OTTAWA – TerreStar this week filed a review and vary application challenging the CRTC’s decision in June to deny its application to reduce its regulatory fee obligations by deducting its spectrum leasing revenues.
The regulator had rejected the Montreal-based mobile satellite and cell services provider’s argument that the revenues generated from the sale or leasing of spectrum did not qualify as a telecommunications-related expense, which would have reduced its obligation to the National Contribution Fund. The NCF goes to fund broadband infrastructure in the country.
TerreStar argues that the CRTC made a decision that is inconsistent with previous…
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Iristel urges PM to do something about withheld CRA funds affecting its response
By Ahmad Hathout
YELLOWKNIFE, NWT – Wildfires ravaging parts of the Northwest Territories are causing widespread devastation to homes, families and telecommunications networks, forcing operators to install backup systems and carefully enter repair territory as critical infrastructure burns.
Cartt asked some of the primary providers in the region to provide their perspectives on how they’re dealing with the wildfires that have burned many millions of hectares of land. It is Canada’s worst wildfire season ever, with more fires expected to come this fall.
Bell subsidiary Northwestel told us the company…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC last week launched the second phase of its implementation of the Online Streaming Act (Bill C-11), calling for comments on the Commission’s proposed new broadcasting fees regulations, which would apply to broadcasters and online streaming platforms alike.
“The amended Act broadens the pool of potential feepayers from licensed broadcasting undertakings to all broadcasting undertakings, including online undertakings (undertakings ‘for the transmission or retransmission of programs over the Internet’), a newly defined class of undertakings in the amended Act. It also eliminates some of the fees paid by broadcasting undertakings…
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By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – Electricity Canada said in a filing to the nation’s highest court this month that Parliament’s refusal to amend “transmission line” under the Telecommunications Act is evidence of its belief that it does not foresee an obstacle for telecoms getting wireless access to municipal structures without CRTC jurisdiction.
Electricity Canada is opposing a Telus application for the Supreme Court of Canada to hear its argument that a lower court erred when it upheld the CRTC’s decision to decline to regulate wireless attachments on municipal structures on the basis it does not have jurisdiction. The…
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By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – Rogers on Wednesday filed a challenge in the Federal Court of Appeal against the CRTC’s decision to select Quebecor’s rate for access to the cable company’s wireless infrastructure to build out its mobile virtual network operator business.
Rogers is alleging that the reasoning provided by the CRTC for selecting Quebecor’s rate in July deviates from legal precedent and runs counter to the “just and reasonable” provision under the Telecommunications Act.
Specifically, Rogers is alleging the regulator made errors in its determination that the rate it selected didn’t need to provide Rogers with an immediate-term return on investment…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC announced Thursday its game plan to implement legislation that would force large technology platforms to compensate news publishers if they want to continue to link to their content.
The regulator will essentially embark on creating the regulatory backstop needed to catch any mandatory commercial negotiations between platforms and news publishers that fall through.
As such, in the same way it announced how it would tackle the Online Streaming Act, the CRTC said it will first launch a public consultation this fall to gather comments.
At this point, it will also issue a call for proposals…
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By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – The CRTC on Tuesday approved an increase in funding for two broadband projects in response to what the applicants have said are unanticipated costs that have emerged since their applications.
Telus was approved Tuesday for an additional $505,978 on top of its already allotted $1.6 million from the $750-million Broadband Fund to drive mobile wireless services to two communities in British Columbia. Meanwhile, Sogetel Mobilite was approved for an additional $285,801 on top of its already allotted $364,465 from the fund to build and/or upgrade mobile wireless infrastructure near two communities in Quebec.
Both applicants from the…
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Established in 1997 and headquartered in Toronto, the Bell Fund is an independently governed, not-for-profit, private Canadian fund. Certified by the CRTC as an independent production fund eligible to receive and administer contributions from broadcast distribution undertakings, the Bell Fund supports Canadian Independent Producers in the development and production of great Canadian content. Today, the Bell Fund is an organization capable of adapting and thriving with a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion embedded in everything it does.
Managing a small, dedicated team and reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director will have a two-fold mandate: Provide vision…
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By Connie Thiessen
The CRTC announced Tuesday it will defer new applications or complaints relating to radio for the next two years as it focuses on implementing its regulatory plan to modernize the broadcasting system.
Each year, the commission considers hundreds of radio-related complaints and applications, filed by both the public and industry stakeholders.
With the Online Streaming Act to bring major changes to the Canadian broadcasting ecosystem – impacting everything from current and future licensees to conditions of service – the CRTC says that process will require considerable resources, resulting in anticipated delays.
“Consequently, the Commission is of the view that deferring…
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By Ahmad Hathout
TORONTO – Rogers is asking Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice to force Telus to continue fulfilling its obligations under existing wireless roaming terms with the cable company while the two competitors wrangle over terms of a proposed agreement.
Rogers is alleging in the August 14 filing that Telus is threatening to cease providing certain wireless services to it as a result of a dispute “over a particular term” in a proposed bilateral wireless agreement that is before arbitration. The particulars of the commercial dispute are not outlined in the complaint.
“TELUS has threatened to terminate Rogers’ access to certain…
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