Public interest groups say the consultation is overdue
By Ahmad Hathout
Citing a broader portfolio of regulatory obligations, the CRTC on Monday launched its consultation on how to support and sustain public interest participation in its proceedings.
The commission wants to know, by September 10, whether it should create one funding system for both telecom and broadcasting matters to support that end; whether that single fund should be managed by an independent third party, such as the existing Broadcasting Participation Fund (BPF); whether more parties should be eligible for funding; and who should be obligated to fund it.
The CRTC currently has two…
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Bell Canada on Monday launched a new multimedia campaign, “Build. Connect. Grow Canada”, calling on the CRTC and new federal government to implement what it calls “smart policies” to unlock billions in private sector investments to build critical fibre infrastructure.
Bell said in a Monday press release 7.8 million homes and businesses across Bell’s footprint currently have access to its pure-fibre network, but the CRTC’s recent decision to uphold the Big Three telecom providers’ access to the aggregated last-mile fibre facilities of Bell and Telus on a wholesale basis has…
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But most said they find contracts clear and easy to understand
By Ahmad Hathout
Only 18 per cent of Canadians are aware of the CRTC’s consumer protection codes, which are intended to make contracts easier to understand for internet, wireless and TV services, according to a survey commissioned by the regulator and released recently.
The result, which comes from a 1,500-person nationwide representative survey by Phoenix SPI and conducted between October 24 and November 20, 2024, is largely unchanged since the baseline survey from 2022. The results are accurate to within plus/minus 2.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
Respondents were informed…
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The CRTC will hold a virtual hearing July 10 on an application from Vista Radio to acquire Golden West Broadcasting’s English-language commercial radio station CJGY-FM in Grande Prairie, Alberta, and its transmitters CJGY-FM-1 Fort St. John and CJGY-FM-2 Dawson Creek, B.C.
CJGY-FM, currently operating as Christian radio format station Reach 96.3 FM, would be the second station owned by Vista Radio in the Grande Prairie market, where it already operates pop radio station CFRI-FM (104.7 2Day FM).
Vista Radio has proposed a total value of the transaction of $1.53 million, with a tangible benefits package of $98,000 (representing 6.4 per cent…
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By Ahmad Hathout
The Canadian creative industry is expressing uncertainty and concern about the impact of an order made by U.S. President Donald Trump Sunday to impose a 100 per cent tariff on foreign-made films.
“While specific details are far from clear at this point, the proposed actions outlined in US President Donald Trump’s announcement will cause significant disruption and economic hardship to the media production sectors on both sides of the Canada-US border,” Reynolds Mastin, president and CEO of the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA), said in a press release Monday, adding Canada needs a “strong, independent domestic media industry”…
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By Ahmad Hathout
The attorney general of Canada said in a letter Thursday that the Federal Court of Appeal should deny intervenor status to Music Canada but allow the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) to argue its position before a base contribution hearing next month.
The AG, on behalf of the CRTC, said SOCAN, the largest rights management organization in Canada, has met the requirements for leave because they are best suited to argue a very particular position: that royalty payments the appealing parties – Apple, Amazon, and Spotify – have said they…
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By Ahmad Hathout
Cogeco is launching in certain service areas an internet package with theoretical download speeds of up to 2 Gbps for its customers and wholesalers, according to a submission to the CRTC and confirmed to us by the company.
A Cogeco spokesperson told Cartt that an official announcement for the introduction has yet to be made, so there are no details as to where the package may be available. Per speed matching rules, Cogeco will also introduce the speeds for wholsalers, who will get upload speeds of up to 140 Mbps available on an aggregated basis on its hybrid…
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Music Canada says base contribution will disincentivize and jeopardize investments
By Ahmad Hathout
The largest rights management organization in Canada is asking the Federal Court of Appeal for intervenor status to argue that royalties are not equivalent to Canadian content contributions for the sake of determining how much foreign streamers are adding to the broadcasting system.
Amazon, Spotify and Apple, who have been granted a court hearing against a CRTC decision to force them to contribute five per cent of their annual Canadian revenues to content funds, each stream music. In their appeal against the regulator’s decision – which Continue Reading
Bell announced Wednesday it has introduced a new feature called Suspicious Call Detection, a free tool that automatically labels potentially fraudulent or spam calls to help its wireless customers better screen incoming calls.
Using artificial intelligence and machine learning analytics, the new feature displays labels such as “Likely Fraud” or “Possible Spam” on suspicious calls, providing customers with more control over which calls they choose to answer, Bell said.
The feature is available now across Bell’s mobility brands and plans, including Virgin Plus and Lucky Mobile, and will automatically start working without any action required from customers. Bell said the tool…
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Decision will create challenges for efficient 5G rollout: Telus
By Ahmad Hathout
The CRTC is correct in its interpretation of “transmission line” under the Telecommunications Act to mean just wireline infrastructure for the purposes of regulating attachments to public property, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled Friday.
The 7-2 ruling upholds a lower court’s decision and means the regulator does not have jurisdiction over wireless attachments on that property, forcing the telecoms to go directly to the municipalities that govern those structures to get access that they say they need to expand the next-generation 5G network.
The high court used at least two…
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