OTTAWA – VOIP provider Primus Telecommunications has told the CRTC that it could lose market share if a Commission decision granting retroactive rate increases for Bell Canada’s and Bell Aliant’s unbundled local loops (ULL) is allowed to stand.
The competitive telecom and broadband provider says it will have to raise local telephony prices to pay for the higher ULL rates which could result in the loss of customers.
“This type of an increase would significantly harm Primus’ competitive position in the market and, indeed, would simply not be feasible or practical, because the current pricing in the market (and in particular,…
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OTTAWA – The rules around the broadcast of false and misleading news will not be broadened, the CRTC confirmed in a decision on Wednesday.
The Commission initially called for comments last January after the Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations – a joint Commons and Senate committee that studies government regulations – determined that the CRTC’s rules regarding false and misleading news ran counter to the Charter of Rights.
The proposed amendments led to a public outcry in the media and on-line, resulting in the Commission receiving approximately 3,300 comments with all but 8 criticizing the…
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OTTAWA – Direct to Home Groceries has been fined $10,000 for violating the country’s national do not call list (DNCL), the CRTC announced Tuesday.
The Commission said that it received “numerous complaints” between March 5, 2009 and August 11, 2010 about the company for calling consumers whose telephone numbers were registered on DNCL. After receiving a notice of violation dated October 4, 2010, the Burlington, ON-based company said that it had experienced a computer glitch which resulted in it not knowingly contacting consumers registered on the national DNCL. It also claimed to be “in severe financial distress”, and said that a…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC is hoping to simplify the number portability process by expanding access to the Canadian Number Portability Administration Centre Service Management System to third parties.
Number portability enables a customer to keep the same telephone number when changing telecommunications service providers within the same exchange. The NPAC/SMS is used by local exchange carriers (LECs) and wireless carriers to conduct the number portability process. The Commission initially limited access to the NPAC/SMS for the purpose of porting telephone numbers between LECs and subsequently expanded this access to include wireless carriers.
After receiving a request to expand access by from the Canadian…
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CAMBRIDGE, ON – CRTC chair Konrad von Finckenstein is suggesting “a conceptual rethink” of communications regulation in Canada, perhaps with all policy united under one government department.
In a speech at the annual Broadcasting Invitational Summit in Cambridge late last week, von Finckenstein expressed frustration (as he’s done with other speeches during his tenure) with the country’s legislation, regulation and institutions that he says has failed to keep pace with “digital technology, the Internet and vertical integration”.
“Currently, we are operating under three separate and very different Acts”, he said, in reference to the Broadcasting Act, the Radiocommunication Act and the…
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OTTAWA – The CBC has finally convinced the CRTC to accept a new programming proposal for its category 1 specialty service bold, sparking sharply worded dissents from two of its commissioners.
As Cartt.ca has reported, the Commission directed CBC to come up with another programming strategy in line with the channel’s original nature of service, (programming reflective of the living realities of rural Canadians), after rejecting the CBC’s first attempt last April. CBC re-branded the channel as bold from Country Canada in March, 2008 claiming challenges in sourcing programming, and limited financial resources to produce original content consistent with…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC is calling for comments on access to inside wire in commercial and institutional properties.
Specifically, the Commission said Thursday that it would like feedback on a proposal made by Bell on amending the BDU regulations to permit access to inside wire owned by BDUs that is located in commercial and institutional properties, such as long-term care establishments, prisons, student residences, military bases, restaurants, hotels and motels, hospitals and work camps.
Intervention are due by June 3, and the deadline for submitting replies is June 13, 2011.
www.crtc.gc.ca
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – Bell TV and Shaw Direct must carry more local television stations, the CRTC said Wednesday while announcing its updated its satellite distribution policy.
Beginning September 1st, Canada’s two satellite distributors must offer an affiliate of each national television network; five English- and five French-language CBC stations – or as many CBC stations as are distributed from a private broadcasting group in either official language; one television station per province from each major Canadian broadcasting ownership group; and two stations from each of the other Canadian broadcasting ownership groups.
“Canadians in all markets should have access to their local…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC has set a speed target for broadband Internet and has maintained the obligation for telephone companies to provide basic home telephone service in what’s widely known as its ‘obligation to serve’ decision released late Tuesday.
In what will surely be a surprise to the country’s telephone companies, the Commission mandated that all Canadians have access to broadband speeds of at least 5 Mbps for downloads and 1 Mbps for uploads by the end of 2015.
“A well-developed broadband infrastructure will serve as a gateway for Canadians to participate in the digital economy,” said CRTC chairman Konrad von…
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TORONTO – The Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) is urging the CRTC to require Canadian broadcasters to stick to last year’s TV Policy, thereby living up to their obligations to Canadian audiences.
In a submission filed Friday as part of the Commission’s reply phase in the group-based licence renewal hearing, the WGC said that the 2010 TV Policy created a balanced framework in which broadcasters received programming flexibility and a reduced exhibition requirement in return for guaranteed commitments to making quality Canadian programming, particularly Programs of National Interest (PNI) like dramas, documentaries and awards shows.
"The WGC came into the licence renewal hearing respecting the…
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