GATINEAU — The CRTC wants to know if the ongoing Covid-19 crisis has altered the positions put forward by any participants at the public hearing held earlier this year as part of the Commission’s wireless policy review.
Given the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic became more pronounced in Canada after the hearing in February, the Commission is giving participants an opportunity to provide additional information to be considered within the proceeding.
In a request for information issued as a procedural letter on May 15, the Commission asks: “Does the ongoing situation with respect to the Covid-19 pandemic change the view…
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OTTAWA — The CRTC will reimburse almost $124,000 to telemarketers after the total amount paid for violations in 2019-20 exceeded its estimated regulatory costs.
The Commission said Wednesday that $3,423,472 was paid under the Unsolicited Telecommunications Fees Regulations last fiscal year, which is $123,472 more than the $3.3 million it estimated in telemarketing regulatory costs. In accordance with the formula set out in subsection 4(2) of the Regulations, the CRTC must refund the overage amount.
The Commission also estimated its telemarketing regulatory costs for fiscal year 2020-21 to be $3.3 million. Costs to enforce the national Do Not Call List…
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GATINEAU — Rogers, Bell and Telus are asking the CRTC to dismiss a recent Part 1 application from the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) that asks the Commission to investigate and clarify the rules and responsibilities telecom service providers have regarding Covid-19 contact-tracing apps.
In a letter to the Commission dated May 7, Rogers submitted the initial request to have PIAC’s application dismissed, arguing the concerns about privacy and oversight raised by PIAC in its application are already being addressed by Canada’s privacy commissioners in a joint statement outlining the principles expected to be adhered to by governments…
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By Denis Carmel
GATINEAU – On December 10, 2019, the CRTC opened a new proceeding to examine potential barriers to the deployment of broadband-capable networks in underserved areas in Canada, such as support structures and the cost of access to transport networks.
It identifies two issues that might help accelerate the rollout of broadband”: In this regard, identifying barriers to extending transport networks and accessing support structures, while considering regulatory steps to address such barriers, could simultaneously help to reduce the costs associated with extending broadband networks and serve to improve Canadians’ access to high-quality telecommunications services,” the CRTC document…
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GATINEAU — A letter sent to the CRTC by Quebecor Media after interventions were closed for the CBC/Radio-Canada’s licence renewal process will not be added to the public record, the Commission announced Wednesday.
Quebecor made the late submission to the proceeding on April 14, after the February 20 deadline for interventions. In its letter, Quebecor complained that CBC/Radio-Canada is competing unfairly with private broadcasters during the Covid-19 crisis. Quebecor had already submitted an intervention before the deadline, but followed up with additional complaints against the public broadcaster in its letter.
In a letter dated May 6 sent to Quebecor,…
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By Denis Carmel
GATINEAU – The Public Interest Advocacy Center (PIAC) want the CRTC to clarify the rules and responsibilities telecom service providers have in regard to Covid-19 contact tracing applications.
The application refers to news reports that federal and provincial governments might have contacted TSPs to assist the health authorities to help control the spread of the virus.
For example, the Alberta Government has launched ABTraceTogether, an application which, through wireless Bluetooth technology, mobile contact tracing will complement the work of health-care workers and drastically speed up the current manual tracing process.
“Contact tracing is currently performed by interviewing patients who…
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GATINEAU — Quebecor’s Videotron continues to pursue an undue preference claim against Bell with regard to the latter’s Super Écran and how it is distributed free of charge as part of Bell Alt TV’s basic service.
However, the CRTC said in a letter Friday to Videotron and Bell that it won’t expedite the matter as requested by Videotron in a letter dated March 23.
The Quebecor-owned cable company has been pursuing its undue preference claim regarding Bell’s Super Écran since June 2019, but on March 23, 2020 it submitted a request asking the Commission to withdraw its Part 1 application dated…
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OTTAWA — Although the wholesale roaming dispute between Quebecor’s Videotron and Bell Canada has effectively been decided, with the CRTC telling Bell in early February it can’t suspend wholesale roaming services offered to Videotron, the Commission needed to step in once again to address a lingering issue in the matter.
The dispute between Videotron and Bell originated in May 2019 when the latter informed the former a number of Videotron’s customers were allegedly permanently roaming on Bell Mobility’s network, which contravened Bell’s access services tariff. In June 2019, Bell threatened to suspend the wholesale roaming service if the infraction…
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GATINEAU — Having already approved Leclerc Communication’s acquisition of classical music radio station CJPX-FM Montreal from Media ClassiQ in a decision earlier this month, the CRTC released its detailed rationale for the approval on Tuesday.
Recently, the Commission has been expediting some of its decisions and following up with releases of its rationales at later dates.
In November, Leclerc announced its intention to purchase CJPX-FM Montreal (Radio Classique 99.5) from Media ClassiQ, which is owned and controlled by performing artist and radio broadcaster Gregory Charles, in a transaction that has been valued as $4.89 million, according to the…
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GATINEAU and WHITEHORSE — The CRTC announced April 24 it is approving on an interim basis Northwestel’s request to extend its temporary relief on residential Internet usage during the Covid-19 crisis until May 31, 2020.
Northwestel had previously received permission from the CRTC to waive overage charges for customers exceeding their Internet usage caps during the months of March and April in its terrestrially served communities (which are most communities in Yukon, NWT, northern Alberta and northern B.C., says the company).
In its new decision released late Friday, the CRTC said Northwestel’s Covid-19 relief offer could be extended until…
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