GATINEAU – As we’ve reported, one of the outcomes of the Let’s Talk TV process was the creation of a national ratings service to include set top box viewership data from all major TV carriers – which was enshrined in the conditions of licence for large BDUs.
However, with Videotron’s status still unclear since it abandoned the process earlier this year despite its condititions of licence requiring it to take part (the Commission has since turned down its request to pull out and the Federal Court has refused to hear…
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GATINEAU – While everybody else was requesting an extension to the 90-day deadline to file a R&V with the CRTC over its decision on wholesale internet access rates, Telus quietly filed its own application on November 13th.
It requests the Commission to vary some determination of the Telecom Order 2019-288.
The following excerpts are highly technical. Mature audiences only.
To determine the rates Telus must charge its resellers, the Commission relies on Phase II costing methodology, but Telus argues, however, “the effectiveness of Phase II hinges on adhering to and implementing the underlying principles of this methodology. If…
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OTTAWA — The CRTC announced Wednesday the total amount of subsidy to be paid to incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) from the National Contribution Fund will total $60.7 million in 2019. The Commission also said it estimates the total interim subsidy payments to ILECs will be approximately $38.7 million in 2020.
Last year, in Telecom Regulatory Policy 2018-213, the CRTC announced it would phase out the local telephone service subsidy over a three-year transition period from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021, through semi-annual reductions.
Each year, the CRTC finalizes the subsidy payments for ILECs providing residential local telephone service…
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OTTAWA — The CRTC announced Wednesday it has approved the application submitted by the Canadian Administrator of VRS (CAV) for $16,032,739 in funding from the National Contribution Fund (NCF) for 2020.
Access to this funding will enable the CAV to continue to offer video relay service in Canada to the benefit of all Canadians, as envisioned by the Commission in Telecom Regulatory Policy 2014-187, the CRTC said today in its decision. Video relay service (VRS) enables people who use sign language to conduct telephone calls and communicate with voice telephone users using sign language. VRS connects a sign language user…
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GATINEAU – The CRTC today launched an online survey in an attempt to better understand the needs, behaviours and habits of Canadians regarding their mobile wireless services.
The survey, announced this morning, forms part of the CRTC's review of mobile wireless services, which began in February 2019. “The survey results will help determine whether further action is needed to ensure that the needs of Canadians are being met in the mobile wireless market,” says the press release.
Canadians have until December 31, 2019, midnight PST to complete the survey.
The CRTC will hold a public hearing starting on February 18, 2020, in…
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GATINEAU – A number of companies are worried about Bell getting bigger.
In July 2019, Groupe V Media announced it was selling for $20 million its five conventional stations to Bell Media. V, previously known as TQS, has had a long story of financial and regulatory problems and its acquisition by Bell had been rumoured for quite some time. (Photo at right are the stars of the V show Ne Jamais Faire à la Maison, or Never do this at Home, Marie-Soleil Dion and Jonathan Roberge.)
On October 29th, the CRTC issued it Notice of Hearing with a short intervention period ending…
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However, Bell has not given itself an undue preference, the Commission says
OTTAWA — Although the CRTC has determined Bell has not provided itself with an undue preference when it comes to how toll-free calls are currently routed in Canada, the Commission does agree with Rogers that Bell should deploy one-way toll trunks to connect to Rogers switches in the Bell operating territories in which Rogers also provides service. Bell now has 150 days to comply with the Commission’s directive.
After several months of attempted negotiations with Bell, Rogers in May filed a Part 1 application asking the CRTC to settle…
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Innovative broadband policy is driving investment
By Ken Campbell and Reef Read
U.K. LABOUR LEADER, Jeremy Corbyn recently announced, as part of his election platform, he would nationalise the telecom broadband infrastructure in that country and provide free broadband to all residents.
This sent a shockwave through the U.K. telecom industry.
Planned investments from the many new private fibre companies entering the market were stalled and pending transactions were stopped as investors reconsidered fibre infrastructure investment until after the U.K. election.
For his part, Tory party leader Boris Johnson has announced his government would force an accelerated deployment of fibre to all U.K. residents…
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GATINEAU – Having received an application seeking a new radio station licence to serve B.C.’s Salt Spring Island, the CRTC, as is its policy, has called for more information on radio on the island.
Specifically, it “is seeking comment on market capacity and the appropriateness of issuing a call for radio applications to serve Salt Spring Island. The Commission encourages interested persons, as well as the applicant, to submit additional information that it will take into consideration before making a final determination on whether it should proceed with a call for applications.”
The applicant is Gulf Islands Community Radio Society…
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GATINEAU – Both of Shaw Communications’ and Bell Canada’s direct to home and satellite relay disribution licences were renewed on Friday.
While a number of intervenors requested Bell add more high definition channels to its lineup and that Shaw be forced to keep the free local television satellite solution (LTSS) going, as we reported earlier this year, the CRTC ultimately declined those requests.
While Bell did commit to carrying 43 additional local channels (but can choose whether or not to carry them in HD) and Shaw has offered those LTSS customers rates of $10 and $25…
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