Rogers has submitted to the CRTC a restated application for an immediate temporary stay of the speed-matching requirement for its new retail gigabit internet services.
The amended application dated Aug. 23 was posted to the commission’s website on Aug. 29.
The changes to the cable giant’s initial application asking for an interim speed-matching exemption reflect the CRTC’s Aug. 13 decision to expand the last-mile fibre regime nationwide, Rogers explained in its new application.
The regulator had informed Rogers via an Aug. 6 letter that it would not consider the company’s request for an expedited…
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Telus announced late last week that it’s putting more streaming services into its EnContinu+ bundle for Telus and Koodo customers in Quebec.
Subscribers to the service will now get two options: a basic plan, which includes Netflix with ads, Club illico, Amazon Prime Video, and Telus Films and Series for $25 per month; and a premium plan, which all of the above and Netflix without ads for $38 per month. The bundles also include the Amazon Prime shipping service, whose subscription alone would give subscribers access to the video service.
“By bringing three of Quebec’s most popular streaming services into one plan, EnContinu+…
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Bell moves to remove fault on Rogers for not knowing about non-compete restrictions
By Ahmad Hathout
The president of content sales at Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) allegedly told the U.S. content producer’s deal representative to continue negotiating with Rogers despite being told that the company had an outstanding non-compete agreement with Bell that allegedly prevented it from negotiating a licensing deal with a competitor for two years beyond the existing deal’s expiry on January 1, 2025.
“Between May 2023 and August 2023, I had understood that David Decker effectively said … continue negotiating without being concerned about the non-compete agreements, right?” said…
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By Connie Thiessen
The CRTC has released its annual snapshot of the broadcast sector for 2022-23, which overall remained profitable, with the exception of conventional television.
For the 2023 broadcast year, ended Aug. 31, 2023, the commission’s report says Radio, Discretionary TV, and Broadcast Distribution Undertakings (BDUs) remained in the black, while Digital Media Broadcasting Undertakings (DMBU), like Spotify and Disney+, experienced ongoing revenue growth. Conventional television continued to operate at a loss. In total, broadcasting revenues decreased by 0.37 per cent from the 2022 to 2023 broadcast year.
Commercial Radio reported a revenue decrease of .55 per cent, Conventional TV (-7.16 per cent), Discretionary TV…
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Peladeau lambasts “contradictory” decision
By Ahmad Hathout
The CRTC said Thursday that Quebecor must come to an agreement on separate terms with Bell unrelated to the commission-approved tariff in order to access the telco’s national wireless network.
After the commission picked Bell’s access rate in final offer arbitration with the regional carrier last fall, Quebecor filed a complaint to the CRTC alleging Bell is attempting to delay its access to the large network by making it agree to terms that were outside of those already approved by the commission – and that there was an expected access date of…
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The CRTC is committing more than $17 million through its Broadband Fund to Bell Canada, TBayTel, Telus Communications and Sogetel Mobilité to build new cell towers and improve mobile wireless service along eight major roads, the telecom regulator announced Wednesday.
The four telecommunications service providers submitted their funding applications in response to the CRTC’s third call for applications to the Broadband Fund.
Bell has been approved for up to $1.05 million in funding to build a cell tower to serve approximately 15 kilometres of Route 330 near the community of Gander Bay South in Newfoundland and…
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By Howard Law, author of Canada vs. California, and MediaPolicy.ca
Earlier this month Cartt published “C-11, CRTC, and destabilizing market-driven CanCon,” an opinion piece from Len St-Aubin.
Two years ago St-Aubin and I volleyed back and forth on the merits of the Online Streaming Act as it passed the House of Commons. I suppose the two grumpy old men are back at it again: St-Aubin’s recent column is an indictment of the current regulatory state of affairs and here I am responding.
For the sake of brevity and avoiding repetitious debate, I will…
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By Ahmad Hathout
Timeless Inc. says it always had the authority to make “strategic and organizations changes” when it hired Mediapro to run the day-to-day operations of OneSoccer, disputing Rogers’s claims that Timeless wasn’t controlling the streaming service when it filed an application alleging the cable giant was giving itself an undue preference by refusing to carry the soccer channel.
The claim was made in response to a Part 1 application filed by Rogers this month, which alleges that Mediapro, the Canadian subsidiary of Spain’s GRUP Mediapro, not Canadian-run Timeless, had full control of the service. If that…
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By Ahmad Hathout
Rogers says it cannot be expected to continue negotiations to carry OneSoccer because it believes the service was controlled by a non-Canadian at the time the purported owner, Timeless Inc., filed a complaint with the CRTC alleging the cable giant gave itself an undue preference by refusing to broadcast its programming.
Over a year after the CRTC ruled that Rogers must negotiate with Timeless on OneSoccer’s carriage, the broadcaster has filed a Part 1 application made public Friday alleging the CRTC didn’t have the authority to make that ruling because the soccer service was controlled…
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By Ahmad Hathout
Media company Blue Ant’s request to reduce its obligations to programs of national interest (PNI) from 13.5 to five per cent of annual revenues is “unprecedented” and would spell the loss of an important contribution to the content production system, creatives are saying in submission published Tuesday.
The Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) said in an opposing submission to Blue Ant’s July request that the Toronto-based company’s PNI spending is essential to independent productions and the expression of diversity of Canadian and indigenous talent.
“Blue Ant’s historical PNI report is a testimony of the broadcaster’s important…
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