GATINEAU – The CRTC has decided Rogers will continue to operate its must-carry national ethnic language TV channel after renewing its license for OMNI Regional for three years until August 2023. Its current license expires next summer.
This means the Commission has denied all of the other hopefuls, each of whom had rather interesting proposals for a new channel to serve the ethnic market (see links below).
“The new service, which will succeed Rogers’ existing OMNI Regional service, will be available on all digital basic television packages throughout Canada,” reads the CRTC press release. “The new OMNI…
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Bell also asks for return of long-term contracts
GATINEAU – Competition in the Canadian wireless market is already heated and getting hotter, resulting in an overall and ongoing decline in wireless prices while new competitors continue build out new facilities and take customers from them, so why upset that momentum now, and just at the dawn of 5G, Rogers, Bell and Telus have asked in their submissions to the CRTC’s review of mobile wireless services.
It will surprise no one that the submissions largely hit many of the same themes, especially in their stance against mandating mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs),…
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GATINEAU – The CRTC’s decision on who will get, or even whether to grant, a mandatory carriage TV licence under section 9(1)(h) of the Broadcasting Act for a national, multilingual and multi-ethnic television service, will come on Thursday at 11 a.m.
The Commission held a four-day hearing at the end of November to hear from Rogers, which owns the existing 9(1)(h) license under the OMNI brand until August 2020, as well as applications from Ethnic Channels Group (Voices), an ATN/Telelatino partnership (CanadaWorld), Bell Media (OurTV), Corrcan Media Group (no name), ICTV (Tele1/Tele2), Amber Broadcasting (Amber News Network), and Multicultural Described…
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OTTAWA – Recent, large, price increases imposed by Bell Canada on independent telcos in Ontario and Quebec for access to Bell’s unbundled local loops must be overturned by the Competition Bureau, say those independent telecommunications providers.
In a letter sent Friday May 17 to the Bureau’s Anthony Durocher, deputy commissioner, mergers and monopolistic practices branch, the Independent Telecommunications Providers Association (a group of 21 independent telcos in rural Ontario, Quebec, and B.C. which serve about 180,000 access lines) called for:
“An investigation by the Bureau into price increases recently announced by Bell Canada applicable to Unbundled Local Loops (ULLs), which are…
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GATINEAU – On March 26th of this year, a joint workshop of the Railway Association of Canada (RAC) and Canadian Electricity Association (CEA) of Canada took place in Ottawa where the group adopted three joint resolution statements:
Rail and electrical utilities will collaborate in pursuing jointly the access to a Mobile Network Code number as Critical Infrastructure Operator Industries.
A working group will be formed ensuring that there is cross-industry awareness and support to each other’s submissions to CRTC.
CIOs will look forward to partnering with the Canadian Government in creating a wireless infrastructure, enabling Canada as a world leader in intelligent…
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GATINEAU – When the CRTC launched its review of mobile wireless services earlier this year it stated: “This proceeding will focus on three key areas: Competition in the retail market; The current wholesale mobile wireless service regulatory framework, with a focus on wholesale MVNO access and the future of mobile wireless services in Canada, with a focus on reducing barriers to infrastructure deployment.”
This focus on Mobile Virtual Network Operators sure did not fall in deaf ears – and some players jumped right in with strong support since the high cost of entry into the wireless business means many players…
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GATINEAU – In its submission to the CRTC’s review of mobile services, Cogeco – which already offers cable, Internet and local phone in various markets in Quebec and Ontario – has proposed another way to get into wireless without losing its shirt.
With less than 800,000 wired subscribers, the company can hardly afford the cost of entry in the wireless club but definitely wants to add mobile so it can provide the entire bundle of services to customers. For years, Cogeco has been advocating a mandated Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) regime to piggyback on larger wireless operators at cost…
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I WOULD LIKE TO provide a response to some of the editorial note’s that appeared within Ken Kelley’s article this morning. This response may be attributed to me. If you have any questions at any time, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Regarding access to High Speed Internet:
Minister Jordan referred to high-speed Internet and the government’s service objective of 50 Mbps download/10 Mbps upload, rather than service at any speed.
The CRTC’s 2018 Communications Monitoring report notes that this service was available to 37% of rural households and 97% of urban households.
Regarding Spectrum:
We are committed to promoting greater competition in…
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OTTAWA – Canadians who live in areas without a strong regional wireless competitor pay more for their mobile plans, according to the Competition Bureau.
In its comments for the CRTC’s mobile wireless services review, the Bureau said that 10GB plans, for example, can be priced as low as $60-$75 per month in Quebec, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan (i.e where Bell, Rogers and Telus compete with regional players Videotron, Bell MTS and SaskTel). By comparison, the same 10GB plans in other provinces and territories can be as much as 80% higher, priced at $105-$110 per month.
Factors such as network quality, coverage,…
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We’re not sure where the MPs get some of their facts
OTTAWA – Since January when Nova Scotia MP Bernadette Jordan was appointed Canada’s first Minister of Rural Economic Development, she has met and spoken with Canadians from all walks of life, including those in rural and remote communities from coast to coast to coast.
Speaking before the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology on Thursday, Jordan said the number one concern expressed almost unanimously by the people she visited was their need for better internet connectivity. This was the first committee meeting studying private member’s…
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