Conservative MP said letters to his office from large ISPs charged bill is ‘unnecessary’
By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – The commissioner of the communications complaints watchdog told the House Industry committee on Monday that a bill addressing internet speed transparency could benefit from providing specific speeds in consumer contracts, which could aid in enforcing the new law.
Private member’s bill C-288, sponsored by Conservative Manitoba MP Dan Mazier, would require the CRTC to look into requiring internet service providers to clarify language in marketing of internet speeds, effectively doing away with looser language like “up to” and providing for…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC said Wednesday it will hold a hearing beginning on June 28 to consider applications by two not-for-profit indigenous television networks to add their channels to the digital basic television packages of the broadcasters.
The regulator received applications from Nunavut Independent Television Network and Inuit TV Network to add Uvagut TV and Inuit TV, respectively, to the $25 packages that consist of channels the broadcasters must carry by regulation.
Uvagut TV, which launched in January 2021, broadcasts Inuit-made children’s shows, movies, documentaries, and informational, cultural, public access and current affairs programming. Its service is currently available in basic…
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By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – Internet service provider TekSavvy is warning the CRTC that if it does not address unregulated wholesale access rates in the industry, “there may not be any independent wholesale competitors remaining.”
In January, the ISP filed a Part 1 application asking the CRTC to investigate the legality of the matter in light of Rogers’s proposed deal to provide Videotron access to its network at below CRTC regulated rates as a condition of its acquisition of Shaw. It also accused Bell of self-preferencing by providing its recently purchased affiliate Ebox with preferential rates for access…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has extended by nearly a month the deadline for applications for money from the $750-million Broadband Fund.
A CRTC notice, released Monday, said the third round of applications – to connect underserved communities to high-speed internet – will now be due on May 16, pushing back the April 18 deadline.
“The Commission considers that extending the deadline for the submission of applications would provide potential applicants with sufficient time to effectively participate in the public hearing and submit applications in response to the third call for applications,” the CRTC said.
The decision…
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Mobile wireless prices declined 2.6 per cent on average compared to 2021: Wall study
By Ahmad Hathout
The country’s lowest-priced mobile wireless plans in 2022 came from mobile virtual network operators, flanker brands of the incumbents or regional providers, which contributed to a 2.6 per cent decrease in that segment’s pricing compared to 2021, according to a new Innovation Canada price study released Friday.
The new study, which is based on eight talk and data service baskets, found the average MVNO price for unlimited talk and 2-4 GB of data, 5-6 GB of data, and 7-9 GB of data “is consistently lower…
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By Christopher Guly
The federal government has formally responded to amendments the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications made to bill C-11 that passed the upper house on Feb. 2 and which has been under consideration in the House of Commons.
In a notice sent to the Senate on Tuesday, Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez, who sponsored the bill when it was introduced in the House on Feb. 2, 2022, highlighted several changes the government would like the Senate to make before the Online Streaming Act is granted royal assent.
The Senate defined “community element” as “includ the participation of…
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Commission will release decision on last mile fibre access before wholesale rate hearing
Note: This story has been updated with comments from the CRTC chair, CNOC, and TekSavvy
By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – Just three weeks after receiving a new policy direction from Innovation Canada that emphasized broadband rates, the CRTC on Wednesday launched its proceeding to revisit the wholesale internet access framework to correct what it says are increasing prices for Canadians.
The commission is seeking updates from the public on aspects of the wholesale regime, including the state of competition, the importance and the future of the aggregated and disaggregated regime,…
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Buying smaller ISPs “a strategy” for getting to 100% coverage, Rogers CEO says
By Ahmad Hathout
Note: This story has been updated with comments from Bell CEO Mirko Bibic.
TORONTO – Rogers president and CEO Tony Staffieri said Tuesday that the delay in getting approval for the company’s proposed acquisition of Shaw has allowed it to refine its strategy as a consolidated entity.
“While we’re disappointed with the delay…what the time has allowed us to do is solidify our integration plans while at the same time – over the last year and a bit – we went through a bit of our own…
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Bill follows in footsteps of U.S. broadband ‘nutrition’ label
By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA — A private member’s bill that would require internet service providers to include the “typical” download and upload speeds that customers should expect when buying service received support from small internet service providers, according the author of the bill on Monday afternoon.
Dan Mazier, Conservative Member of Parliament for Manitoba’s Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa riding, appeared before a House industry committee to discuss bill C-288, which would amend the Telecommunications Act to effectively eliminate vague language such as “up to” and “maximum” used by ISPs to market their internet packages. The…
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By Ahmad Hathout
MONTREAL – Quebecor’s Videotron has a new beef with Bell, and it relates to prices charged by the latter for wholesale access to its fibre and transport services.
Videotron is alleging in a Part 1 application filed to the CRTC Friday that Bell is forcing the company to accept a long term contract for access to the services that serve to deliver traffic to the last mile or face “abusive monthly price increases” that are in areas where Bell allegedly has a “dominant position or a quasi-monopoly.” The charges are redacted from the application.
The company is alleging that…
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