Move will let broadcasters keep $30 million
OTTAWA – While Canadian broadcasters have been working extraordinarily hard to deliver the news to Canadians during the Covid-19 crisis – and entertain them when they need diversion – this very crisis has caused revenue to bleed away from them as advertisers pull back facing an uncertain economy.
So, the federal government announced today a bit of a break, announcing it is waiving the payment of annual CRTC Part I licence fees for the 2020-21 fiscal year.
“The government knows that our Canadian broadcasters have been working around the clock to deliver news and…
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By Denis Carmel
GATINEAU – In the ongoing Bell vs Cloudwifi skirmish, last Thursday, the CRTC rendered a decision that gets Cloudwifi, a Kitchener and Toronto reseller of telecom services, closer to getting CLEC status, which would allow it to offer its services while riding on larger providers fibre networks.
One criterion to fulfil its obligations in order to get CLEC status requires a company to have signed a Special Master Agreement for Local Interconnection (MALI) with all LECs that operate in the exchanges in which it wishes to operate.
Bell Canada was refusing to sign such an…
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Demands deletion by anyone who downloaded it
GATINEAU — The CRTC did a bit of damage-control on Monday saying confidential versions of Northwestel’s 2019 annual price cap model and Télébec’s 2018 price cap model had been posted on the Commission’s website in error. On January 28, 2020, Commission staff became aware of the inadvertent disclosure of the confidential information and removed it.
The Commission made the revelation in a letter publicized on March 30 and addressed to “Persons who viewed the 2019 Price Cap Filings between 17 June 2019 and 28 January 2020.”
After the error was discovered by Commission staff,…
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By Ahmad Hathout
CHATHAM, Ont. – Canada’s largest independent third party internet access ISP TekSavvy said today it will lay-off 130 employees and raise internet prices by $5 per month due to the effects of Covid-19 as well as the uncertainty surrounding the wholesale rate appeal that resulted in reduced prices it has maintained since.
In an email to Cartt.ca, TekSavvy’s vice-president of regulatory affairs Andy Kaplan-Myrth confirmed the layoffs and said the price increase will go into effect in May – all in an effort to “keep things going,” he said.
The 130 people account for a significant chunk of the…
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By Denis Carmel
GATINEAU – When the Competition Bureau filed its further comments in the CRTC’s Wireless Review proceeding and issued detailed recommendations as to the future of the wireless industry in Canada, it was obvious that there was going to be some pushback.
Both Telus and CNOC requested to see more of the information filed in confidence and the Commission on Tuesday, granted some of CNOC’s wishes while denying Telus request.
CNOC was interested in both information filed in confidence that is publicly available, as well as methodological aspects of the Bureau’s analysis which was not revealed.
“The Commission also directs…
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Canadian communications giant dead at 85
CALGARY – Shaw Communications founder, executive chair and former CEO JR Shaw is being remembered not only as a pioneering cable and telecom builder, but a family man, philanthropist, and a one-of-a-kind gentleman who inspired deep loyalty and unity.
Known throughout the North American communications industry simply as JR, Shaw was a pioneer in Canadian business and a Canadian telecommunications sector visionary. He passed away in his sleep Tuesday at the age of 85.
“My family and I are at a loss for words and are deeply saddened at JR’s passing,” said Brad Shaw, CEO of…
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GATINEAU and WHITEHORSE – On Monday evening, the CRTC approved an urgent refiled request from Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut carrier Northwestel for temporary relief on residential Internet usage to facilitate increased telework in the north.
Last week, Northwestel proposed waiving any overage charges for customers exceeding their Internet usage caps during March and April in terrestrially-served communities (which are most communities in Yukon, NWT, northern Alberta and northern B.C., says the company).
All Northwestel’s terrestrial Internet packages and rates are regulated, and the proposed changes could only take effect with CRTC approval.
The CRTC last week returned the application, saying…
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Broadband fund application deadline delayed a month
GATINEAU – While the CRTC had earlier said it was suspending all deadlines for open proceedings due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it confirmed two specific, important ones today.
Final submissions to the Commission’s near-complete wireless policy review proceeding were due March 23rd, but it announced Friday that deadline has been suspended until further notice.
Also, the second call for applications to the CRTC’s rural Broadband Fund said they were due in by March 27 but it said Friday the new deadline for those applications is now April 30th.
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GATINEAU – As a carrier which is still heavily regulated as compared to most others, because it serves a high-cost serving region, Northwestel can’t simply change terms of service to its customers without CRTC permission.
Earlier this week, as we reported, Northwestel said it submitted an urgent application to the CRTC for temporary relief on residential Internet usage to facilitate increased telework in the north.
In a letter to Northwestel’s CFO Stan Thompson on Thursday, however, the Commission said it received two submissions from the division of Bell Canada. The first proposes to waive data overage charges for the months…
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GATINEAU – In a wholesale TV rates battle between Bragg Communications (Eastlink) and Rogers Media, the CRTC today gave both sides a win with a final offer arbitration decision.
The two companies have not been able to settle on wholesale rates for Sportsnet and Sportsnet One for some time and approached the CRTC for an FOA process in October 2019.
With Sportsnet (which has five regional feeds), the Commission said Thursday it has selected Rogers’ offer, while for Sportsnet One, it chose the Eastlink offer.
Eastlink fought for its offered rates (none of which were made public) by telling the Commission it…
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