GATINEAU – The CRTC today pared back some of the rates which large internet service providers can charge independent ISP competitors for using their networks.
This battle has raged on for a number of years as independent ISPs like Teksavvy, Telnet and others attempt to carve out a market for themselves as ISPs serving a small slice of the Canadian populace who’d rather not be subscribers of one of the big telcos or cablecos. In order to do that though, those small ISPs need access to the big networks owned and run by Bell, Telus, Rogers and others just the…
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OTTAWA – Heads up aquarium channel fans. Stingray Digital Group has received CRTC approval to operate The Seasonal Channel, a national, niche, no spoken word specialty Category B service that features still pictures and moving video of nature scenes with appropriate music. The Commission did not receive any interventions in connection with this application.
The channel will be used to “create a soothing video environment that will feature still pictures and moving video of nature scenes (similar in principle to the “Log” and “Aquarium” channels currently available) that will change based upon the season and…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC’s annual telecommunications survey for the period ended December 31, 2012 will begin February 19, 2013. A letter and email has been sent to participating entities indicating the filing method available to them.
Entities that are instructed to file electronically must submit their data using the web-based Data Collection system. Applicable data forms will be issued based on last year's filling. Additional data forms may be issued once the Registration form is submitted. The Registration form is due on March 1, 2013 and data forms are due on March 31, 2013.
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OTTAWA – The CRTC estimates that its regulatory costs under section 9 (1) of the broadcasting regulations will total $30.16 million. The annual adjustment amount referred to in section 8(2) for the 2011-2012 fiscal year is $0.377 million.
A second adjustment pertaining to the 2012-2013 fiscal year in the amount of $0.005 million is being made following the revision of the Part I billing for one broadcasting undertaking. Part I broadcasting licence fees were recalculated and the adjustment is being invoiced to the other broadcasting undertakings.
The net billing for the Part I licence…
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INDUSTRIES CONSOLIDATE. All industries. That’s the natural growth path. The big get bigger. If you doubt that, check the retail, mining, automotive, heck, any sector. Shareholders decide to divest, or need to divest and sell to the highest bidder. Sometimes they go bust. That’s our global economy.
So at this point, we have to accept the fact that unless we are going to slap some mighty regulations on wireless, all but nationalize the networks and force-feed Canadians many carriers (all of whom would then be undercapitalized weaklings), our market is not going to develop any more telecom companies. It’s too…
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OTTAWA – In tersely worded letters, the CRTC has made it loud and clear it’s losing patience with Telus and three local TV providers for failing to comply with new rules that limit the loudness of TV commercials they broadcast. The companies have all failed to meet new distribution regulations that ensure commercial messages and regular programming are broadcast at an even volume. The amendments came into force September 1, 2012 and the Commission has now set new deadlines for the companies to prove they are in fact moving towards compliance.
The letters, from Andrea Rosen, Chief Compliance…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has appointed Christianne Laizner as the CRTC’s senior general counsel. The Commission will benefit from her extensive experience in providing legal, strategic and policy advice, as well as in leading legal teams, says CRTC chair Jean-Pierre Blais.
After five years in private practice, Christianne joined the Department of Justice and provided legal services for various departments. Notably, she provided advice leading to the ratification of the North American Free Trade Agreement and the implementation of regulations to resolve disputes. Laizner also provided counsel during the negotiations that led to a Softwood Lumber…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has agreed to extend the submission deadline for the hearing into the must-carry of cable and satellite channels as outlined in section 9(1)(h) of the Broadcasting Act after receiving requests for an extension from Shaw, Rogers, Cogeco and the Canadian Cable Systems Alliance (jointly), Telus and the Public Interest Advocacy Centre.
The deadline for the submission of interventions, comments and answers has been extended to February 27, 2013 and the deadline for the submission of replies has been extended to March 11 2013.
In addition, the preamble and the following item…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has denied a bid by Ice Wireless and Iristel to have the regulator issue a cease and desist order on Northwestel from “using the time required to establish critical components of the competitive environment to get a head start on competition.”
In their request to the CRTC sent August 8, 2012, Ice Wireless and Iristel claimed that Northwestel’s modernization plan for its network would only act to subsidize “the monopoly incumbent to provide the same services that are being provided by competitors. This amounts to an undue preference.”
It further…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC plans to issue a number of decisions this week that include a bid to launch a new AM station in St. Catharines, and a request by Canadian Network Operators Consortium to force Rogers to increase the service speeds it offers its third party Internet access customers.
The Commission will also decide on an application from Ice Wireless and Iristel seeking to have Northwestel cease and desist from launching new competitive services and reducing prices for existing competitive services until the Commission has completed all proceedings related to the establishment of the competitive environment in…
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