TORONTO and OTTAWA – In what could be a first, Internet service providers, consumer groups and independent producers all agreed that Wednesday’s CRTC framework on Internet traffic management practices got it right.
“I didn’t think that we needed any rules, but, they are reasonable, certainly not draconian”, Rogers’ SVP of regulatory, Ken Engelhart, told Cartt.ca. “They’ve picked a middle ground that we can live with.”
Over at Telus, Michael Hennessy, SVP of regulatory and government affairs, largely concurred, calling the new rules “clear and well thought out”.
“I think it was a good decision”, he said in an interview with Cartt.ca. “The…
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TORONTO – The Canadian Media Guild and Openmedia.ca have launched a campaign to save free local TV signals for Canadians living in small towns after the industry’s transition to digital.
The transition could impact 11 million Canadians living in smaller cities and rural areas, the group said in a statement on Tuesday. CRTC rules say OTA only has to stay on in communities larger than 300,000, plus provincial and territorial capitals.
“The Guild has presented research to the CRTC and to broadcasters on how they could use the new digital technology to improve TV service in smaller communities by sharing transmitters”, the…
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GATINEAU – The CRTC will make public its decision on network traffic management tomorrow morning at 11 a.m.
The network management hearing (dubbed by many as the network neutrality proceeding) concerned how various web traffic is treated by all of the big ISPs and how that affects other businesses in Canada. We covered that hearing in July here, here, here, here, here and here.
Watch this site tomorrow morning for the decision, and another on the MTS Allstream and Teksaavy request to review and vary the CRTC’s recent decision on usage based billing.
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ST. JOHN’S – Newfoundland Broadcasting’s NTV has joined the Local TV Matters campaign.
"The coverage of special events provided by NTV brings our people closer together and provides us all with the sense of community”, said Doug Neal, SVP of Newfoundland Broadcasting, in the announcement. “It is important that viewers understand the issues related to cable and satellite providers and how the current regulations allow them to take the signals of televisions stations for free and charge their subscribers for them, while paying nothing to the television station originating the signal. The future of local TV is at stake. It’s…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has revoked the telecom licences of 19 companies that it says have failed to comply with the conditions of licence.
All basic international telecommunications services (BITS) are subject to annual reporting requirements. Despite “numerous Commission requests” urging compliance with the filing requirements, the CRTC said Friday that 19 companies either failed to file the required information or make representations by October 4.
The companies are:3588599 Canada Inc.Beacon Tower Telecom LimitedCallCo Plus Escrow Service Corp.Canadian Telecommunications & Technologies Inc.Canaxon Inc.GlobalXtel Inc.I Voice Comm Telnetwork Inc.IDT Telecom Canada Corp.Lycatel…
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OTTAWA – Consumer coalition TV Alliance is calling on Heritage Minister James Moore to ensure that consumers can participate in the upcoming public hearing on billing practices for TV services in Canada.
“The Heritage Minister directed that special hearings take place for consumers on the TV debate, but consumers are being denied fair treatment in the process," said Alliance advisor Michael Janigan, in a statement. "The Minister should not support a two-tier consultation process, with privileged industry riding in first class while consumer groups ride in coach if at all."
The call comes in response to last month’s Order in Council…
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TORONTO – The new board of the new Canadian Media Fund launching in April is new and much smaller – with a much more prominent voice from the companies which must funnel a piece of their revenue into it – but how, exactly, will the administration of this $300 million money pot change as compared to the old CTF?
The BDUs (Rogers, Shaw, Bell, et al), which have to contribute 5% of their revenues to this fund to create Canadian content challenged the way it was run almost three years ago and said they should have more…
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TORONTO – Members of the Local TV Matters campaign are encouraging radio stations across Canada to dedicate airtime to the fee-for-carriage debate to help consumers understand the issues.
In a press release on Thursday, the coalition, which consists of CTV, /A\, Global, CBC, and CHEK News, encouraged Canadians to “to call in and ask the tough questions”.
"The more Canadians talk and learn about the issues, the more support grows for local TV and our reasonable and practical solution," said Paul Sparkes, CTVgm’s EVP of corporate affairs, in the release. "Let’s talk about it because the solution is simple: let us…
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TORONTO – Wind Mobile has chosen CommScope’s Andrew solution to provide its forthcoming network with enhanced 911 service.
“We are committed to creating the best wireless experience for Canadians which also includes ensuring their safety in times of emergency,” said Wind CEO Ken Campbell, in the announcement. “Enhanced 911 technology helps ensure that emergency responders are better able to locate the position of a caller. That way, even if the caller is unable to speak or unsure of where they are, they can rest assured that help will be on its way.”
The Andrew solution includes a combination of Assisted-GPS and…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has amended some of the requirements set out in the lists of eligible satellite services.
The amendments include the removal of the requirement that licensed BDUs receive certain services from licensed satellite relay distribution undertakings (SRDUs), the revision of requirements relating to the distribution of the U.S. 4+1 signals, and the deletion of the requirement that BDUs wishing to distribute certain services must enter into contractual agreements with those services.
The Commission also revised the requirement relating to the deletion or substitution of duplicate programming.
Click here to read the full broadcasting regulatory policy.
In related news,…
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