
“Rogers and Shaw remain committed to the transaction, which is in the best interests of Canada…
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CHATHAM – A TekSavvy request to have CRTC chair Ian Scott investigated for alleged wrongdoing has been referred to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner (CIEC) by the Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada.
TekSavvy originally asked the federal Integrity Commissioner to investigate Scott in March. The disclosure filed by the independent Internet service provider at the time contained evidence, “which shows Mr. Scott held numerous ex parte meetings with telecom lobbyists during open regulatory proceedings concerning pricing of internet and mobile services,” a TekSavvy press release says.
The Integrity Commissioner has since notified TekSavvy…
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WHITEHORSE – Northwestel announced today at the Arctic Indigenous Investment Conference in Whitehorse it is selling its fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) assets in Yukon to a group of 13 Yukon First Nations development corporations.
“For the first time in Canada, the vast majority of a province or territory’s in-community fibre assets are now Indigenous-owned,” according to a Northwestel press release.
As part of a new partnership called the Shared Pathways network, Northwestel will make “regular payments for the fibre network’s full use for 20 years, guaranteeing direct economic benefits to participating Yukon First Nation communities for decades. Northwestel will operate and maintain the network…
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By Konrad von Finckenstein
IN AN OPINION PIECE regarding C-11, the Online Streaming Act, Douglas Barrett on April 8 pointed out that the bill allows the CRTC to determine what constitutes a Canadian program for the purpose of act. He asked the logical question:
“How are they to do this? The first and most obvious approach would be to require the streamers contribute to a fund in the same manner as the BDUs currently contribute to the CMF. This could be a completely new fund established just for online undertakings.
The big question is – OK. But who would have access…
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By Douglas Barrett
IN MY LAST PIECE for Cartt.ca (Observations on the definition of a Canadian program, April 8, 2022), I focussed on the various rules concerning the certification of a program as Canadian and analysed the differing approaches of the CRTC and the Canadian Audio-Visual Certification Office. I also posited that, “When Bill C-11 is passed and the CRTC takes over, the real question will not be whether the foreign streamers are required to make a contribution to the system, it’s who will ultimately own and control the contribution they make.”
Digging a little deeper into this I am…
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TORONTO — The Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) today named its new council for the two-year term from May 1, 2022 to April 30, 2024.
WGC members re-elected Alex Levine (Orphan Black) as central region councillor, and he will resume his role as council president, says a press release.
Other re-elected WGC councillors include council vice-president and central region councillor Marsha Greene (The Porter), WGC treasurer and Atlantic region councillor Michael Amo (Pure), and Quebec region councillor Anne-Marie Perrotta (Big Top Academy).
The WGC announced three newly elected councillors. Jeremy Boxen (above, left; Killjoys) has been elected as central region councillor, and…
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By Howard Law
This is part three of a three-part series – read part one here and part two here.
What will “television” look like in 10 years?
Looking into the future of particular services and companies, the Commission expects that vertically integrated companies (companies that own or control programming services as well as distribution services), for their part, will continue to have the opportunity to leverage their resources and audience reach to acquire popular and lucrative programming as well as be well positioned to produce high-quality programming made by Canadians. Their critical mass provides these companies with the financial…
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