MONTREAL – Colba.Net Telecom is expanding its new Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service. The move follows CRTC approval of its the application for a broadcasting regional licence to operate a Class 1 terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertaking in Montreal, Drummondville, Trois-Rivières, Gatineau, Sherbrooke, and in the surrounding areas of Quebec.
The Commission has also recently approved its licences to operate terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertakings (BDUs) in Ontario, BC, the Maritimes and across Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
It says its new IPTV service will offer several high definition (HD) channels, including…
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TORONTO – The new Board of the Canadian Communications Foundation (CCF) said it’s moving to address the need for new funding so that it can continue. CCF provides the definitive history of broadcasting in Canada on its website and was originally funded by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, and later supported through CRTC-approved Benefits Package grants from BCE and Astral. A registered non-profit charitable organization, CCF has also benefitted from private donors in the past.
This past Thursday the CCF elected its 2012-2013 Board at the Foundation’s Annual General Meeting at Ryerson University in Toronto.
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OTTAWA – The CRTC is threatening to withhold subsidies to four Quebec small ILECs for delays in opening up their networks to local telephone competition. Cogeco Cable claims the delays have prevented it from offering competing triple-play bundles (telephone, Internet, television) to those regions.
The regulator denied Cogeco the settlement it sought, but instead issued a Notice of Consultation regarding the potential withholding of subsidy payments to CoopTel, Téléphone Guèvremont Inc., Téléphone Milot Inc., and Sogetel Inc.
The decision stems from the failure of the ILECs to complete an interconnection arrangement based on leased…
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DARTMOUTH – Newfoundland Capital Corporation recorded a loss of $1.1 million in the third quarter compared to a profit of $4.3 million in 2011. The company attributed the decrease in profit primarily to a $7.5 million non-cash impairment charge resulting from the CRTC’s decision to end the Local Programming Improvement Fund.
Year-to-date profit of $3.5 million was down 74% from $9.6 million in the same period in 2011. It blamed the decline on the impairment charge combined with unrealized mark-to-market investment portfolio losses this year of $2.3 million.
"We are very pleased that positive…
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MONTREAL – Could an AM talk-radio war be brewing in Montréal? Looks that way with the city’s top-rated English-language radio station CJAD 800 AM now facing a new competitor on the 600 AM dial.
The CRTC today approved the application for a new English-language talk radio station from Montreal businessmen Paul Tietolman, Nicolas Tétrault and Rajiv Pancholy. The trio has promised to fill 100% of its schedule with local programming that primarily targets those between the ages of 25 and 54. It will also become the sister station to French-language talk station 940 AM…
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GATINEAU – The small telephone companies and their larger competitors are seeing eye-to-eye on some aspects of proposed changes to the regulatory framework for small incumbent local exchange carriers (SILECs). But on others, they remain at loggerheads.
When it comes to giving SILECs the same flexibility as the ILECs in market trials and promotions, and the use of rate ranges, there is broad consensus among interveners. The same goes for maintaining the basket of services structure. Telus is an outlier on this issue. It wants the creation of a fifth basket that would group all competitor services – interconnection and…
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by Steve Faguy
GATINEAU – With the recent, unexpected and much-publicized denial of Bell Canada’s purchase of Astral Media (because the players didn't prove the transaction to be a net benefit to Canadians) as a backdrop, the CRTC made it clear to Rogers Media Wednesday that its tough line isn't limited to Canada's largest media company.
At a hearing in Gatineau on Wednesday, the commission grilled Rogers, Channel Zero and a Montreal-based start-up on their multi-part plan to essentially convert ethnic television station CJNT Montreal (branded Metro 14) into two television stations, allowing Citytv to enter Canada's second-largest…
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OTTAWA – Wireless carriers are taking action to create a national system in Canada that would blacklist lost or stolen smartphones and keep them from being reactivated.
Until now when a phone was reported lost or stolen carriers would suspend service to the device. But there were no measures in place to stop the person who stole it, or bought it from the thief, from reactivating the phone under a new account.
The Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) and Canada's wireless carriers are pledging to assist law enforcement agencies with their efforts to combat…
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By John Bugailiskis
TORONTO – While the industry is still digesting the CRTC killing Bell’s takeover of Astral, the decision does not signal a dramatic change in policy at the Commission. Instead it continues to work to strike the right balance between the best interests of consumers and industry, said Tom Pentefountas, vice-chairman, broadcasting for the CRTC.
Pentefountas was the keynote speaker Tuesday at the Ontario Association of Broadcasters Connections 2012 luncheon at the Westin Bristol Place Hotel. However, he appeared to contradict his business as usual stance somewhat when he went off script and joked…
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OTTAWA – The Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) and Canada's wireless carriers will unveil their plan of action to assist law enforcement agencies with their efforts to combat the theft of wireless devices and the valuable data within them.
It's something the CRTC has been demanding action on throughout this year, as Cartt.ca has reported — and something Ontario Privacy Commissioner Ann Cavoukian says is a must.
The plan will be released Thursday, November 8, 2012 during a 10 am press conference in the Fairmont Château Laurier (Québec Suite) 1…
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