HALIFAX – After being the first Canadian cable company to enter the telephone market, Eastlink is taking its whole home experience to the next level by offering a 24/7 home security service starting at $20 a month,
"We're committed to providing our customers with the best whole home experience out there," says Eastlink president and COO Deborah Shaffner. "Now, that commitment extends beyond traditional telecommunications services. We consider home security a natural extension of the integrated services we currently offer and another step towards achieving the fully-connected household."
Eastlink Home Security provides customers with customized…
Continue Reading
MONTREAL – Astral Media reports profits rose sharply in the fourth quarter, with net earnings of $54.3-million, up 14% from $47-million the previous year. Revenue growth grew at a slower pace of 2% to $251.8-million from $247.6-million.
Astral noted that with the CRTC’s rejection of its takeover by BCE, and the outcome of BCE’s appeal officially unknown, “there can be no assurance that the transaction will occur, or that it will occur on the terms and conditions currently contemplated," read the release. Company co-founder and CEO Ian Greenberg wouldn't say much…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Launching today with a three-month free preview, Videotron subscribers in Quebec will get unlimited access to FX Canada. Programming includes American Horror Story: Asylum, Sons of Anarchy, Louie and The League, as well as late-night shows Brand X with Russell Brand and Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell. FX Canada is available to Videotron subscribers in SD on channel 210 and in HD on channel 810.
“There is a high demand for FX’s premium content across Canada, and Rogers is excited to bring this award-winning programming to the Quebec market, “ said Scott…
Continue Reading
HALIFAX – Eastlink has launched a new technical support service that helps customers navigate their “maze of electronic devices” with access to additional technical expertise for all the computer and electronic devices in their home. Its Eastlink Premium Support provides 24/7/365 live access to an expert through chat or phone.
"This brand new service is a great addition to the exemplary support services our customers have come to expect from us," says Deborah Shaffner, Eastlink's president and COO. "Eastlink Premium Support provides one source of technical expertise for all of the electronic products and services…
Continue Reading
VANCOUVER – The world’s first gay TV network, OUTtv promises its “most exciting fall programming lineup in its history” has something for everyone. The network is also launching in HD on Rogers and Cogeco (Rogers channel 600 and Cogeco channel 899). OUTtv began broadcasting in HD in July of this year, rolling out across the Eastlink systems.
“We are delighted that Rogers and Cogeco have been so quick to get our HD offering into their lineup. These additions come with packaging changes significantly increases our overall market penetration in Ontario and the GTA. This could…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – The Supreme Court of Canada has struck down The Halifax Herald and Global Television’s bid to identify a Nova Scotia girl who is now free to pursue her court battle against a cyberbully. The ruling overturned two lower court decisions that refused to ban publication of the girl’s name. The decision was a setback to a coalition of media groups that had fought in court to have the girl’s name revealed.
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – Siri, where can I go to recycle you? The answer is the Recycle My Cell program for mobile devices and accessories, which has officially kicked off its third annual Recycle My Cell Student Challenge.
As the national sponsor of Waste Reduction Week in Canada (October 15-21), Recycle My Cell is challenging all Canadian schools and post-secondary institutions to recycle as many old wireless devices as possible, including cell phones, smartphones, wireless PDAs, pagers, accessories and cell phone batteries.
The Challenge, running from October 15 to November 15, encourages students of all…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – By the end of 2014 the new Canadian mobile providers will nearly double their total subscriber base to 3.2 million, or a 4% increase in market share compared to the 1.73 million base they should reach by this year’s end. This according to a 102-page report entitled Canadian Wireless: Assessing the Impact of New Entrants by the Convergence Consulting Group.
The report however cautions that the “outcome of the 700 MHz auction, Shaw’s potential wireless entry, the possible merger or sale of certain new entrants, are all pivotal variables.”
Driving this growth is how new entrants can undercut incumbents…
Continue Reading
GRANTING BELL THE RIGHT to buy Astral Media will make an already big company that acts badly, enormous, add incentive for it act even worse, which in the end will crush competition and choice in Canada. Therefore, the deal needs to be quashed altogether or tough new rules applied to constrain the biggest player in Canadian media, say final replies to the CRTC’s public proceeding into Bell Canada’s quest to buy Astral Media.
Those last written rejoinders to the Commission’s public proceeding into Bell Canada’s purchase of Astral Media (CRTC 2012-370) from intervenors were due into the Commission on Friday,…
Continue Reading
I DON’T RECALL THIS question being clearly asked last week of the company executives who would block Bell Canada’s purchase of Astral Media: Why do you fear Bell would act the way you say it will?
The subject was broached a few times last week during the CRTC hearing and was sort-of asked, just not in as direct a way as we’ve put it above. The answer was given a number of times. Put simply, the executives of Quebecor, Cogeco, Rogers, EastLink and others say Bell is behaving poorly already and they fear an even bigger Bell would act as…
Continue Reading