OTTAWA – OUTtv is accusing Bell Canada of undue preference after learning that Bell intends to repackage its must-carry service as early as next month.
The complaint, dated December 20, 2011, alleges that Bell refuses to distribute OUTtv in the best available package of programming services consistent with OUTtv’s genre and programming, as required by the code of conduct set out in the Commission’s new vertical integration policy. At the same time, the complaint continues, other programming services, including Bell-owned Fashion TV, Bravo and MuchMoreMusic, are being provided with terms of distribution that are materially advantageous to those provided to OUTtv,…
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VANCOUVER – Consumer group and self-described pro-Internet advocate OpenMedia.ca wants the CRTC to conduct a transparent audit and review of Internet infrastructure costs in order to stave off what it calls “backdoor rate hikes” by incumbents.
After independent ISP Teksavvy announced plans to pass on bandwidth price increases to its consumers, OpenMedia.ca called on Canadians to voice their concerns to the CRTC and government through a new on-line petition which seeks to halt infrastructure access prices increases levied by the likes of Bell and Rogers against their wholesale clients.
It's also asked the CRTC to conduct a transparent review into how Internet infrastructure access costs…
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CHATHAM, ON – TekSavvy is introducing unlimited off-peak hour bandwidth usage for its customers in an effort to offset increased costs for peak usage stemming from November’s CRTC decision on usage-based billing.
In a note to its residential Internet customers this week, the independent ISP advised of a rate increase in February of $3 to $4 per month, and of its plan to offer new 12, 16, and 25 Mbps high-speed DSL packages. Subscribers to its 300GB packages will also see a price increase, but the company noted that “the 300GB meter will not run between the hours of…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC is seeking input on draft regulation that will require broadcasters and television service providers to control the loudness of TV commercials by September.
The decision, rendered last September, means that both broadcasters and television service providers will be required to adhere to standards developed in 2009 by the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) for measuring and controlling television signals to minimize fluctuations in loudness between programming and commercials.
The Commission has proposed amending the Television Broadcasting Regulations, the Specialty Services Regulations, and the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations, as well as the standard conditions of licence for video-on-demand undertakings and the exemption…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC is asking for feedback on more provisions relating to vertical integration.
The Commission confirmed plans to amend the exemption order for new media broadcasting undertakings, the exemption order for small BDUs, and parts of the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations, the Pay Television Regulations, the Specialty Services Regulations, and the Television Broadcasting Regulations in order to implement various determinations relating to vertical integration.
Comments are due by January 23, 2012.
www.crtc.gc.ca
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OTTAWA – The number of telephone and fax numbers registered on Canada’s national do not call list (DNCL) and the number of complaints about telemarketers continued to climb in November, according to the CRTC’s monthly report.
The most recent status report shows that as of November 30, 2011, approximately 198,000 more Canadian numbers had been registered, up from about 120,000 numbers in October. In addition, the Commission received 12,500 complaints about telemarketing communications, up from just under 11,000 in October.
Seventy two new investigations were opened in November, bringing the number of active investigations to 249. One investigation was closed.
www.crtc.gc.ca
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REGINA – SaskTel customers can look forward to higher rates and enhancements to the company's 4G network in 2012.
The provincial telco said Wednesday that it has filed an application with the CRTC to increase rates for customers in its high cost serving areas (HCSA) in accordance with the Commission’s obligation to serve decision issued in May. That decision allows local HCSA rates to rise to an average of $30 per month by June 1, 2013, in order to reduce the amount these rates are subsidized from the national contribution fund which subsidizes high cost rural and remote consumer services.
SaskTel confirmed…
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MONTREAL – TVA Group said Thursday that it is selling its share in specialty channels Mystery TV and The Cave to Shaw Media. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The Quebecor Media subsidiary owns a 50% interest in Mystery TV and 51% of The Cave, though both channels have been run by the Shaw Media group.
TVA said that a licence transfer request was submitted to the CRTC last week, and pending approval, the proposed transaction could be finalized in the spring of 2012.
www.tva.canoe.ca
www.shawmedia.ca
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OTTAWA – Throttling is so 2011, according to Bell Canada. In a letter sent to the CRTC this week, representatives from Bell and Bell Aliant said that the company has decided to stop using Internet traffic management practices (ITMPs) on its networks for both retail and wholesale traffic effective March 1, 2012.
While noting that “streamed video and other traffic, P2P file-sharing, as a proportion of total traffic, has been diminishing”, the company credited its “extensive investments” in network capacity as one reason for discontinuing the controversial practice.
“The Companies have consistently maintained that they would continue to monitor the need…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has pushed back by six weeks the procedural dates in its review of the regulatory framework for the small incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs).
The deadline for proposals and interventions has been extended to February 22, 2012 at the behest of l’Association des Compagnies de téléphone du Québec inc. and the Ontario Telecommunications Association, the Commission said Wednesday.
The Regulator said last month that was restarting its review of the small ILECs’ existing price cap regime, subsidy requirements for 2011, the toll interconnection regime, and the local forbearance regime.
www.crtc.gc.ca
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