TORONTO and OTTAWA-GATINEAU — Canadian Network Operators Consortium Inc. (CNOC) is asking the CRTC to mandate both Full Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) national wholesale access services and wholesale tower and site sharing services.
CNOC made the request in an application it submitted Monday to the CRTC to “review and vary” the Commission’s Regulatory framework for wholesale mobile wireless services, (Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2015-177). In its policy decision, issued in May, the Commission chose to regulate wholesale roaming services but continued to forbear from the regulation of MVNO and tower and site sharing services.
In its “review and vary”…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU — The CRTC has issued a call for comments on its proposed Simultaneous Programming Service Deletion and Substitution Regulations in its latest Broadcasting Notice of Consultation (CRTC 2015-330).
Simultaneous substitution (or simsub) occurs when a distributor temporarily replaces the signal of one TV channel with that of another channel showing the same program at the same time. According to the CRTC, during the Let’s Talk TV proceeding Canadians expressed ongoing frustration with the frequency in errors made during the simsub process.
The CRTC’s request for public comments regarding its proposed simsub regulations comes as the Commission awaits a report…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – Canadians frustrated by telemarketing calls masquerading as legit now have a chance to help the CRTC crack down on the practice of illegitimate caller identification (caller ID) spoofing.
Caller identification spoofing occurs when telemarketers hide or misrepresent their identity by displaying fictitious phone numbers when making calls. The CRTC said Thursday that it wants to gather information from both the public and the telecommunications industry to better understand the technical solutions currently available to help manage unsolicited telecommunications and illegitimate telemarketing calls.
"Canadians are very frustrated with telemarketers who hide their identity or misappropriate the legitimate numbers of Canadians…
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OTTAWA – Canadian Network Operators Consortium (CNOC) was quick to commend the CRTC for Wednesday’s wholesale wireline decision, one that it says will have a “profoundly positive impact on Canadian consumers, competition, and competitors.”
Referencing its stance at last November’s the fibre hearing, where it advocated for mandated access to all-fibre networks in multi-unit buildings and housing developments, as well as the introduction of a disaggregated model for transport services, CNOC said that the Commission’s decision to implement both “affirmed that additional regulatory measures were necessary”.
“This decision, once fully implemented in a graceful manner, will strengthen competition throughout Canada’s markets for…
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OTTAWA – The National Football League wants to come to Canada. Specifically, it has asked to appear in Court as part of Bell Media’s appeal of a CRTC decision banning simultaneous substitution during the Super Bowl.
In documents filed with the Federal Court of Appeal last week, the NFL officially asked for intervener status in Bell’s appeal of BRP 2015-25 which, among other decisions, ruled that simsub may no longer be performed by Canadian broadcasters for the Super Bowl effective at the end of the 2016 NFL season.
Bell Media, the Canadian rightsholder of the big game that airs nationally on…
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OTTAWA–GATINEAU – The CRTC is launching a proceeding to examine the framework for French-language vocal music (FVM) in order to foster its discovery, promotion, creation and consumption in the digital era.
Noting that Canadians’ consumption habits are changing thanks to new broadband-driven technologies, streaming music services, and a trend that sees some listeners migrating from French-language stations to English-language ones, the Commission said Monday that the goal of the proceeding is to ensure that French-language content is present in music programming and to provide French-language vocal music listeners with access to programming that reflects their needs, interests and culture.
The CRTC…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has kicked off a call for comments on proposed amendments to the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations in order to implement some decisions from the recent Let’s Talk TV proceeding.
Among other things, the Commission said that the amendments seek to:
– provide Canadians with access to a small entry-level service offering (basic service) and pick-and-pay and flexible package options;
– eliminate genre protection to allow more programming flexibility, while streamlining the licensing regime for discretionary services;
– ensure that a diversity of voices is offered to Canadians by requiring that vertically integrated distributors offer one English- or French-language independent service for…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has announced plans to give Canada’s 9-1-1 networks a stress test and then decide whether to mandate 9-1-1 network quality-of-service standards.
Canadians have access to either Basic or Enhanced 9-1-1 service through wireline, wireless, and voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone services in areas where 9-1-1 call centres, also known as public safety answering points (PSAPs), have been established by provincial, territorial, or municipal governments. The Commission said Thursday that it wants to proactively review the reliability and resiliency of 9-1-1 networks and various elements in light of significant service disruptions to 9-1-1 services in the…
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OTTAWA–GATINEAU – The CRTC has revoked the broadcasting licences of Aboriginal Voices Radio (AVR), which operates stations in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa under radio call sign CKAV.
The Commission said Thursday that not only did AVR fail to fulfil its commitments and mandate to reflect the distinctive place of the Aboriginal community in Canadian society, it was also found in non-compliance during each of the four times it appeared before the CRTC to renew its licences over the past 15 years.
Noting that the Ottawa station has not broadcast anything since fall 2014, AVR was also not providing the…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – Despite competition from satellite, online and mobile services, revenues at Canada’s 695 commercial radio stations held firm for the 2014 broadcast year, according to the CRTC’s statistical and financial results for this sector released Monday.
Commercial Radio 2010–2014: National Statistics, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Radio Markets said that total revenues for AM and FM stations dipped 0.52%, from $1.623 billion in 2013 to $1.614 billion for the broadcast year ending August 31, 2014. These revenues enable commercial radio stations to offer a variety of programming to Canadians, to support established and emerging Canadian talent, and to provide employment to…
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