TORONTO – In its effort to set universal broadband Internet speeds for all of Canada, the CRTC set far too low a target when it announced in early May in its "obligation to serve" proceeding decision it expects all Canadians to have access to 5 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload speeds by 2015. That was the view expressed by at least two panel speakers at the Canadian Telecom Summit on Tuesday during the “Connecting Canadians” session.
“This is just my opinion, but I do think (the CRTC’s Internet speed target) is too low,” said Daniel O’Connell, president of…
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TORONTO – After less than two weeks on the job, you really didn’t expect any big announcements, right?
Even though Industry Canada staff have been working on a new Canadian digital economy strategy for more than a year (and that former Industry Minister Tony Clement was poised to unveil it at Canada 3.0 in Stratford on May 2, until the election was called, that is), I guess it’s only fair for the new Minister of Industry Christian Paradis, to get his feet under him before unveiling something as big as that.
During his speech here at the Canadian Telecom Summit Tuesday,…
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TORONTO – Citytv appeared to spare no expense at its annual programming shopping spree in Los Angeles. The Rogers-owned network announced Monday that its new 2011-12 primetime schedule will include six new dramas, five new comedies, and four newly acquired series, as well as two brand new Canadian series, Canada’s Got Talent and Secret Millionaire Canada.
The new dramas include Terra Nova, The Playboy Club, Revenge, and Person of Interest that showcase writing and producing from industry heavyweights like Steven Spielberg, J.J. Abrams and Jonathan Nolan. The new comedies include 2 Broke Girls, New Girl, Suburgatory, and Last Man Standing, while…
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OTTAWA – Increasing competition and higher costs will limit profitability for Canada’s telecommunications companies this year, says a new report by the Conference Board of Canada.
According to Canadian Industrial Outlook: Canada’s Telecommunications Industry – Spring 2011, telecom providers managed to post profit growth of 10.3% in 2010, thanks in large part to lower costs. But with costs on the rise again, it predicts that pre-tax profits will dip by 9.5% to $6.7 billion in 2011.
Costs will continue to grow, led by above-average wage increases and higher interest rates, averaging 4% per year between 2011 and 2015, while at…
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TORONTO – Mobilicity has shed some of its senior executives as it works to find its place in Canada’s wireless industry.
A company spokesperson confirmed to Cartt.ca that a story we first saw on Mobile Syrup was correct, that Doug Perry, vice-president of sales; Sara Moore, vice-president of marketing; and Sharyn Gravelle, vice-president of operations have been let go, but declined to name any others.
“Like many organizations, which evolve from a ‘build’ to operational phase, we have streamlined our management team to reduce redundancies and improve efficiencies”, said COO Stewart Lyons, in an emailed statement in response to questions…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has asked for comments as it ponders an exemption order respecting satellite relay distribution undertakings (SRDUs), and on the transport of Canadian pay and specialty services by SRDUs, whether licensed or exempt.
SRDUs are licensed undertakings that generally function as wholesalers by transporting broadcasting services and making those services available to broadcasting distribution undertakings (BDUs), which then offer them to subscribers. Canada currently has two licensed SRDUs – Shaw Satellite Services Inc., and Bell ExpressVu.
The Commission said Friday that it would like industry feedback on the following questions:
– Should the Commission exempt SRDUs from licensing…
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TORONTO – Canada’s new Minister of Industry, Christian Paradis, will address the 2011 Canadian Telecom Summit (and Cartt.ca will be there).
Minister Paradis (pictured) is scheduled to give delegates a keynote address on Tuesday afternoon, marking the first opportunity for many in the telecom and broadcasting sectors to engage with the new minister who was named to the post earlier this month.
The event runs May 31 through June 2 at the Toronto Congress Centre in Toronto. Click here for more information or to register.
www.telecomsummit.com
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NOW WE KNOW WHAT happens when you try to combine an ideology that says big business is all-bad with sets of inaccurate data to try and make recommendations on fostering Internet “openness”.
You end up with a rambling report (honestly, we stopped counting after 10,000 words, but the 44-second video about the report is cute) chock full of conflicting messages and untenable ideas. And that’s just what Internet advocacy group OpenMedia.ca has produced with its report “Casting an Open Net.”
Instead of a concise and well-researched case against usage-based billing (UBB) that could have sparked a constructive debate between OpenMedia.ca…
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THERE ARE NO WALLS at Corus Quay. Not even in the CEO, John Cassaday’s office. Anyone working there and not in a board room or studio can stand up, look across the building and see outside. It’s open and airy. Work spaces are flexible and unique. There’s a beach.
One of the design principles behind the building which has only been open about a year, is something Cassaday calls the “democratization of light” where “everybody has equal access to light, so there’s no floor-to-ceiling walls except for meeting rooms,” he said.
That principle, one could say, is in Corus’ blood nowadays….
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MONTREAL, OTTAWA and TORONTO – Industry stakeholders seem pleased, perhaps even a little relieved, that the CRTC has opened a formal investigation into on-line broadcasting services in Canada.
Music service provider Stingray Digital called the Commission’s fact-finding mission “a very important first step” before deciding upon any regulation of the over-the-top programming services.
“The objective is to ensure that everyone offering services in Canada is playing on a level playing field”, said president and CEO Eric Boyko, in a statement. “For generations, the Canadian broadcast industry has evolved successfully from radio to television and now includes digital cable, DTH, IPTV and wireless…
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