OTTAWA – With next-generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) services still about two years away, the CRTC is seeking comments on NG9-1-1 network design efficiencies.
The Commission said Monday that it will hold a proceeding to examine recommendations made in a recent report from from NG9-1-1 stakeholders, such as roles and responsibilities related to the provision of location information servers and customer information databases, NG9-1-1 network components that could be shared, and efficient interconnection arrangements.
Interventions are due by April 25, 2018 and should address the specific questions contained in the CRTC’s call for comments and include supporting rationale.
“As a result of this proceeding,…
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GATINEAU – Late Thursday afternoon we’ll know whether or not Wi-Fi based service providers can roam onto cellular networks.
In a decision (CRTC 2017-56) on wholesale mobile wireless roaming service tariffs on March 1st of 2017, the CRTC excluded Wi-Fi providers from being able to access these rates in order to provide mobile services to Canadians beyond public Wi-Fi zones. Since they’re not facilities-based providers like the main mobile providers, they were excluded in the decision.
In June, however, the federal government asked the CRTC to re-examine that call, saying it wants to explore every option…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC is continuing in its efforts to stamp out spam after teaming up with agencies from six other countries to investigate over 900 suspect international websites.
The global initiative, conducted through the Unsolicited Communications Enforcement Network (UCENet), targeted entities engaging in online marketing activities that could be considered illegitimate, non-compliant, unfair or fraudulent.
As part of that sweep, UCENet partners reviewed over 900 websites and examined more than 6,500 consumer complaints related to affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketing is a common business practice in electronic commerce where a company sells its products to consumers through third-party marketers (‘affiliates’) who…
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OTTAWA – Bell Media has officially petitioned the CRTC to grant it ownership and effective control of French-language specialty channels Historia and Séries+ after announcing plans to acquire them from Corus Entertainment.
Corus announced last October that it was selling the two channels to Bell Media for just over $200 million after first buying them for $277 million from Bell in 2014. (Ed note: an earlier version of this story misstated Corus' 2014 purchase price.)
According to Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2018-95, Bell has valued the transaction at $202,695,232 and has proposed a $20,269,523 tangible benefits package, representing 10% of the…
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OTTAWA – The southern Ontario town of Aylmer may soon have some new telco competition courtesy of Iristel Inc.
The CRTC this week determined that a request by Iristel for local competition in the Aylmer exchange is bona fide, despite assertions to the contrary by Eastlink, which owns small incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) Amtelecom, in that territory.
“…the Commission finds that there are no regulatory issues indicating that Iristel’s request for local competition in the Aylmer exchange is not bona fide”, reads Telecom Decision CRTC 2018-82. “In the Commission’s view, it is a genuine or good faith request for…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has denied requests from both Bell and Telus seeking forbearance from the regulation of billing and collection service (BCS).
BCS is a mandated wholesale service that requires all local exchange carriers to bill and collect on behalf of alternate service providers (ASPs), such as long distance service providers, with respect to certain eligible services. These eligible services include casual long distance services (also known as 10-10 services), 900 services, collect call services, and bill-to-third call services. BCS enables an ASP to provide services to a local exchange customer without having a pre-existing billing relationship, or establishing…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC is calling for comments as it reconsiders its earlier decision to block U.S.-based cable television shopping service QVC from the list of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution north of the border.
The move comes after a Federal Court of Appeal (FCA) ruled last September to allow an appeal of the Commission’s April 2016 decision that rejected VMedia Inc.’s application to add QVC to the List. The FCA determined that the decision was not reasonable as it did not adequately explain why the Commission deviated from its general approach with respect to the…
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MONTREAL – The Canadian Union of Public Employees wants the CRTC to drop its digital media exemption order.
"The CRTC has the power to act swiftly and put a stop to the preferential treatment internet giants are receiving from the federal government,” said a press release issued Friday. “We have petitioned the CRTC to reverse a decision made years ago which is completely obsolete. There is no reason Netflix and other corporations like them should be under an exemption order" said Rejean Beaudet, recording secretary for CUPE's Quebec Provincial Council for Communications (CPSC) and provincial president for the local union…
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Commission favoured Bell
MONTREAL – Quebecor has filed for leave to appeal a “baffling” CRTC decision that ruled against its French-language sports service TVA Sports in a carriage dispute with Bell.
The company said Friday that it is asking the Federal Court of Appeal for a review of the Commission’s January 17th decision in the final offer arbitration process between the two companies that selected Bell’s per-subscriber wholesale rates for the distribution of TVA Sports in the francophone market, defined as the province of Quebec.
“Quebecor fails to understand the CRTC's position in this case”, reads the company’s statement. “TVA Group's…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has given Bell Media the go-ahead to proceed with its $17 million purchase of four FM radio stations in Ontario from Larche Communications Inc.
The deal, first announced last August, encompasses the assets of English-language commercial radio stations 104.1 The Dock (CICZ-FM) Midland, 92.3 The Dock (CJOS-FM) Owen Sound, KICX Country 106 (CICX-FM) Orillia, and KICX Country 91.7 (CICS-FM) Sudbury.
Noting Bell Media’s proposed tangible benefits package of $1.02 million (representing 6% of the value of the transaction) and the broadcaster’s stated commitment to continue to serve the markets with local programming that meets the needs and interests of the communities,…
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