By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – Between losing a fourth wireless player in a merger and difficulty negotiating with big telecoms on leasing wireless network capacity, smaller carriers and their representatives told members of the industry committee Tuesday that the one-two punch of divesting Freedom Mobile in a Rogers-Shaw combination and mandating wireless negotiations with service-based operators could spell the last vestige of hope for a competitive telecom environment.
Appearing before the committee studying the Rogers-Shaw merger proposal, Matt Stein, who is head of the Competitive Network Operators of Canada, an industry group representing smaller internet service providers (as well as president…
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GATINEAU — In a decision released today, the CRTC has set November 30, 2021, as the date by which Canadian telecommunications service providers (TSPs) must implement STIR/SHAKEN (new tech intended to combat caller ID spoofing) to authenticate and verify caller identification information for IP-based voice calls as a condition of offering and providing telecom services, pursuant to sections 24 and 24.1 of the Telecommunications Act.
The Commission previously postponed implementation of the STIR/SHAKEN framework until June 30, 2021. In today’s compliance and enforcement and telecom decision, the Commission acknowledges “some technical and policy issues have yet to be…
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Submissions to CRTC review shows Quebecor wants into radio, too
By Steve Faguy
TROY REEB DOESN’T THINK this story will be controversial.
Reeb, executive vice president broadcast networks at Corus Entertainment, which owns 39 radio stations, is one of several radio executives who believe the Canadian commercial radio industry needs more consolidation and is calling on the CRTC to reduce or even eliminate restrictions on how many radio stations an owner can control in a given market.
“I don’t know if there are a lot of opponents to further consolidation of radio. I haven’t heard who they are. I haven’t seen an argument…
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By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – Underlying witness testimony at Wednesday’s Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology meeting into the proposed merger between Rogers and Shaw was the message that there are things the government can control in the event the massive cable and wireless combination gets regulatory approval.
That includes policies on requiring facilities-based telecoms to negotiate with service-based mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), which the CRTC is still reviewing, and which federal cabinet can send back if it doesn’t like the Commission’s call; spectrum transfers and radio wave restrictions on the merging entities; open access to towers and backhaul…
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Merger presents a great opportunity for Minister Champagne
By Konrad von Finckenstein
ROGERS COMMUNICATIONS ANNOUNCED on March 15th its intention to buy Shaw Communications for $26 billion, and of course the transaction must be approved by the CRTC, the Competition Bureau and the Minister of Industry, Science, and Innovation.
The three entities will undoubtedly consult with each other and co-operate. Logically the Competition Bureau would go first, the CRTC second and the Minister last.
The CRTC approval should be relatively routine. Shaw is a BDU but has no broadcasting assets, having divested them to Corus. Thus, there are no benefits payable under CRTC…
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By Ken Kelley
TORONTO – Bell Canada CEO Mirko Bibic insists his company isn’t the least bit troubled about the potential tie-up between Rogers and Shaw. While the jury – namely the CRTC, the Competition Bureau and ISED – considers the ramifications of such a deal upon the Canadian competitive landscape, Bibic says Bell plans to continue pushing forward and won’t let the merger distract from its normal course of business.
“ doesn’t change our strategy at all. In fact, I think it reinforces that we’re on the right track,” Bibic said during his appearance at Scotiabank’s 24th annual…
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Trying to make 2+2=5
By Greg O’Brien
OTTAWA – There’s essentially nothing the politicians can do directly about the proposed purchase of Shaw Communications by Rogers Communications because the arbiters are the CRTC, Competition Bureau and ISED. But that would never stop them from extracting their pound of flesh from powerful CEOs, if they so desire. And they desired.
So it was on Monday when Joe Natale, president and CEO of Rogers Communications, and Brad Shaw, CEO of Shaw Communications (along with other senior executives) faced the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology and attempted to explain to mostly dubious MPs…
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By Catherine Edwards
IN THE LEAD UP TO the Broadcasting Act review, Canada’s five associations representing the community element (two TV, three radio) were dismayed the Creative Canada Policy Framework, the Shattered Mirror, and the Broadcast and Telecom Legislative Review reports barely mention community broadcasting, despite it being one of the three pillars of the system.
This omission was significant. The community element is uniquely positioned to address the most pressing issues that face our broadcasting system:
the lack of local programming outside major population centres
the lack of programming made by and for minorities, especially Indigenous communities
…
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By Doug Barrett
WHEN BILL C-10 WAS TABLED last November, it didn’t take long to notice that the first section in the Broadcasting Policy for Canada (“the Canadian broadcasting system shall be effectively owned and controlled by Canadians”) had been deleted.
Not modified or amended, but completely deleted.
Since that time, the bill has been debated in Parliament and wended its way through the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage – which has now heard comments from lobby groups, sages, elders, and experts and will soon be considering its own amendments. Many of those appearing before the Committee (including independent broadcasters, producers, associations,…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU — The CRTC’s chief compliance and enforcement officer announced today a penalty of $75,000 to Scott William Brewer for violating Canada’s anti-spam legislation (CASL) by allegedly sending hundreds of thousands of commercial emails without prior consent — marking the largest fine ever issued by the Commission to an individual for sending spam messages.
Between December 2015 and May 2018, Brewer allegedly sent more than 670,000 spam messages in what are known as hailstorm spam campaigns, where a very high volume of emails is sent over a short period of time, before anti-spam defences can respond and block the messages.
Brewer’s…
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