OTTAWA – Saying the Minister of Industry has no right to change the policies governing the 2008 Advanced Wireless Spectrum auction now, Telus has filed an application in Federal Court asking for a judicial review of the June 28th spectrum transfer policy framework released by then-Industry Minister Christian Paradis.
(We predicted such a legal backlash in April when Industry Canada told the Canadian wireless companies then that it wanted to add new restrictions on the sale of wireless spectrum that had been cleared to be sold after a…
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TORONTO – A recent survey of Canadians (done prior to the spasm of news surrounding Verizon’s potential entry into the wireless market here) shows most Canadians do not believe it’s very important to make sure their telephone company is Canadian owned.
A question in in May’s Digital Life Canada report (a quarterly syndicated survey of over 1,000 Canadians produced by Toronto’s Solutions Research Group) laid bare what Canadians are really concerned about when it comes to wireless services.
When asked “Thinking of wireless companies in Canada, how important is it to you that,” the survey offered five choices and asked…
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OTTAWA – Canada’s largest telecommunications union said today it “stridently opposes” the federal government’s wireless policy that appears to favour New York-based Verizon Communications to enter Canada’s telecom market and potentially dominate its airwaves.
“Granting one of the biggest companies in the world special rights to public airwaves (spectrum), to buy small players and to existing companies' networks may be the most ill-conceived policy the Harper government has come up with,” said David Coles, president of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP), in a media release.
“In its ideological crusade to open the…
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MONTREAL – Bell Canada is the latest incumbent to voice its dissatisfaction with the federal government’s wireless policy framework, and today called on the government to reconfigure that policy to amend the “loopholes” that favour foreign wireless carriers over Canadian incumbents.
"Federal wireless policies intended to help small startup competitors unintentionally give the same advantages to major US wireless companies that want to enter Canada – advantages paid for by Canadians and denied to the country's major wireless carriers. With the potential impact on the country's airwaves and infrastructure, it's an unprecedented situation that affects all…
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TORONTO – Bell Media launched a new automotive portal Wednesday aimed at everyone from first-time car buyers to auto enthusiasts.
Autofocus.ca, and its French-language counterpart, Fr.Autofocus.ca, features research tools, reviews from auto experts as well as users, and other resources to help consumers with their car purchase.
The site also offers car buying tips and tricks, in-depth coverage of all major auto shows, consumer reports, and leasing and financing guides.
“Not every car buyer makes a purchase with the same level of knowledge or experience.With this in mind,…
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TORONTO – Digital media management company Yangaroo Inc. announced a new partnership Tuesday with U.S. music industry trade publication RAMP (Radio and Music and Pros) that will provide its U.S. broadcaster clients with expanded access to Yangaroo’s digital media distribution system.
Yangaroo's DMDS service offers independent labels and artists as well as major labels a way to easily upload music tracks, albums and music videos for delivery to broadcasters all over North America.
RAMP, which is targeted to radio programmers, on-air personalities, record label executives, artists, artist managers and other industry professionals, will provide a…
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TORONTO – While recent events, including the possible entry of US behemoth Verizon into Canada and Monday’s cabinet shuffle, have left many in the investment community wondering how these will affect the regulatory landscape, the telecom sector won’t see an impact on the bottom line just yet.
Financial results for the second quarter of 2013 will not reflect any of these regulatory concerns, says BMO Capital Markets Second analyst Tim Casey.
“We expect Verizon will continue to quietly negotiate with the owners of the existing new entrants – Wind and Mobilicity – with…
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MONTREAL – Quebecor’s print subsidiary Sun Media Corp. announced Tuesday it is cutting 360 jobs and closing 11 publications across Canada as part of a strategic restructuring.
The closing of eight community newspapers and three free urban dailies is expected to save the company approximately $55 million annually. The newspapers, some of which have already ceased publication, include: L’Action Régionale in Montérégie, Le Progrès de Bellechasse and Le Magazine Saint-Lambert in Québec; The Lindsay Daily Post and The Midland Free Press in Ontario; The Lac du Bonnet Leader and The Beausejour Review in Manitoba; and The…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The cost of using a payphone (remember those?) will remain at 50 cents for now, as the CRTC denied requests for an increase in local payphone rates to $1 for cash calls and up to $2 for calls charged to a credit card or other forms of payment.
In today’s decision, the Commission denied an application by Bell Canada, Bell Aliant Regional Communications and Télébec to raise payphone rates. The telcos argued that the increases were necessary to help recover the costs associated with upgrading their payphones to accept the new one dollar coin issued by the Royal Canadian Mint…
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OTTAWA – Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s cabinet shuffle, announced this morning, included a significant number of changes, including (as previously speculated) major shifts in the ministries with oversight of the CRTC and Canada’s cable, radio, television and telecom industries.
James Moore has been named the new Industry Minister, replacing Christian Paradis. Shelly Glover, MP for Saint Boniface in Winnipeg, will be taking over Moore’s position as Heritage Minister. Paradis, who had been Industry Minister since May 2011, takes on two new portfolios as the new Minister of International Development and Minister for La Francophonie.
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