OTTAWA – The CRTC has sided with MTS Allstream in a dispute with Triton Global Business Services over the companies’ billing and collection services agreement.
Triton provides interexchange telecommunications services such as collect calling services and third-party billing in Canada. In February, it asked the Commission to resolve a dispute between it and MTS Allstream over an agreement that the two companies signed in 2003 and was terminated by MTS Allstream in January this year.
After granting Triton’s request for interim relief in March, the Commission said Monday that it found Triton has breached the agreement and “failed to demonstrate that it has taken appropriate…
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OTTAWA – The Community Radio Fund of Canada will hand out more than $180,000 to 26 campus and community radio broadcasters this year.
The Ottawa-based organization said Monday that $182,815 will be dispersed through its Radio Talent Development Program and the Youth Internship Program. The goal of both programs is to develop innovative local interest programming while providing mentorship, education, and or training for broadcasters.
"The Community Radio Fund is all about supporting programming that matters to people in your town, your village, your neighbourhood”, said president John Harris Stevenson, in Monday’s announcement. “I’m very happy that the fund has been able…
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OTTAWA – With just over 100 days and counting until the digital transition, the federal government has launched a new website to help Canadians understand and prepare for the switchover.
In addition to a downloadable checklist, the site offers affected TV viewers tips on how to install a digital-to-analog convertor box, choose a new television set, or subscribe to a TV service provider.
The country’s major over-the-air broadcasters are also now airing their public service announcements as part of the national awareness campaign which began earlier this month. As Cartt.ca reported, the CRTC directed broadcasters that are required to make…
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IT’S ALL ABOUT ENSURING Canadians have access to an open and affordable Internet. This is how Steve Anderson, founder and executive director of OpenMedia.ca, describes the mission of the consumer advocacy organization with respect to the ongoing battle over usage-based billing.
He spoke at length with Cartt.ca last week about UBB, the organization, its creation, its financial backing and other issues.
He says he got involved in Internet policy matters when net neutrality sparked considerable debate in the United States. It was for purely personal reasons at first, but once he realized that this issue would rear its head north of…
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GATINEAU – The definition of just what a new Canadian artist can be defined as was adopted by the CRTC today at the same time the Commission made public two studies that said those developing musicians are getting enough air time.
This took a while though as the proceeding dates back to the 2006 commercial radio policy which spawned a call for comments on an emerging artist definition in 2008.
“The Canadian radio industry is actively supporting new emerging artists, who promise to contribute to a vibrant music industry in the coming years,” said Konrad von Finckenstein,…
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OTTAWA – Canadian television audiences could soon be enjoying two more ethnic services.
The CRTC said Wednesday that it has approved an application by Ethnic Channels Group Ltd. for a broadcasting licence to operate Greek TV, a national, general interest third-language ethnic Category 2 specialty channel devoted to the Greek-speaking communities in Canada.
The Commission also issued a call for comments on the addition of RAINews to the lists of eligible satellite services for distribution on a digital basis after receiving a request from Rogers in March. Rogers’ application describes RAINews as the all-news broadcasting service of Italy’s…
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OTTAWA – VOIP provider Primus Telecommunications has told the CRTC that it could lose market share if a Commission decision granting retroactive rate increases for Bell Canada’s and Bell Aliant’s unbundled local loops (ULL) is allowed to stand.
The competitive telecom and broadband provider says it will have to raise local telephony prices to pay for the higher ULL rates which could result in the loss of customers.
“This type of an increase would significantly harm Primus’ competitive position in the market and, indeed, would simply not be feasible or practical, because the current pricing in the market (and in particular,…
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OTTAWA – The rules around the broadcast of false and misleading news will not be broadened, the CRTC confirmed in a decision on Wednesday.
The Commission initially called for comments last January after the Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations – a joint Commons and Senate committee that studies government regulations – determined that the CRTC’s rules regarding false and misleading news ran counter to the Charter of Rights.
The proposed amendments led to a public outcry in the media and on-line, resulting in the Commission receiving approximately 3,300 comments with all but 8 criticizing the…
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OTTAWA – Direct to Home Groceries has been fined $10,000 for violating the country’s national do not call list (DNCL), the CRTC announced Tuesday.
The Commission said that it received “numerous complaints” between March 5, 2009 and August 11, 2010 about the company for calling consumers whose telephone numbers were registered on DNCL. After receiving a notice of violation dated October 4, 2010, the Burlington, ON-based company said that it had experienced a computer glitch which resulted in it not knowingly contacting consumers registered on the national DNCL. It also claimed to be “in severe financial distress”, and said that a…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC is hoping to simplify the number portability process by expanding access to the Canadian Number Portability Administration Centre Service Management System to third parties.
Number portability enables a customer to keep the same telephone number when changing telecommunications service providers within the same exchange. The NPAC/SMS is used by local exchange carriers (LECs) and wireless carriers to conduct the number portability process. The Commission initially limited access to the NPAC/SMS for the purpose of porting telephone numbers between LECs and subsequently expanded this access to include wireless carriers.
After receiving a request to expand access by from the Canadian…
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