HALIFAX – Eastlink Wireless turned one this month and seems poised to continue its ambitious rollout.
Currently available in Nova Scotia and PEI, Eastlink Wireless launched wireless on Valentine’s Day in 2013 after investing close to $200 million in building an LTE network, in addition to $25 million spent on wireless spectrum in 2008. It has just spent more than $20 million on 700 MHz wireless spectrum in Nova Scotia and PEI, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick and Northern Ontario, areas where it currently has cable/home phone/broadband customers.
To date, it has sought to differentiate itself from competitors through tactics that…
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OTTAWA – The 700 MHz spectrum auction has ended and Industry Minister James Moore will announce the results late Wednesday.
A statement issued by Industry Canada Tuesday evening invited media to a 30 minute lock-up to be followed by the official announcement by Minister Moore in Ottawa at 5:00 PM ET on Wednesday. Cartt.ca will be there.
Reuters appeared to break the news in a story that quoted unnamed sources who claimed that the “main thrust of the auction had been finished at least a week ago”. Industry Canada said prior to the auction that it would publish the winners, their licence packages and…
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GATINEAU – Rogers Communications refuted accusations of charging unjust wholesale rates for Canadian wireless carriers and denied undue preference for U.S. Wireless carriers in its 32-page reply to the CRTC’s proceeding investigating domestic wholesale wireless roaming rates.
The Commission is investigating whether there has been discrimination in higher wholesale rates charged to domestic wireless companies while American carriers receive preferential deals.
The CRTC received interventions and replies over the past two weeks from Bell Canada, Quebecor Media, Telus, EastLink, Wind, Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), Benjamin Klass, Canadian Network Operators Consortium Inc. (CNOC), Commissioner of Competition, Fibernetics, Lynx Mobility Inc., MTS…
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GATINEAU – We're about a month away from all Canadian television distributors being required to make all Canadian national news channels available to all of their subscribers, but one seemingly basic question remains unanswered: Will Sun News Network be made available on analog cable?
Two months after the CRTC issued an order requiring that Sun News and the four other Category C national news channels be made available to subscribers of "all licensed distribution undertakings", there doesn't seem to be a consensus on this question.
The order and accompanying decision don't include the word "analog" at…
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QUISPAMSIS, NB – The Canadian Cable Systems Alliance Inc. (CCSA) announced the completion of a master affiliate agreement on Monday for the distribution of the new independent food and lifestyle special channel Gusto TV.
The multiplatform HD service, which will now be available to CCSA members across Canada, offers viewers hit prime-time cooking shows every evening, with lifestyle, home, fashion, health and wellness shows during the day.
“Gusto TV is an independent, regionally based broadcaster, so joining forces with CCSA and independent distributors to deliver our hit shows to Canadians is the perfect fit,” said Gusto TV CEO and president Chris…
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OTTAWA – Canadians will have more say on new cell towers in their communities after the government revised its antenna tower siting policy Wednesday.
The changes to the policy mean wireless companies must now consult with communities on all commercial tower installations, regardless of height; build the tower within three years of consulting with communities; and ensure that residents are well-informed of upcoming consultations through clearly-marked communications. Municipalities are also encouraged to get involved early in the tower siting process.
Previously, companies only needed to consult when they were planning to build a tower higher than 15 metres, and there was…
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GATINEAU – Submissions to the CRTC on its wholesale domestic roaming rates proceeding break down just where most would expect.
In December, the CRTC launched a review of the rates Rogers, Bell and Telus charge smaller wireless service providers when customers of those smaller companies use their phones to roam outside of their own provider’s home network. The primary accusation of the Commission is that the big three are charging the likes of Wind and Eastlink more than they charge American operators whose customers roam on networks here when they travel.
In the summer of 2013, the…
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TORONTO – While we first reported here that Quebecor’s cable and wireless division Vidéotron might be interested in buying ailing Mobilicity and stocking up on 700 MHz spectrum in the ongoing auction, most reaction has been disbelief.
In a research note to clients on Monday, BMO Capital Markets analyst Tim Casey doesn’t buy it. “We acknowledge there is a potential opportunity for a non-incumbent bidder in the auction (such as Quebecor, EastLink, Novus or Feenix) to scoop up the remaining prime block of 700MHz spectrum (for Southern Ontario, Eastern Ontario, B.C. and Alberta) at attractive valuations….
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KINCARDINE, Ont. – Halifax-based Eastlink has purchased southwestern Ontario independent telecom operator Bruce Telecom, Cartt.ca has learned.
According to sources, Eastlink will issue a press release January 23rd but made the announcement to employees late Monday afternoon, noting the acquisition strengthens its presence in the region. Bragg family-owned Eastlink already owns cable/telecom/ISP network assets in Aylmer, Palmerston, Hanover, Listowel, Walkerton, Wiarton and numerous other small southwestern Ontario communities. It also has a significant presence in northeastern Ontario.
The acquisition will close in the coming months.
(UPDATE: According to the Saugeen Times, Eastlink purchased Bruce Telecom for $26.5 million….
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HALIFAX – Building on its data centre operations in Bermuda, Eastlink said Monday that it will operate its second data centre based in Sambro, NS.
Currently operational and serving Atlantic Canadian customers, Eastlink said its Pennant Point Data Centre delivers network connectivity, accessibility, reliability, and security; is carrier neutral; provides high levels of site and building security that is monitored and alarmed 24/7/365; houses servers in a secure, controlled, and professionally-managed environment; and offers fully redundant, uninterruptable power and cooling (fault tolerance systems).
Eastlink has for many years managed critical voice, data, and Internet services for businesses and public sector clients including…
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