OTTAWA – The CRTC has denied Tuesday an application requesting that the regulator increase the price of the basic television package from $25 to $28 per month and to index the price to inflation.
The application, filed by Bell, Cogeco, Eastlink and SaskTel, was denied on the basis that there was insufficient evidence provided to suggest that the $25 price was no longer economically viable for the providers, the regulator said, noting the “strength of the BDU industry.”
Ironically, the CRTC argued inflation actually provides more justification for a price cap on the cost of the mandatory carriage package because consumers…
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By Connie Thiessen
The CRTC is immediately lifting advertising time limit requirements for discretionary television services to position them to better compete with online platforms.
The move is in response to a 2020 application from Quebecor Media, on behalf of TVA Group, asking for the removal of the advertising time limit of 12 minutes per clock hour on its discretionary services. The commission moved to lift time limits for conventional services in 2007.
TVA argued that with only discretionary services subject to an advertising time limit, foreign online platforms are unduly benefitting as they capture a growing share of advertising revenues. TVA’s…
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OTTAWA – TerreStar this week filed a review and vary application challenging the CRTC’s decision in June to deny its application to reduce its regulatory fee obligations by deducting its spectrum leasing revenues.
The regulator had rejected the Montreal-based mobile satellite and cell services provider’s argument that the revenues generated from the sale or leasing of spectrum did not qualify as a telecommunications-related expense, which would have reduced its obligation to the National Contribution Fund. The NCF goes to fund broadband infrastructure in the country.
TerreStar argues that the CRTC made a decision that is inconsistent with previous…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC last week launched the second phase of its implementation of the Online Streaming Act (Bill C-11), calling for comments on the Commission’s proposed new broadcasting fees regulations, which would apply to broadcasters and online streaming platforms alike.
“The amended Act broadens the pool of potential feepayers from licensed broadcasting undertakings to all broadcasting undertakings, including online undertakings (undertakings ‘for the transmission or retransmission of programs over the Internet’), a newly defined class of undertakings in the amended Act. It also eliminates some of the fees paid by broadcasting undertakings…
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By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – Rogers on Wednesday filed a challenge in the Federal Court of Appeal against the CRTC’s decision to select Quebecor’s rate for access to the cable company’s wireless infrastructure to build out its mobile virtual network operator business.
Rogers is alleging that the reasoning provided by the CRTC for selecting Quebecor’s rate in July deviates from legal precedent and runs counter to the “just and reasonable” provision under the Telecommunications Act.
Specifically, Rogers is alleging the regulator made errors in its determination that the rate it selected didn’t need to provide Rogers with an immediate-term return on investment…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC announced Thursday its game plan to implement legislation that would force large technology platforms to compensate news publishers if they want to continue to link to their content.
The regulator will essentially embark on creating the regulatory backstop needed to catch any mandatory commercial negotiations between platforms and news publishers that fall through.
As such, in the same way it announced how it would tackle the Online Streaming Act, the CRTC said it will first launch a public consultation this fall to gather comments.
At this point, it will also issue a call for proposals…
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By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – The CRTC on Tuesday approved an increase in funding for two broadband projects in response to what the applicants have said are unanticipated costs that have emerged since their applications.
Telus was approved Tuesday for an additional $505,978 on top of its already allotted $1.6 million from the $750-million Broadband Fund to drive mobile wireless services to two communities in British Columbia. Meanwhile, Sogetel Mobilite was approved for an additional $285,801 on top of its already allotted $364,465 from the fund to build and/or upgrade mobile wireless infrastructure near two communities in Quebec.
Both applicants from the…
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By Connie Thiessen
The CRTC announced Tuesday it will defer new applications or complaints relating to radio for the next two years as it focuses on implementing its regulatory plan to modernize the broadcasting system.
Each year, the commission considers hundreds of radio-related complaints and applications, filed by both the public and industry stakeholders.
With the Online Streaming Act to bring major changes to the Canadian broadcasting ecosystem – impacting everything from current and future licensees to conditions of service – the CRTC says that process will require considerable resources, resulting in anticipated delays.
“Consequently, the Commission is of the view that deferring…
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By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – Rogers is urging the Supreme Court of Canada to review a decision by the CRTC declining to regulate wireless attachments on municipal structures, arguing that carriers would otherwise have “no recourse” with the regulator on that critical access required for the next generation 5G rollout.
Rogers filed a two-page argument on Monday backing Telus’s application for leave at the high court after the Federal Court of Appeal ruled in April that a lower court got it right when it said Parliament intended a reference to “transmission line” in the Telecommunications Act to literally…
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By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – An order in council published Monday will direct the CRTC to include modified shopping channels from the United States on a list of authorized foreign programming services available on Canadian television.
The order amends a three-year-old one that only directed the CRTC to list unmodified U.S. home shopping programming, which is specific to the U.S. market. The orders are part of an agreement between the countries under the new Canada United States and Mexica (CUSMA) free trade agreement, which replaced NAFTA under former U.S. President Donald Trump.
The order amends the direction to the CRTC “respecting the…
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