AS THE DEADLINE APPROACHES for submissions in the CRTC's hearing to examine our plan to unite Astral and Bell Media, competitors are already revving up their rhetoric.
Last week in a blog post, Telus's director of regulatory affairs, Anne Mainville-Neeson, road-tested the company's lines on why "vertical integration in the broadcasting industry can be harmful.” This position conveniently overlooks the fact that the federal Competition Bureau has comprehensively reviewed and cleared the proposed Astral-Bell Media transaction, and that the CRTC is of course conducting its own comprehensive analysis.
It also ignores the fact that the CRTC already has a…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The Ontario Consumer Credit Assistance and Quick Connect Solutions have paid $80,000 in penalties as part of a settlement over their debt consolidation robocalls after being investigated by the CRTC.
The CRTC issued two notices of violation after its investigation found that Ontario Consumer Credit Assistance and Quick Connect Solutions, both based in Brampton, Ont., had failed to comply with the telemarketing rules. These companies used automated calling devices, also known as robocalls, to promote their services to consumers without obtaining prior express consent. Ontario Consumer…
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OTTAWA – After almost two years of consultations, the CRTC has announced its revisions to the regulatory framework for small incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs).
The Commission says its determinations in this proceeding were made to ensure that the small ILECs’ customers continue to have access to reliable, innovative, and affordable services; provide the small ILECs with means and incentives to further increase efficiencies and innovation; and implement a regulatory framework for the small ILECs that minimizes regulatory burden to the greatest extent possible.
The revisions to the small ILECs’ regulatory framework…
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By Steve Faguy
MONTREAL – The owner of a yet-to-launch Montreal television station is being threatened with legal action because the brand he's using for it is being considered as a new name for Radio-Canada.
This week, the CBC's intellectual property lawyer sent a legal letter to Sam Nowrouzzahrai, whose family owns 4517466 Canada Inc. and the licence for an ethnic over-the-air television station in Montreal that is set to launch this summer. The letter orders the company to cease and desist the use of the name "ICI" because it infringes on the CBC's trademark.
The ethnic TV station had planned to use…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC launched a public consultation today on whether video relay service for Canadians who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired should be offered. As part of this consultation, the CRTC will hold a public hearing starting on October 21, 2013, in Gatineau, QC.
Currently, two text-based relay services, Internet Protocol relay and teletypewriter relay, are available to Canadians who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired. Video relay service would enable people who use sign language to communicate with voice telephone users via an operator who relays the conversation…
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TORONTO – With outgoing Wind Canada CEO Tony Lacavera having told Cartt.ca that he loves auction rules set by Industry Canada because it shows the federal government is committed to seeing a fourth national wireless player emerge strongly, Bay Street is now wondering if Lacavera’s former backer, Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris, will risk diving deeper into the Canadian wireless market.
Scotia Capital analyst Jeff Fan wrote in a research note to clients last week that there are numerous reasons not to invest in the Canadian wireless market, yet…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC said today it has received an application from South Fraser Broadcasting Inc. for a licence to operate an English-language radio station in Surrey, B.C. As is Commission policy, and given the scarcity of FM frequencies in the Vancouver radio market, the Regulator is calling for applications from other parties wishing to obtain a radio licence to serve this area.
The Vancouver radio market generated $120.8 million in revenues in 2011, according to a Commission report.
BBM, in its March 2013 report, lists 19 stations which measured in ratings in the…
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GATINEAU – Wireless industry stakeholders are still at loggerheads over a number of issues pertaining to a wireless code of conduct. They include three-year contracts, the co-existence of the code with provincial consumer protection legislation and notifications of data and fee caps, among others.
On these matters, the Big Three – Bell Canada, Rogers Communications and Telus – remain united. They all agree that banning three-year contracts as has been suggested by some consumer advocates and the new entrants isn’t necessary given the clear language on earlier termination fees (ETF).
The ETF formula, in conjunction with the unlocking and cancelation policies,…
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OTTAWA – Rural and remote broadband was back on the agenda at the Parliamentary Industry committee this week.
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) used its appearance to call on the federal government to take the next step in ensuring that Canadian consumers and businesses in rural and northern communities have access to the same networks and broadband speeds as those in urban regions of the country.
Daniel Rubinstein, a policy analyst at the FCM, told the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology on March 19 that while programs such as Broadband Canada: Connecting Rural Canadians has…
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MONTREAL – Bell Canada announced yesterday a new public offering of $1 billion of medium term debentures that it says will be used to fund some of the cost of its parent company’s pending acquisition of Astral Media.
The 3.35% debentures, Series M-26, will be dated March 22, 2013 and will mature on March 22, 2023. At an issue price of $99.831 per $100 principal amount for a yield to the investor of 3.370% per annum compounded semi-annually, they will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by BCE Inc., Bell Canada’s parent.
The company says the net…
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