By Konrad von Finckenstein
FOR MANY YEARS, THE both the federal government and the CRTC have viewed facilities-based competition (FBC) as the only true means of ensuring Canadians receive high-quality, affordable, mobile wireless services provided over leading-edge wireless networks.
FBC basically means that only companies with their own wired or wireless transmission facilities should be allowed access to aggregated wholesale high-speed access services of large carriers, but attempts by both the CRTC and ISED to foster competition at either the national or regional level in wireless using preferential access to spectrum and wholesale wireless policies have proven unsuccessful.
The Competition Bureau…
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GATINEAU – On Friday, the CRTC’s Internet Code of conduct officially came into force, which is aimed at giving Canadians additional safeguards when dealing with their internet service providers.
The code sets out that ISPs must provide:
easier-to-understand contracts, documentation and policies surrounding service calls, outages, security deposits and disconnections
clearer information about prices, including for bundles, promotions and time-limited discounts
bill shock protection, through notifications when customers approach and reach their data-usage limits
information on the new rules permitting customers to cancel a contract within 45 days, without paying early cancellation fees, if the contract differs from the…
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CNOC wants Commission’s help with Eastlink decision
By Denis Carmel
GATINEAU – Recently, Technicolor, a modem manufacturer, discovered some of its equipment was faulty and thus informed it customers.
It told carriers that some modems were defective. “The TC Bulletin explains that a very small quantity of TC Modems built during a two-week manufacturing window between weeks 35 and 37 of 2018 were exhibiting an issue,” reads a Canadian Network Operators’ Consortium application to the CRTC.
Yet, according to CNOC, Eastlink decided to order its wholesale third party internet access customers to remove all Technicolor modems from that batch. CNOC also states that…
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TORONTO — With the much-anticipated premiere of Star Trek: Picard scheduled for January 23 and the return of Doctor Who on New Year’s Day, CTV Sci-Fi Channel is giving viewers an early Christmas present with the launch of a nationwide freeview that starts December 19 and runs until January 30. CTV Sci-Fi Channel also has a number of blockbuster marathons scheduled to wrap up 2019.
The all-new Star Trek: Picard series will see Patrick Stewart reprise his iconic role as Jean-Luc Picard. During the 10-episode first season, Stewart will be joined by other familiar faces from the Star Trek franchise,…
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No surprises in the documents
By Denis Carmel
GATINEAU – As expected, Rogers, Shaw, Vidéotron, Cogeco and Eastlink have filed an official Review & Vary application with the CRTC, requesting changes to Telecom decision 2019-288—the final rates for aggregated wholesale high-speed access services (HSA).
The themes are similar to what was filed with their appeals to the courts and to federal cabinet.
The cable carriers focused on “new facts and circumstances and on errors of fact and principle” that questions how the Commission arrived at its much-delayed decision.
“The Commission has announced an imminent review of its approach to setting…
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ISED arm twists itself into knots trying to give MVNO its stamp of approval, but this could be a good compromise
IF I’M RUNNING ONE of Canada’s existing wireless companies, I’m relieved after reading the Competition Bureau’s most recent submission to the CRTC’s Wireless Policy Review.
However, if I’m hoping to launch a new mobile virtual network operator once the CRTC updates said policy, I might be crying into my beer a little.
After a summer of regulatory back-and-forth where the Bureau successfully fought hard for access to confidential information that only the companies themselves and…
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GATINEAU – After reviewing a dozen of the new submissions made at the CRTC’s latest wireless policy review submission deadline on Friday, we can confidently say: No one has yet changed their mind since the last rounds of information were filed.
The arguments, butressed by some new expert reports in some instances, mostly bolster what has been said and repeated early and often.
The incumbent carriers say mandated mobile virtual network operators riding on their networks as wireless resellers will cause them to decrease investment.
Poppycock, says the Canadian Network Operators and the Canadian Communication Systems Alliance. “Such threats have never, not…
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Says unfettered MVNOs would jeopardize regional players
GATINEAU – Friday was the deadline for the second phase of the comments in the CRTC’s Review of mobile wireless services and all eyes were on the Competition Bureau’s submission, which had the additional advantage of having access to the material filed in confidence, which we had reported on earlier this year.
The Bureau’s report determines there is not enough competition in the marketplace, and it even suggests a policy for the Commission to consider. (Does it suffer from “Commission Envy”?)
“Bell, Telus and Rogers (the Big 3) possess market power at both the retail…
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OTTAWA – The judicial process against the CRTC’s August decision on the final rates for aggregated wholesale high-speed access (HSA) service will go forward – and the decision’s application will remain suspended pending a ruling from the Federal Court of Appeal.
This means that the rates in force today are the interim ones set in 2016 and retroactive payments set out in the summer decision are suspended, pending the court’s decision.
The FCA had already granted a temporary stay on October 1st.
Justice Richard Boivin determined “the implementation of the CRTC Order that could result in a permanent market distortion…
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OTTAWA – Back in the summer, as we reported, Justices from the Federal Court ordered the individuals operating the so-called GoldTV Services to cease operations.
They are unauthorized subscription services that provide access to programming content over the Internet without having obtained the rights, a violation of the Copyright Act, and Bell Media, Groupe TVA, and Rogers Media had all pursued the matter in court.
Despite the issuance of injunctions, the Court, in a decision released last week, says some of the GoldTV services remain in operation and the infringements continue.
Last Friday, the Complainants against Gold, Rogers,…
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