WYOMING, ON – SouthWestern Integrated Fibre Technology Inc. (SWIFT) has released a position paper that it says provides an evidence-based case for continued investment in equitable access to ultra-high-speed broadband networks.
SWIFT is a not-for-profit, collective broadband initiative that is funding the construction of an affordable, open-access, ultra-high-speed fibre-optic regional broadband network for some 3.5 million residents in Southwestern Ontario, Caledon and the Niagara Region.
Broadband: An Investment in Innovation focuses on the following recommendations:
1. Develop and implement a provincial broadband plan that is aligned with federal, regional, municipal and Indigenous partners. This plan should leverage the collective voice of the…
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MARKHAM, ON – Ethnic Channels Group CEO Slava Levin and others are involved an application seeking approval for a new national pay audio programming undertaking, also backed by American television and multiplatform music service Music Choice .
The application, made by a numbered Nova Scotia company which would own 80% of the operation, states that the service’s programming would consist of at least 68 audio channels in a wide variety of music formats.
The applicant proposes to devote approximately 43% of its programming to content category 2 (Popular Music) music selections derived from genres including pop, rock, dance and easy listening. The…
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VANCOUVER – Wow Unlimited Networks has asked the CRTC to grant its proposed acquisition of specialty channel Comedy Gold from Bell Media for $6.87 million.
Wow, a wholly owned subsidiary of Wow Unlimited Media, is also requesting a new broadcasting licence to continue the operation of the service.
It also pledged that in the first broadcast year following the acquisition and in each subsequent broadcast year, it would devote at least 10% of the previous year’s gross annual revenues of the undertaking to the acquisition of or investment in Canadian programming, by condition of licence.
The CRTC will consider the…
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TORONTO – Rogers Media is seeking CRTC approval to acquire Medicine Hat station 102.1 CJCY from Clear Sky Radio for $4 million.
The acquisition was made public in January, and Rogers is also requesting a new broadcasting licence to continue the operation of the station under the same terms and conditions as those in effect under the current licence.
The CRTC will consider the application at a hearing scheduled for May 31 and interventions/comments/answers are due by April 26, 2018.
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OTTAWA – With next-generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) services still about two years away, the CRTC is seeking comments on NG9-1-1 network design efficiencies.
The Commission said Monday that it will hold a proceeding to examine recommendations made in a recent report from from NG9-1-1 stakeholders, such as roles and responsibilities related to the provision of location information servers and customer information databases, NG9-1-1 network components that could be shared, and efficient interconnection arrangements.
Interventions are due by April 25, 2018 and should address the specific questions contained in the CRTC’s call for comments and include supporting rationale.
“As a result of this proceeding,…
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MONTREAL – Attraction Media is getting out of the radio business after unveiling plans to sell off its 15 Quebec stations to EVP and COO Sylvain Chamberland.
According to a La Presse report, Chamberland was tapped by Attraction founder Richard Speer in 2011 to build the company’s radio division, Attraction Radio, by acquiring small-market stations across Quebec. The company says that it currently reaches 1.6 million listeners each month through its network of regional stations that stretch from Sept-Îles to Joliette, via Lac-Mégantic and Matane.
Following CRTC approval of the stations' sale, Chamberland will leave Attraction Media and create a…
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And what about the Radiocom Act?
THE 2017 BUDGET ANNOUNCED the following legislative review.
“To ensure that Canadians continue to benefit from an open and innovative Internet, the Government proposes to review and modernize the Broadcasting Act and Telecommunications Act.
In this review, the Government will look to examine issues such as telecommunications and content creation in the digital age, net neutrality and cultural diversity, and how to strengthen the future of Canadian media and Canadian content creation.”
The government is to be commended for conducting a review of the broadcasting legislation and telecommunications given that the present legislation stems from the 1980’s…
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GATINEAU – Today the CRTC said no, for now, to Wi-Fi first mobile operators, effectively shutting down the business plan that was Sugar Mobile, it dramatically slashed the wholesale rates network owners can charge others to roam on their networks, and it gave Rogers, Bell and Telus a month to come up with new skinny wireless data plans for Canadians.
While confirming that Wi-Fi first network operators can not roam on cellular networks and become full fledged resellers, and making no determinations on mandated MVNOs, the Commission decided instead to respond to the federal government’s request to re-examine its wholesale…
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GATINEAU – Late Thursday afternoon we’ll know whether or not Wi-Fi based service providers can roam onto cellular networks.
In a decision (CRTC 2017-56) on wholesale mobile wireless roaming service tariffs on March 1st of 2017, the CRTC excluded Wi-Fi providers from being able to access these rates in order to provide mobile services to Canadians beyond public Wi-Fi zones. Since they’re not facilities-based providers like the main mobile providers, they were excluded in the decision.
In June, however, the federal government asked the CRTC to re-examine that call, saying it wants to explore every option…
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TORONTO – Internet service providers of every size and shape (except one big one) have launched a new coalition to rally Ontarians to help them battle large proposed rate increases for utility pole attachments.
While some local hydro companies have been pushing rates far higher, the Ontario Energy Board wants to set a standard rate across the province of $52 per pole per year, far above the current rate of $22.35. The three largest utilities, Hydro One, Toronto Hydro and Hydro Ottawa, have already boosted their rates to $41, $42 and $53.
Such rate increases for pole attachments will only…
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