OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC reaffirmed its support for the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS) on Wednesday after releasing the full details of its review of the telecom consumer agency.
“Following an extensive review, we are satisfied that the CCTS is doing a good job of resolving complaints on behalf of consumers and small businesses,” said Leonard Katz, the CRTC’s vice-chairman of telecommunications, in a statement. “An independent agency like the CCTS is an essential intermediary in a market where competition is growing by the day and the majority of telecommunications services are no longer regulated.”
The Commission approved…
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OTTAWA – BCE insists that it does not have to pay tangible benefits on its proposed acquisition of CTVglobemedia, noting requiring it to pay a second time is inconsistent with Commission policy.
In reply comments, the company argues that it paid a $230 million benefits package in 2000 when it first acquired CTV and despite the decision to sell an 85% stake in the broadcaster in 2006, it never relinquished control and therefore shouldn’t be required to pay again.
“If the Commission were to require that the same acquirer (BCE) pay tangible benefits on the same assets (CTV) on…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has sided with Telus and Bell in a complaint against Videotron over exclusivity of some of its video-on-demand content.
In separate applications made last June, Telus and Bell claimed that Videotron owned the exclusive rights to popular programs from TVA network, which it offered on its illico on-demand platform, but would not license them for the telco’s own on-demand platforms in Quebec, contrary to VOD regulations.
TVA is the largest conventional television network in Quebec and is owned by Quebecor Media, which also owns Videotron.
The Commission determined on Wednesday that a condition of undue preference does exist, and…
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OTTAWA – Usage-based billing rates should be set at 15% less than comparable rates for retail Internet services, the CRTC has ruled.
Tuesday’s decision comes after the Commission called for comments last October on whether UBB rates for wholesale residence gateway access services (GAS) and third-party Internet access services should be set at levels below the carriers’ respective comparable UBB rates for retail Internet services and, if so, by how much.
While determining the amount of the wholesale UBB discount, the Commission said that it considered that if it is too large, the effectiveness of UBB as an economic…
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OTTAWA – CBC News Network may not distribute news programming unique to British Columbia on a separate feed, the CRTC has ruled.
In an application to the Commission, CBC News Network (formerly known as CBC Newsworld), said that the change would “enhance the quality and relevance of its national news service and give audiences in British Columbia an opportunity to access more regionally relevant news programming”, plus address the issue of NHL playoffs which pre-empt the local news programming of CBUT Vancouver each spring.
But the Commission cited Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2009-562-1, which deems it “inappropriate” to allow competitive news services…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – Responding to a wave of public criticism, the CRTC has asked the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) to reconsider its decision to ban the unedited version of the Dire Straits song “Money for Nothing”.
After the CBSC’s January 12th determination that the use of a derogatory word for gays in the song breached broadcast codes, the Commission said that it has received over 250 letters from Canadians, “most of which have suggested that the CBSC made an incorrect decision, and many of which have urged the Commission to take corrective action”. In addition to the “strong public reaction”, the…
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OTTAWA – The Commission has approved revisions to the monthly recurring rates and service charge rates for wholesale unbundled loops in Bell Aliant’s and Bell Canada’s incumbent operating territories in Ontario and Quebec.
Incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) are required to unbundle their local access facilities and make them available on a wholesale basis to competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs). These unbundled local access facilities are referred to as ‘unbundled loops’ and are used by CLECs to provide connections for services between individual customer premises and an ILEC’s central offices.
Telecom analyst Mark Goldberg said in a blog post that the…
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WHILE MASSIVE SPENDING cuts at one bankrupt broadcaster led it back into the black in 2010, another that was home to the Olympics saw the Games both boost – and drag down – results.
According to the aggregate financial data submitted to the CRTC by all English and French language OTA broadcasters and posted to the Commission web site recently, all lost money, save two.
• Those two are Quebecor Media’s TVA (which recorded a PBIT of $49 million in the 2010 broadcast year (ended August 31, 2010) and the former Canwest Global stations (now part of Shaw Media) which…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has announced plans to take a closer look at the proposed Canadian merger of satellite radio companies Canadian Satellite Radio Inc. (XM Canada) and Sirius Canada Inc. at a hearing slated for March 7, 2011.
While their American parents combined over two years ago, the Canadian firms only announced plans to follow suit last November. That announcement pegged the combined company at approximately $520 million, which includes long-term debt of $130 million.
Interventions and comments are due by February 7th. Click here for more on the hearing.
www.crtc.gc.ca
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has given Bluepoint Investments the go ahead to proceed with its purchase of the Saskatchewan Communications Network (SCN).
The satellite-to-cable programming undertaking distributes educational programming in Saskatchewan. Bluepoint offered $350,000 for the provincial pubcaster just days before the Saskatchewan government was to pull the plug, as Cartt.ca reported.
The Commission also approved Bluepoint’s request to broadcast 14 minutes of advertising per hour during 63 hours per week, noting that “the requested flexibility in the commitments and conditions of licence will be in the public interest and will help preserve the diversity of programming choices in Saskatchewan…
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