OTTAWA – Independent ISPs and consumer groups are telling the federal government not to buy Bell Canada’s assertions that investments in next-generation fibre networks will come to a standstill if the CRTC’s wholesale fibre access decision is allowed to stand.
A day after the Justin Trudeau Liberals swept into power in Ottawa on October 19, Bell filed appeal with the Governor-in-Council seeking a Cabinet order overturning Telecom Regulatory Policy 2015-326. The company claims the decision favours “resale over investment” which will lead to less capital for fibre to the home…
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TORONTO and HALIFAX – Ericsson has announced plans to expand and upgrade Eastlink’s LTE and HSPA networks after the two companies agreed to extend their current agreement for an additional three years.
Under the terms of the agreement, Eastlink will continue utilizing Ericsson’s evolved packet core equipment and Ericsson will remain as Eastlink's exclusive supplier for radio access network equipment.
The LTE and HSPA expansion will be deployed by implementing the RBS 6000 portfolio Radio products and the Ericsson SSR 8000 family of Smart Services Routers. In addition to providing operators with a highly scalable, consolidated platform offering services for both fixed and…
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TORONTO – Bell Media’s TV streaming service CraveTV celebrated its first birthday Friday, describing the past 365 days as “mission accomplished”.
In addition to completing distribution deals with television providers including Bell, Eastlink, and Telus plus launching on new platforms including Apple TV and Chromecast, the service also highlighted its exclusive content deals for HBO and Showtime programming, in addition to its exclusive first-run series like Manhattan, Bosch, and Happyish, among its many highlights.
Based on number of views, CraveTV’s most popular series is Entourage; favourite Canadian series is Orphan Black; the most-binged program is…
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GATINEAU – A number of Canada’s Internet service providers are telling the CRTC that Bell Canada’s appeal for more restricted access to disaggregated wholesale fibre Internet access services is self-serving and in fact would lead to less competition in the market.
Bell is asking the Commission to review and vary certain provisions related to disaggregated broadband service (DBS) in Telecom Regulatory Policy 2015-326. The company has also filed an appeal of the decision to cabinet, as Cartt.ca first reported in October.
In its R&V, Bell argues that the Commission needs to add three conditions for granting access…
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TORONTO – Disney Junior and Disney XD will arrive in over eight million households this week through distribution partners across English Canada.
Corus Entertainment said Tuesday that the channels are available now through Bell Fibe TV, Bell Satellite TV, Bell FibreOp TV, MTS, Rogers, Shaw, Shaw Direct, Telus and various CCSA members. Cogeco Cable Canada and Eastlink will offer the channels starting Wednesday, and SaskTel customers will have access to the new services in the coming weeks.
Disney Junior, which is aimed at kids aged 2-7, launches with the network premiere of The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar (pictured) on…
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TORONTO – Hollywood Suite tis gearing up for a national free preview of its four HDTV movie channels, from December 8 through to January 12.
The independent broadcaster said that the freeview is an opportunity for Canadian TV viewers to enjoy uncut and commercial-free movies on its newly rebranded channels devoted to the movies that shaped the 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s.
“We’re excited to share Hollywood Suite with all Canadians this holiday season,” said president David Kines, in the news release. “We know this is one gift everyone will love."
The freeview includes access to Hollywood Suite On Demand, where available. Participating…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC will issue its first report on the performance of Internet services provided by the country's major Internet service providers (ISPs) next spring.
Data is currently being gathered from ‘Whiteboxes’ installed in the homes of the 4,500 participants who signed up to measure the performance of their broadband Internet services when the Commission unveiled the Measuring Broadband Canada program last May.
The Commission said Wednesday that the data will provide useful insight into network performance, including actual connection speeds, and provide a better understanding of whether certain Internet services from participating ISPs are delivering speeds as advertised….
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TORONTO – New Canadian business and financial news television channel Bloomberg TV Canada launched Tuesday in more than six million Canadian households.
An exclusive partnership between independent Canadian media company Channel Zero and Bloomberg Media, the new channel combines Canadian content and original programming with Bloomberg’s international news gathering to deliver high quality business, markets and economic coverage in Canada and around the world.
In addition to original shows such as The Daily Brief, hosted by Pamela Ritchie, and Bloomberg North, scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2016 featuring Amanda Lang, Bloomberg TV Canada will also deliver content…
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TORONTO – The fact that Wind Mobile has been able to see the type of growth its CEO describes as “amazing” shows a heavy demand for a wireless carrier that isn’t one of the big three or their flanker brands, Alek Krstajic told a conference last week.
And that pent up demand is populated with consumers who are willing to put up with a weak network, which Wind is working hard at bolstering, in exchange for lower prices and unlimited packages. “People want to see the underdog succeed,” said Krstajic, which is unlike the feeling he got when he worked…
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THERE CAN BE LITTLE DOUBT that local TV is in a difficult spot. Declining ad revenue, audience fragmentation and erosion, the challenges of digital platforms, a lack of a dual revenue stream and the list goes on. But what to do about it? Some argue for a complete revamp of the local TV funding approach, while others are saying the CRTC only need to give local broadcasters more flexibility to work within existing rules.
The state of local TV is black and white, at least when looking at the revenue picture. As Bell Canada notes in its intervention into the…
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