ISED arm twists itself into knots trying to give MVNO its stamp of approval, but this could be a good compromise
IF I’M RUNNING ONE of Canada’s existing wireless companies, I’m relieved after reading the Competition Bureau’s most recent submission to the CRTC’s Wireless Policy Review.
However, if I’m hoping to launch a new mobile virtual network operator once the CRTC updates said policy, I might be crying into my beer a little.
After a summer of regulatory back-and-forth where the Bureau successfully fought hard for access to confidential information that only the companies themselves and…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – The Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS) said today it received nearly 19,300 complaints from Canadian telecom and TV customers, an all-time high in the organization’s 12-year history.
Given we’re also at an all-time high for wireless and broadband customers in Canada, not to mention how recent news and noise surrounding telecom companies in Canada have likely helped more Canadians realize the CCTS can help, such an increase is not surprising.
Canadians, said the CCTS annual report (which tallies complaints for the 12-months ended July 31), complained most often about…
Continue Reading
CEO hopes Ottawa is watching, listening, and will act
CORUS ENTERTAINMENT PRESIDENT and CEO Doug Murphy may have the toughest job in Canadian media. Or maybe just the least-appreciated.
Go ahead and ask anyone in the TV business (and we’ve asked a lot of them recently). They all say variations of the same thing: “I think he’s doing all he can… but I’d never want his job…”
Not only does Murphy run the biggest independent media company and broadcaster in the country (yes, it’s controlled by the Shaw family – who unloaded their equity interest in May after…
Continue Reading
Commission invites CBC/SRC to potentially use digital media to meet its regulatory obligations
GATINEAU – On Monday, the CRTC officially opened the process for the renewal of the CBC/SRC licences, asking Canadians on Facebook what they think about the public broadcaster.
The public hearing will be held in May.
While we had heard and read the CBC/SRC is asking the Comission to include its digital platforms when it comes to meeting its substantial regulatory objectives, in reading the 200-page application, we found that it is the Commission itself which actually invited the Corporation to do so.
A renewal process such as this one…
Continue Reading
MONTREAL – Original content is paying off for Groupe V Media’s online platform Noovo.ca.
The company says it has tracked more than 55% growth in viewership and user numbers in 2019 compared to last fall (the numbers are from its own Google Analytics, comparing the periods of September 17 to November 17 in both years). Group V’s originals, whether live or catch-up, is what is drawing viewers online.
Noovo.ca saw 15 million views this fall, which is in addition to the 3.5 million viewers who watched live, says the press release. Shows air online concurrently with the TV broadcasts.
1.9 million users…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU – After reviewing a dozen of the new submissions made at the CRTC’s latest wireless policy review submission deadline on Friday, we can confidently say: No one has yet changed their mind since the last rounds of information were filed.
The arguments, butressed by some new expert reports in some instances, mostly bolster what has been said and repeated early and often.
The incumbent carriers say mandated mobile virtual network operators riding on their networks as wireless resellers will cause them to decrease investment.
Poppycock, says the Canadian Network Operators and the Canadian Communication Systems Alliance. “Such threats have never, not…
Continue Reading
Says unfettered MVNOs would jeopardize regional players
GATINEAU – Friday was the deadline for the second phase of the comments in the CRTC’s Review of mobile wireless services and all eyes were on the Competition Bureau’s submission, which had the additional advantage of having access to the material filed in confidence, which we had reported on earlier this year.
The Bureau’s report determines there is not enough competition in the marketplace, and it even suggests a policy for the Commission to consider. (Does it suffer from “Commission Envy”?)
“Bell, Telus and Rogers (the Big 3) possess market power at both the retail…
Continue Reading
Why he wanted this tough job in the first place
WITH THE MYRIAD ISSUES facing the CRTC and regulators around the world, chair of the CRTC is a hot seat. Always has been. Always will be.
Canadians care deeply about the subjects which the Commission handles on a daily basis, be it wireless phone pricing, email spam and phone scams, Canadian content, or any of the various challenges which fall under the purview of the Regulator. It all impacts our daily lives in the way we communicate, are informed and entertained.
Over the course of part two of our interview with CRTC…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – On November 15, a federal court judge told internet service providers they have to start blocking unauthorized online services which provide access to programming content over the Internet to which they don’t own the rights, a violation of the Copyright Act.
Bell Media, Groupe TVA, and Rogers Media sought the decision to block various priacy sites which bore the “goldtv” moniker or similar urls.
On Monday, November 25, independent ISP TekSavvy filed an application to appeal with the Federal Court of Appeal to set aside that decision, saying the judge overstepped…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU – The CRTC said today it wants to know what Canadians think of CBC/Radio-Canada’s programming.
As part of the CBC/Radio-Canada licence renewal process, which started today, the Commission wants to “ensure the content produced and distributed by the public broadcaster reflects the diversity of Canada’s population, while meeting its needs in both official languages,” reads its press release.
“Given changes in the models for the production and distribution of content, the Commission is inviting Canadians to review how CBC/Radio-Canada content is made available to them on various platforms. They will also have an opportunity to share their opinion on how…
Continue Reading
