Report wonders if higher-income Canadians willing to subsidize less fortunate
By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – After concluding another study on telecom affordability and accessibility, the House of Commons industry committee released a report Tuesday that excoriates the CRTC for issuing a critical decision on wholesale internet rates that it said upsets the very issues the committee was hoping to address.
The CRTC did not, as some wished, open the large national wireless networks to any service provider when it decided in mid-April that only regional carriers with spectrum and networks can lease capacity from the big carriers. Then in May, the…
Continue Reading
But Commission will not open a public proceeding to examine the issue
GATINEAU — In a Commission letter dated June 22, the CRTC responded to a request made in February by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) asking for the disclosure of confidential information submitted by Canadian mobile carriers to the Commission regarding unauthorized mobile telephone number transfers (or ports) and SIM swapping.
PIAC wanted public disclosure of the carriers’ monthly reports regarding the occurrences of SIM swapping, and also asked the Commission to initiate a public proceeding to look into the matter of SIM-swap fraud.
“With regards to the disclosure…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU — Today, the CRTC released its Wireless Code Public Opinion Research – Spring 2021 final report, which finds generally an increasing number of Canadians are opting for unlimited data plans and finding their wireless contracts easier to understand.
For the report, the CRTC commissioned Kantar to conduct a public-opinion research survey to obtain tracking data on how consumers understand their wireless service contracts and their related rights, as well as to explore various topics such as wireless complaints, data usage, bill shock and ease of switching service providers.
Among the report’s findings, a small but increasing number of Canadians (15%)…
Continue Reading
Commission to launch ILNF review after C-10’s fate is known
GATINEAU — The CRTC announced today it has approved an application by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) to increase the maximum percentage of proceeds from the Independent Local News Fund (ILNF) that can be allocated to any one station or group of stations operated by the same licensee in a given market from 10% to 12% in any given broadcast year.
The change will be effective on September 1, 2021, which is the beginning of the 2021-2022 broadcast year.
The CAB, which administers the ILNF, submitted its Part 1 application…
Continue Reading
By Bill Roberts
THE BANFF WORLD MEDIA Festival, a month-long virtual event running online from June 14th to July 16th thanks to the pandemic, kicked off Monday morning with a timely conversation with Ian Scott, CRTC chair and CEO.
Scott and his interviewer, journalist Jason Pinto, expressed the importance of the cultural industries regarding political, social, and environmental progress; and being a force for good. Pinto’s enquiries focused on Bill C-10 (the bill to amend the Broadcasting Act) and the past, current, and future efficacy of our broadcasting regulatory framework.
There was general consensus that, “drilling down” and given the pandemic and…
Continue Reading
NG911 voice service must be provided by March 1, 2022
GATINEAU — The CRTC announced today it is extending the deadlines for the implementation and provision of next-generation 911 (NG911) networks and services in Canada.
NG911 networks will add IP-based capabilities to emergency services so that people will be able to eventually use text messaging or share photos and videos with emergency service operators.
Step one is establishing NG911 networks and introducing NG911 Voice capability.
In its decision today, the Commission is directing NG911 network providers to establish their NG911 networks, complete all NG911 production onboarding activities and be ready to provide…
Continue Reading
By Mel Cohen
THE CRTC REVERSED ITSELF last Thursday, declaring that it erred in 2019 when it set lower rates for wholesale customers of the major telephone and cable companies. Wholesale customers are the dozens of smaller companies that compete with the majors and each other to provide internet services used every day by Canadian homes and businesses.
They are companies you might know – Distributel, Primus, and other members of the Competitive Network Operators of Canada. The consequence of the CRTC decision is that Canadians will soon pay higher prices to use the internet.
What is particularly frustrating about this…
Continue Reading
MARKHAM, Ont. — Yet another independent ISP says it is being forced to halt network investments it hoped to make due to the CRTC’s decision last month not to lower Internet wholesale rates, with Markham, Ont.-based CIK Telecom announcing last week it is not going ahead at this time with a $300-million fibre network project which it announced in January.
When CIK Telecom announced the Markham project, it said it was “anticipating that the CRTC will lower the wholesale rates and expecting the incumbents to refund the overcharges retroactively to third-party internet providers dated back from April 2016…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU — The CRTC announced today it has approved an application by Stingray Group to change the broadcaster’s Stingray Hits channel into a French-language service.
When the CRTC issued a licence in March 2020 for the previously exempt Stingray Hits channel, it was designated as an English-language discretionary service by the Commission.
In January 2021, Stingray submitted an application to amend Stingray Hits’s licence (which expires August 31, 2025) so it would be designated as a French-language service. Stingray indicated its intention was always to offer Stingray Hits as a pop music video clip service for the Francophone market.
In approving the…
Continue Reading
By Christopher Guly
OTTAWA – The CRTC requires a reassessment of its role as a telecom regulator following its decision last week to reverse its 2019 decision to set lower wholesale broadband rates for third-party internet access providers, NDP telecommunications critic Brian Masse told Cartt.ca during a news conference on Tuesday.
“There is such a variance amongst the predictabilities necessary for a modern administrator that it requires a review,” he said. “The leadership has undermined itself.”
However, the Windsor West MP stopped short of joining several independent ISPs who called for Scott’s removal as CRTC chief.
“He’s put himself in…
Continue Reading
