OTTAWA – As Bell Canada stole the show with its usage-based billing (UBB) backdown earlier this week, the fact that the cable companies also suggested that billing on an aggregate use basis might be a more palatable approach was overlooked.
Under this type of model, the independent ISP which leases network capacity from a facilities-based carrier would be charged for a pre-determined amount of bandwidth that it could then offer to all of its customers. If the small ISP exceeds this amount, it would be charged additional fees. The current UBB approach contemplates charging independent ISPs on per-customer basis….
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OTTAWA – In the face of enormous political and public pressure, Bell Canada has killed wholesale usage-based billing.
Knowing politicians (whomever wins the election) are determined to stop wholesale UBB in its tracks, in its submission to the CRTC late Monday evening on the newest proceeding into the issue, Bell Canada abandoned any plan to continue pushing for UBB in its previously Commission-approved-form.
Instead, Bell has proposed a new idea (well, borrowed, really from CRTC Commissioner Candace Molnar and industry consultant Mark Goldberg) it is calling aggregated volume pricing.
“We are basically riffing off of the sentiments expressed by several…
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CHATHAM, ON – While not exactly endorsing the Harper-led Conservative government, independent Internet service provider TekSavvy expressed its frustration with last week’s dissolution of Parliament and resulting election call, citing the impacts on key industry initiatives.
“We are in the middle of a very important regulatory process, the review by the CRTC of the usage-based billing decisions”, said president and CEO Rocky Gaudrault, in a statement. “Its outcome will have a major impact on the way Canadians experience the Internet, one that will determine whether we will benefit from a fair, truly competitive framework within which we will be able to develop…
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OTTAWA – The Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA) said that it applauds the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage for recognizing the importance of fair terms of trade agreements between independent producers and vertically integrated media companies.
As Cartt.ca reported, in a report to the Government of Canada on the impact of private television ownership changes, the Standing Committee recommended that the Government consider the issue of fair terms of trade agreements between independent producers and vertically integrated media companies when reviewing the Canada Media Fund.
“The Committee is to be congratulated for its timely recognition of the need for…
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TORONTO – It will be up to Canada’s Supreme Court to decide on whether Internet service providers (ISPs) are just pipes or actually broadcasters.
On Thursday the Court granted a coalition of Canadian union and guilds leave to appeal a lower court decision issued last July that deemed ISPs “content-neutral,” and therefore not subject to CRTC-regulated Canadian content exhibition or contribution requirements like broadcasters.
During that proceeding, the major ISPs, (many of which are also cable companies), insisted that because ISPs do not select, originate or package programming, they cannot be considered broadcasters. A coalition of content producers and…
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“THIS IS THE EXCEPTION rather than the rule,” Industry Minister Tony Clement told a Parliamentary committee earlier this month regarding the Conservatives penchant for weighing in on CRTC decisions.
He quoted the number six – three varied and three referred back to the Commission – out of 2,200 telecom decisions issued by the CRTC (below is a list of the decisions and how the government ruled). These numbers don’t tell the whole story though. While on the surface six out of 2,200 is miniscule, the fact of the matter is that out of those 2,200 decisions only 30 were…
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MONTREAL – Françoise Bertrand has been named chair of the board of directors at Quebecor Inc. effective immediately, the company announced Monday.
Bertrand, who has been a member of the board since 2003, is also chair of Quebecor’s compensation committee and a member of its corporate governance committee. She replaces Jean Neveu who passed away earlier this month.
“A consensus quickly emerged around Françoise as the new Chair of Quebecor’s Board,” said board vice chairman, the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, in the announcement. “She has an exceptional track record and strong moral authority. Françoise has already demonstrated a tremendous capacity…
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OTTAWA – Rogers wants a French language sports channel, while Stingray Digital Group hopes to add to its musical collection with a new channel called Concert TV, according to 36 new broadcasting applications made public by the CRTC on Wednesday.
Sports d’intérêt général de Rogers, will be, as the name suggests, a national, general-interest French-language Category 2 channel, according to the application. Stingray’s Concert TV would be devoted to contemporary and classical music concerts from a wide variety of music genres offered in SD, HD and 3-D, once readily available.
Other applications of interest include one from FreeHD Canada for…
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TORONTO – The Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) has named Gerry Barr as its new CEO and national executive director. He will assume the post in August 2011.
Barr’s wide-ranging career has included labour organization and negotiations for the Steelworkers’ Union, as well as the creation of its Steelworkers Humanity Fund. Since 2000, has held the role of president and CEO of the Canadian Council for International Cooperation, a coalition of approximately 100 not-for-profit organizations working on international development co-operation and humanitarian response.
“We’re thrilled to have somebody of Gerry’s stature and integrity take the helm of the Directors Guild of…
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OTTAWA – News that Bell must carry Canada’s seven independent community TV channels as part of its basic service by next year was welcomed by the Canadian Association of Community Television Users and Stations (CACTUS), who said that the move may spawn the creation of more such services.
"This is the first decision that the CRTC has made since 2002 to encourage the distribution of truly community-based television programming services", said CACTUS spokesperson Catherine Edwards, in a statement.
The CRTC included the directive during its approval of Bell’s purchase of CTV last week. The seven channels are among 43 local…
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