GATINEAU – Having stopped its HSPA wireless network build earlier this year, Shaw Communications is nearing a decision on what to do, finally, on the wireless front.
“We’re in certain conversations, strategically, looking at options. We’re certainly looking at LTE 4G as where technology is going but we’re still in that process,” said company CEO Brad Shaw to reporters after his appearance in front of the CRTC’s vertical integration hearing.
“We’ll soon make an announcement, I think, over the next month.” The company put the brakes on its HSPA network build in February in order to reassess its wireless goals…
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TECHNOLOGY HAS CREATED THIS vast crevasse. On one side is what consumers want. On the other is what the traditional TV industry says they can give them. Nestled in the void, like a big broadcast boogeyman waiting to pounce (for some, anyway), is OTT.
At the Banff World Festival last week, over-the-top video was top of mind and a prominent feature in CRTC chairman Konrad von Finckenstein’s breakfast speech to delegates, although he refused to speculate on its impact, given the fact-finding proceeding that is under way.
But it’s clear that there’s no way to zipline across the divide…
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GATINEAU – With the deregulation of the mainstream sports and national news taking effect as of September 1st, the entire industry knew to brace itself for what TSN was about to ask for.
Having owned genre protection for two decades, TSN also owned a CRTC regulated rate of $1.07 per subscriber per month as long as a distributor kept the channel in its basic package.
But with genre protection going away (thanks to 2008-100), so is that rate. While the country’s most popular specialty channel won’t, of course, say what rate they are asking for from Canadian distributors (we’ve heard…
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OTTAWA – Canada’s Telecommunications Hall of Fame Foundation has named four new members to its expanded Board of Governors.
With Wednesday’s appointment of Michel Bruyere, Paul Downs, Dr. Joy McKinnon, and Dr. Veena Rawat, the Hall of Fame Foundation Board of Governors now has 14 senior leaders of the Canadian telecom and academic sectors within its ranks.
"The expertise and good judgment of our Hall of Fame Foundation Board is an essential element in supporting the core programs of the Telecommunications Hall of Fame”, said founder and director Lorne Abugov, in the announcement. “The expansion of the Hall of Fame Foundation…
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TORONTO – Satellite radio companies XM Canada and Sirius Canada have officially completed their merger, the two former rivals announced Wednesday.
Operating as SiriusXM Canada, the newly merged entity will have more than 1.8 million Canadian subscribers and is predicting synergies of $20 million on revenues of more than $200 million. The combined company’s stock will continue to be traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "XSR".
"Today’s news brings us to an exciting conclusion of a process we started late last year," said Mark Redmond, president and CEO of SiriusXM Canada, in the announcement. “Today, SiriusXM Canada…
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TORONTO – Mobilicity will stage the ‘National Break Your Wireless Contract Day’ at its stores across Canada this Saturday.
For one day only, the new wireless carrier will provide a $200 credit to consumers who break their existing wireless contracts and switch to any of Mobilicity’s plans with the purchase of any of its handsets.
"National Break Your Wireless Contract Day has all the makings of being the biggest one-day event in the history of the Canadian wireless industry," said chief customer officer Anthony Booth, in a statement on Tuesday. "Our goal is to help take the sting out of the…
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GATINEAU – We don’t only pay attention to the big companies and their primary talking points. Of course, we do end up telling their stories first, but there are always few other noteworthy hits during hearings such as this week’s CRTC proceeding on Vertical Integration.
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CRTC CHAIRMAN KONRAD von Finckenstein on Monday apologized for overstepping his bounds a little when he put the brakes on a line of questioning from new Commission vice-chair Tom Pentefountas. Rogers Communications EVP regulatory, Phil Lind had mentioned in the company’s opening statement how the CRTC should use this hearing to…
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GATINEAU – If the Canadian TV industry is to fend off the growing power of unregulated sources of video (yes, especially Netflix), exclusive deals on content must be allowed, Quebecor president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau told the CRTC Monday afternoon.
He was appearing in front of the Commission on day one of its hearing into the regulatory framework on vertically integrated corporations (those big four companies which own big broadcast assets and big distribution companies: Bell, Rogers, Shaw and Quebecor).
While noting “vertical integration is the only viable tool to allow us to protect the Canadian broadcast system,” Péladeau also…
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OTTAWA – Canada’s Telecommunications Hall of Fame will host the 2011 Telecom Laureate Awards on November 2, 2011 at the Ottawa Convention Centre in Ottawa.
The Telecom Laureate Awards gala is the annual flagship event staged by Canada’s Telecommunications Hall of Fame, the not-for-profit organization with a mission to safeguard, promote and celebrate the past, present and future excellence of Canadian telecommunications.
"We are expecting an excellent turn-out for our 7th annual gala dinner and induction ceremonies," said founder and director Lorne Abugov, in a statement. “The Telecom Laureate Awards gala is always the culmination of a year’s work for Canada’s…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC is asking Canadians to have their say on the country’s national broadcaster.
As it gears up to renew the CBC’s radio and television licences for the first time in 12 years this fall, the Commission has launched an on-line consultation seeking input that it will consider during the renewal hearing. That hearing is scheduled to begin on September 12, 2011, in Gatineau.
Specifically, it would like to hear from Canadians on the following questions:
– How can the CBC be relevant and meaningful in the future?– How can the CBC best deliver content to all Canadians?– Should…
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