WELL, THAT WAS predictable.
We awoke Wednesday morning to a new report on wireless – this time on data roaming charges – from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. The press release bellowed: “More effective competition and better regulation needed to cut high mobile data roaming costs, says OECD”.
When an international body with an unwieldy membership and fuzzy, broad mandate such as the OECD says we need more regulation of this or that, my automatic bullshit antenna engages. I also wondered aloud right away where Canada would rank in the report and in the press release (the only bit…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – Toronto’s Caribbean and African communities will be getting their own radio station at last, the CRTC confirmed Thursday.
In 2006, the Commission awarded a licence to Intercity Broadcasting Network Inc. on the condition that it secure a radio frequency. At that time, no application was submitted within the prescribed period, causing the authorization to lapse. However, Intercity, which is controlled by A. Fitzroy Gordon through his ownership and control of Maja Media Group Inc., recently obtained Industry Canada approval for the 98.7 FM spot on the dial and the Commission gave the greenlight for the company to…
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LAST FALL, JUST BEFORE THE annual onslaught of new television programming was scheduled to air, a few friends and I discussed cutting the cord.
One couple said they were doing it in mid-September. Another said they weren’t going to give up cable altogether, but they were going to trim. The third set, my husband and I, didn’t say anything. We had already shaved to a basic package plus kids’ programming.
Fast-forward a few weeks. The ones who planned to trim, did. They had wanted to switch carriers too, but when they tried, they were seduced by a better deal with…
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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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