OTTAWA – The CRTC is asking for comments on a proposed code of best practices for access programming on cable community channels.
The code, available here, was submitted by the Cable Industry Working Group which was assembled last August and includes representative from Rogers, Shaw, Cogeco, EastLink, Quebecor and the CCSA.
The deadline for submitting comments is September 6, and replies are due by September 16, 2011.
www.crtc.gc.ca
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has approved an extension to its fact-finding exercise on over-the-top programming services in the Canada.
The On-line Broadcast Working Group asked the Commission earlier this month to extend its deadline, as Cartt.ca reported. The Commission agreed on Wednesday, pushing the deadline back from its original date of June 27 to July 5, 2011.
The Commission also said that it does not intend to extend this deadline further.
www.crtc.gc.ca
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WE DON’T WANT TO SUGGEST that over-the-top programming services aren’t a potential threat to the Canadian broadcasting system or that the matter shouldn’t be taken seriously.
Pelmorex is a passionate proponent of a strong Canadian system. We believe it is appropriate for the Commission to look into the matter and it is doing exactly that with its Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2011-344 (with a deadline extension now).
But, (and there always is a “but’, isn’t there), as OTT becomes the “issue du jour”, caution must be taken to ensure that the OTT threat is not to be used…
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OTTAWA – The Governor in Council (GIC) did not exceed its authority under the Telecommunications Act when it ruled that Globalive Wireless met the Canadian ownership and control test, the Federal Court of Appeal (FCA) said in a June 8 decision.
In a statement, Globalive’s Wind Mobile proclaimed its vindication.
“We and our 300,000 customers are thrilled with this decision,” said Anthony Lacavera, chair of Globalive. “Now we can continue delivering value and choice to Canadian consumers without the distraction and expense of challenges by our competitors to our right to operate.”
The ruling comes after the Federal Court of Canada…
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OTTAWA – The cost of telecom regulation in Canada will be $27.26 million this year.
The CRTC said Monday that it expects that its total telecommunications regulatory costs for the 2011-2012 fiscal year to total $26.396 million, and that it will add an $0.862 million adjustment from last year’s figures to the amount.
www.crtc.gc.ca
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GATINEAU – The group of Canadian broadcasters and content creators which asked the CRTC to investigate the effects over-the-top video is having on the regulated TV industry has asked for an extension to the June 27th deadline of the fact-finding proceeding the Commission launched on May 25th.
The Online Broadcast Working Group, chaired by Alain Gourd, asked the CRTC for a “short” extension on June 2, Cartt.ca has learned. We do not know the reasons why the working group has asked for extra time or how much extra time they feel is required.
The group originally asked the Regulator to…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has dismissed complaints from Wind Mobile regarding its roaming arrangements with Rogers.
The wireless newcomer accused Rogers of undue preference over its handling of call transitions, known as handoffs, in a complaint last October. As Cartt.ca reported, Wind alleged that Rogers provided seamless (soft) handoffs for its own discount Chatr brand, while not doing the same for Wind, meaning that its customers experienced dropped calls when moving out of a Wind network zone and into a Rogers area.
The Commission said Friday that the roaming agreement negotiated between Wind and Rogers does not include seamless…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC said Friday that it has launched an on-line consultation asking for feedback from Canadians on the way large cable and telephone companies charge independent Internet service providers (ISPs) for the use of their networks.
Canadians can access the Internet through wireless service providers, satellite companies, independent ISPs or large cable and telephone companies, and in light of this competition, the Commission does not set rates or regulate the services’ terms and conditions. To ensure that the market for retail Internet services remains competitive, however, large cable and telephone companies must offer their wholesale customers (independent ISPs) access to…
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TORONTO – It’s a message the entrenched telecom incumbents have been hammering home all three days of the 2011 Canadian Telecom Summit: Don’t hate us because we’re beautiful.
Okay, maybe “beautiful” is kind of a stretch, but executives from Bell Canada, Rogers and Telus are dying to make it clear to anyone who’ll listen that while they do have millions of subscribers and excellent profits, they have also been the ones who have taken most of the risks on wireless and other telecom investment in Canada – so how can that mean rules have to be built (like those to…
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I SHOULD BE FIRED as moderator. It’s as simple as that.
As referee of the lively Canadian Telecom Summit “Regulatory Blockbuster” panel in Toronto Wednesday, I accepted questions from the floor, via text and on Twitter while Ed Antecol (Globalive), Mirko Bibic (Bell), Ken Engelhart (Rogers), John Lawford (PIAC), Chris Peirce (MTS Allstream) and Michael Hennessy (Telus) lobbed verbal brickbats at each other.
How great would it have been if, while these regulatory lawyers were hurling oral grenades, the chairman of the CRTC, Konrad von Finckenstein, were to ask them a question? Turns out he did, on Twitter. And I missed it as…
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