By Steve Faguy
MONTREAL — Cogeco is launching a wireless service in Canada. Or at least, it’s almost certain. The question now isn’t so much whether it will launch, but how and where.
Speaking to analysts and journalists on Friday ahead of the company’s annual general meeting, Cogeco CEO Philippe Jetté confirmed a dedicated team of 30-40 people is in place working on a wireless network plan, with many other employees contributing to it, and major capital expenditures have been budgeted for the rollout.
The remaining step before the real work begins is to await the CRTC’s determinations on specific rules for…
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TORONTO – Corus Entertainment announced today it suffered losses in revenue and profit for its fiscal first quarter due in part to advertisers shying away as a result of the pandemic and supply chain issues.
But despite the concern, executives at the pure-play media company said on a conference call this morning they are optimistic about a future of stabilized advertising revenue as more of that supply moves from social media to trusted linear television products. They also expressed optimism about “regulatory change…on the horizon” as a new-look CRTC with new responsibilities means bringing wealthy competitive foreign streamers more under…
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By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – Canada’s largest independent internet service provider is urging federal Innovation Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne to block the transfer of Shaw’s wireless spectrum assets to Videotron over concerns that the latter will receive favourable wholesale rates compared to competitors.
The Competition Tribunal earlier this month provided reasons for denying an application to block Rogers from purchasing Shaw, saying Videotron – the regional carrier that is lined up to buy Shaw’s Freedom Mobile as a condition of the deal’s approval – would be a strong competitor in the market and would take market share from the major players in…
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By Ahmad Hathout
TORONTO – Telus Corp. has filed a lobby registration with the City of Toronto to talk about infrastructure resiliency.
The purpose of the registration, approved January 5, is to “discuss infrastructure resiliency with a focus on climate change and impacts on critical services, including telecommunications networks.”
The lobby category is filed under emergency planning and restoration.
The largest city was just one of many affected in the nationwide blackout in July of Rogers’s network, which impacted governments and private sector services.
The fallout from the blackout led to a commitment from the major telecommunications companies to support each other during…
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By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA — Far north service provider SSi Canada is urging the CRTC to push back by a month the deadline for applications to its third round of its $750-million broadband subsidy program.
The April 18 deadline for applications for money from the Broadband Fund “creates significant difficulties and a barrier to participation” for First Nation and Inuit communities across the far north, said a procedural request letter dated late last month from Dean Proctor, chief development officer of SSi Canada. The provider is asking for an extension until, at least, May 16.
The issues identified include…
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By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – In a wide-ranging interview with Cartt, outgoing CRTC chairman Ian Scott hinted at work at the commission arriving “in the coming months” to drive down broadband prices.
In 2021, the CRTC reversed its 2019 decision to lower the rates at which smaller providers purchase network space from the large incumbents, which stunned the industry. The industry was left with 2016 rates that are higher than the proposed rates that never ended up taking effect.
Acknowledging that the decision “was not beneficial” to small wholesale internet service providers, Scott said in a podcast interview with Cartt contributing editor…
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With nearly three decades of communications policy and regulatory experience under his belt, Ian Scott has quite a bit to say as he leaves his CRTC leadership post today. Listen in as Scott asserts his “vision” for the commission and what it truly means to serve the public interest.
Scott doesn’t hold back on accomplishments, such as narrowing the digital divide, consensus building, and the biggest challenges faced on the Canadian broadcasting and telecommunications fronts since 2017.
Scott, never a media-hound, is blunt and frank when addressing criticisms of his tenure. This is a no-holds-barred conversation that includes a few personal…
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OTTAWA — Former CRTC chair Konrad von Finckenstein was appointed last week to the Order of Canada, announced the Governor General of Canada.
He was recognized for “his distinguished and multifaceted career in law and federal public service,” which includes being the chair of the CRTC from 2007 to 2012.
He is listed on his LinkedIn page as an arbitrator for mediation firm JAMS.
A lawyer by training, von Finckenstein was a judge on the Federal Court from 2003 to 2007, commissioner of competition from 1997 to 2003, and before that assistant deputy attorney general in the Justice Department,…
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By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – Bell on Wednesday filed a Part 1 application asking the CRTC to strike a decision it made this month that would allow the regulator to collect millions more dollars for a $750-million Broadband Fund that allegedly has yet to distribute the majority of existing funds it has.
The CRTC said in a 2022 revenue-percent charge decision on December 15 that it will collect from service providers $150 million next year for the fund intended to connect more underserved areas with high-speed internet. Increasing amounts of money for the fund is collected on an…
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By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA — The Attorney General of Canada has told the Federal Court of Appeal that it intends to file an application for the court to hear its arguments against a decision by the CRTC forcing CBC/Radio-Canada to apologize for a program’s use of the slur, saying the regulator was not in its statutory right to do so.
Last month the public broadcaster appealed the June 29 decision, stating in arguments filed to the court that the CRTC had no jurisdiction under Section 3 of the Broadcasting Act and failed to take into consideration Charter values…
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