By Ahmad Hathout
Rogers and Quebecor are challenging a decision by the CRTC to extend by two years the implementation of the next-generation 911 service, saying they will be forced to assume millions of dollars in unnecessary costs for a longer period of time.
The CRTC in March extended by two years the full implementation deadline for the new system, which will allow first responders to receive texts and multimedia messages from distressed callers. Crucially with that decision, the regulator maintained the dual-rate model, meaning originating network providers (ONPs) – which link up with Bell and Telus, the managers of the…
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By Ahmad Hathout
Telus has filed a notice of discontinuance requesting the Federal Court of Appeal no longer consider its judicial review application challenging an order from the federal cabinet recommending the CRTC contemplate banning the “Big Three” from access to the last-mile fibre regime.
The Vancouver-based telco insisted in March that its case was still relevant – despite the CRTC declining to change its November 2023 interim decision in response to the cabinet order – because the government still had another opportunity to vary or rescind that subsequent decision by May 5.
That date has come and gone…
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Corus urges CRTC move on children’s programming
By Ahmad Hathout
If the CRTC used current foreign streamer investments to the Canadian system as a baseline to determine obligations, then it would put the commission offside of the new Broadcasting Act and the policy direction from cabinet by forcing more contributions from them relative to traditional Canadian broadcasters, said representatives of a trade group representing the major foreign streamers Friday.
“If you were to establish the existing investment obligations as a floor, I think you would end up with foreign streaming services contributing a disproportionate amount to the Canadian broadcasting system when you…
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By Ahmad Hathout
The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) has been accepted as intervenor before the Federal Court of Appeal to explain the relationship between royalty payments and the making of Canadian content.
The court said this week it found the largest rights management organization in Canada is “well-positioned” to address specific issues raised by Spotify, which argued in part of its appeal challenging the CRTC’s five per cent base contribution requirement that it was paying royalties to Canadian music artists.
SOCAN argues the payment of royalties is simply a cost of doing business…
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By Ahmad Hathout
The CRTC has closed the loop on a matter it opened over a year ago: that it does, indeed, have concurrent jurisdiction with Industry Canada over the wireless attachments on telco-owned or controlled structures.
The ruling means the installation of small cell and Wi-Fi equipment is subject to the support structure tariffs filed to the commission, which was the starting point for the matter in question.
The commission held that preliminary view since February 2024 after Rogers and Quebecor applied to it for an order directing Bell, which was accused…
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By Ahmad Hathout
Foreign streamers should be made to put money toward Canadian news funds because they are drawing money that used to go to support it out of the system, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) argued on the first day of the CRTC’s hearing on the definition of Canadian content in the audio-visual space Wednesday.
“What the foreign streamers have been able to do is to come in and … take revenues out of Canada,” Kevin Desjardins, president of the trade group that represents the big private broadcasters, told the five-member CRTC panel about the advertising and subscriber revenues…
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The CRTC last week in a letter informed Bell that the telecom’s recent move to start selling wireless devices locked to Bell’s network for 60 days is in apparent breach of the Wireless Code.
Bell has until May 16 to explain to the CRTC how it intends to ensure it remains in compliance with the unlocking rules set out in the Code, which requires service providers to ensure devices are unlocked at or before the time of sale, without requiring any specific action on the part of the customer.
The CRTC’s missive was…
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By Peter Menzies, former newspaper executive, past vice chair of the CRTC, and a Macdonald-Laurier Institute Senior Fellow
On June 1, the Vancouver Whitecaps will play one of the most important games a Canadian club sports team has ever played.
In most countries – in fact in almost any country – broadcasters would be clamouring over each other for the ability to show it. The national public broadcaster might be claiming it as a program of national interest and politicians would be weighing in to play a little hero ball of their own and grab the spotlight.
The Whitecaps’ Concacaf Champions League…
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Public interest groups say the consultation is overdue
By Ahmad Hathout
Citing a broader portfolio of regulatory obligations, the CRTC on Monday launched its consultation on how to support and sustain public interest participation in its proceedings.
The commission wants to know, by September 10, whether it should create one funding system for both telecom and broadcasting matters to support that end; whether that single fund should be managed by an independent third party, such as the existing Broadcasting Participation Fund (BPF); whether more parties should be eligible for funding; and who should be obligated to fund it.
The CRTC currently has two…
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Bell Canada on Monday launched a new multimedia campaign, “Build. Connect. Grow Canada”, calling on the CRTC and new federal government to implement what it calls “smart policies” to unlock billions in private sector investments to build critical fibre infrastructure.
Bell said in a Monday press release 7.8 million homes and businesses across Bell’s footprint currently have access to its pure-fibre network, but the CRTC’s recent decision to uphold the Big Three telecom providers’ access to the aggregated last-mile fibre facilities of Bell and Telus on a wholesale basis has…
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