LONGUEUIL, Que. — Quebec-based third-party Internet service provider EBOX is joining other independent ISPs who are calling for the resignation or firing of CRTC chairman Ian Scott following the Commission’s reversal last week of its August 2019 decision to lower the third-party Internet access (TPIA) rates paid by the small independents to Canada’s largest carriers.
Last week, TekSavvy asked for Scott to be removed from his position (TekSavvy has also petitioned the federal cabinet to overrule the CRTC’s rate decision) and VMedia called for Scott’s resignation.
Now today, EBOX issued a press release also calling for Scott…
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MONTREAL — While last Thursday’s third-party Internet access (TPIA) decision (in which the CRTC chose not to uphold its August 2019 decision to lower wholesale Internet rates) may have independent ISPs like TekSavvy wondering about their ability to invest, Bell Canada today announced its accelerated capital investment plan announced earlier this year will now increase by up to $1.7 billion over the next two years.
In February, Bell said it was adding between $1 billion to $1.2 billion in accelerated capital investment over the next two years, so today’s announcement represents up to $500 million more in…
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Angry competitive ISPs say prices and regulatory distrust will increase
By Ahmad Hathout
GATINEAU – Large independent internet service provider TekSavvy, having been in the process of building its fibre facilities, was gearing up for next month’s critical 3.5 GHz spectrum auction. In January, competitive ISP Distributel purchased telecom Primus. And several other competitive ISPs reduced their prices in light of what they anticipated would be a new era of lower wholesale internet fees.
But those business decisions were based on the assumption the CRTC would choose lower bulk internet purchase rates that at least were between the interim rates set in…
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GATINEAU – After nearly two years since the CRTC set lower rates which the incumbent wired telecom carriers such as Bell and Rogers were to charge third party internet access providers like TekSavvy and Start.ca for access to those wired networks, the CRTC has decided to backtrack.
In its decision today on a review and vary filed by the incumbents (after they had appealed to both cabinet and the courts, too) the Commission today said it will make the interim wholesale rates which have been in place since 2016 the new permanent rates, except for a supplementary…
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By Ken Kelley
TORONTO – It’s not surprising the proposed Rogers-Shaw merger would be one of the first topics that Rogers president and CEO Joe Natale would tackle at the TD Securities’ virtual Telecom and Media Conference on Wednesday.
While the merger still has a number of regulatory hurdles to clear, including the Competition Bureau, ISED Canada and the CRTC, it did chalk up a victory earlier this week when the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta gave the merger the green light. The court’s approval followed an overwhelming thumbs up from Shaw’s shareholders last week.
“We’re very delighted with…
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By Ahmad Hathout
GATINEAU – The CRTC’s second attempt at determining the wholesale costs of internet capacity will determine whether or not third party internet access providers can lower customer rates, if it continues to allow the big telecoms to execute on network investment decisions, or if it elicits yet more appeals.
Striking the right balance on rates for competition and network investment is not only a goal of the Regulator, but it’s a requirement under a cabinet direction from 2020. And Thursday’s upcoming decision – coupled with the CRTC’s decision to force open the big wireless networks to regional carriers…
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By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – The Federal Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal challenging a lower court’s decision to force internet service providers to block the websites of a company that sold unlicensed TV content.
The appeal court ruled Wednesday the Federal Court’s November 2019 website-blocking order against GoldTV was appropriate and did not step on the CRTC’s jurisdiction, as the court had the ability to unilaterally make such an order. The decision also said the order did not interfere with net neutrality principles because the blocking ISPs are not controlling or influencing the content or traffic on their…
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By Denis Carmel
GATINEAU – On April 21, 2021, Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) and the Forum for Research and Policy in Communications (FRPC) filed an application with the CRTC proposing to stabilize the funding of the Broadcasting Participation Fund (BPF) but as of today, May 26th, the CRTC has not yet posted the Part I application to its website, therefore a process has not yet been initiated.
“Time is of the essence in this matter, as the Broadcasting Participation Fund (BPF) faces potential revenue shortfalls and exhaustion, in part due to the paucity of tangible benefits orders resulting from media…
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Northwestel wants to wait on Starlink effect before CRTC proceeds
GATINEAU — The CRTC is asking for further comments on its review of telecom services in Canada’s North, even though replies to the proceeding previously closed on March 24, in order to let interveners respond to a concern raised by the government of the Northwest Territories regarding a request by Northwestel to delay the proceeding until the impact of Elon Musk’s Starlink’s low Earth orbit (LEO) service in northern Canada is known.
In its reply comments dated March 24, Northwestel wrote: “…to ensure that the Commission’s regulatory framework review is…
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CALGARY — Shaw Communications announced late Tuesday afternoon the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta has approved the proposed business combination agreement between Shaw and Rogers Communications.
This follows news last week that Shaw’s shareholders voted overwhelmingly in favour of the purchase deal, which still requires regulatory approval from the Competition Bureau, ISED Canada and the CRTC.
The companies expect the merger transaction to be finalized in the first half of 2022.
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