OTTAWA – The CRTC has sided with online gamers in their complaints against Rogers Communications’ network management policies.
The Commission’s Chief Compliance and Enforcement Officer Andrea Rosen told Rogers in a letter on Friday that based on preliminary evidence, its Internet throttling practices are in breach of the net neutrality rules within the Telecommunications Act. It also gave the company two weeks to either dispute the evidence or provide a plan to come into compliance with the Act.
“Based on the preliminary results of our ongoing investigation, Commission staff is of the belief that Rogers Communications Inc. applies a technical ITMP…
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OTTAWA – A new CRTC policy announced Thursday encourages the country’s incumbent telephone companies to adopt Internet Protocol (IP) throughout their networks, putting them on a similar footing with their wireless colleagues.
Large telephone companies have traditionally relied on voice circuit-switched technology (known as TDM) to transfer telephone calls to and from other service providers. Although they are gradually migrating their networks to IP, these companies continue to rely on the older technology.
By comparison, cable companies and wireless providers that began offering telephone services in the last few years have built IP-based networks, and are currently responsible for converting their…
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OTTAWA – More than 20 applicants have asked the CRTC to be awarded a spot on the FM dial in the crowded Toronto radio market.
And that list includes broadcasting heavyweights such as Newcap, CBC and Astral.
The Commission issued the call last September after Evanov Radio Group subsidiary Dufferin Communications applied to change the frequency of its station CIRR-FM Toronto, (also known as Proud 103.9), from 103.9 MHz to 88.1 MHz. Applications were due December 19.
As Cartt.ca readers will recall, 88.1 FM is the slot formerly occupied by Ryerson University radio station CKLN which had its licence revoked by…
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REGINA – Members and supporters of the deaf community gathered in front of the CRTC building in Regina on Friday as part of nine rallies across the country in support bringing Video Relay Services (VRS) to Canada.
VRS makes it easier for deaf individuals to communicate using the telephone by allowing them to use sign language via video to an interpreter, who translates and speaks to the person on the other line. When the person on the other line responds, the interpreter uses sign language to communicate back to the deaf person.
According to a report, despite ordering Bell to test it VRS…
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OTTAWA – Brama Telecom has become a member of the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS), less than a month after being ordered to appear in front of the CRTC for its failure to do so.
As Cartt.ca reported, the Richmond Hill, ON-based company was summoned to a public hearing in March where the Commission planned to review whether or not to disconnect the VoIP providers’ services.
Under the Telecommunications Act, all telecommunications service providers that provide services within the scope of the CCTS’s mandate must become members after being informed by the CCTS of a complaint against it. The…
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OTTAWA – The process to find the new chairperson of the CRTC is officially underway today, less than two weeks before outgoing chair Konrad von Finckenstein’s term expires on January 24.
The chair, "Chief Executive Officer of the CRTC… establishes the corporate vision and values, defines the strategic priorities and plans and sets up the organization structure and operational systems and processes to guide the work of members and staff. This includes assigning members to panels and providing strong functional direction and expertise to members to enhance their conduct of delegated panel responsibilities and other areas of activity and to ensure…
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VANCOUVER – Consumer group and self-described pro-Internet advocate OpenMedia.ca wants the CRTC to conduct a transparent audit and review of Internet infrastructure costs in order to stave off what it calls “backdoor rate hikes” by incumbents.
After independent ISP Teksavvy announced plans to pass on bandwidth price increases to its consumers, OpenMedia.ca called on Canadians to voice their concerns to the CRTC and government through a new on-line petition which seeks to halt infrastructure access prices increases levied by the likes of Bell and Rogers against their wholesale clients.
It's also asked the CRTC to conduct a transparent review into how Internet infrastructure access costs…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC is seeking input on draft regulation that will require broadcasters and television service providers to control the loudness of TV commercials by September.
The decision, rendered last September, means that both broadcasters and television service providers will be required to adhere to standards developed in 2009 by the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) for measuring and controlling television signals to minimize fluctuations in loudness between programming and commercials.
The Commission has proposed amending the Television Broadcasting Regulations, the Specialty Services Regulations, and the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations, as well as the standard conditions of licence for video-on-demand undertakings and the exemption…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC is asking for feedback on more provisions relating to vertical integration.
The Commission confirmed plans to amend the exemption order for new media broadcasting undertakings, the exemption order for small BDUs, and parts of the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations, the Pay Television Regulations, the Specialty Services Regulations, and the Television Broadcasting Regulations in order to implement various determinations relating to vertical integration.
Comments are due by January 23, 2012.
www.crtc.gc.ca
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OTTAWA – A number of radio stations have found themselves on the CRTC’s naughty list this year, prompting the Commission to issue a refresher on how to file their annual returns.
The CRTC said Tuesday that it has experienced “serious difficulties” in assessing the broadcasters’ Canadian content development contributions, among other criteria, due to annual returns being filed late and/or with inaccurate or missing information. In addition to more paperwork, this has also contributed to broadcasters being found in non-compliance with the radio regulations, prompting appearances before the Commission.
Annual returns must be submitted before November 30 for each licensed radio…
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