OTTAWA – Many wireless providers are telling Industry Canada that it should restrict Inukshuk Internet’s ability to fully participate in the 2500 MHz spectrum auction.
MTS Allstream, Quebecor Media Inc., Shaw Communications, Telus Corp., and EastLink all suggested in comments to the 2500 MHz licensing process that it would be unfair to allow Inukshuk unfettered bidding in the auction because it owns 98% of licensed 2500 MHz bandwidth and a considerable chunk of the overall band. Inukshuk is a joint venture between Bell Canada and Rogers Communications.
For MTS, it’s no longer a question of whether competition is…
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MARKHAM – In one of the largest Canadian telecom financing announcements this year, Xplornet Communications (formerly Barrett Xplore), announced this week it has successfully completed a $230 million round of private financing.
The funds will be used to support and aggressively expand Xplornet’s broadband network across Canada to the 2.4 million households beyond the big cities and towns that do not have access to real, affordable broadband. A start-up just six years ago, Xplornet is now one of Canada’s largest telecommunications companies.
"This is an investment in rural Canada that will be nothing less than transformative," said Xplornet’s CEO John Maduri….
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OTTAWA – One year after its launch, 25,000 Canadians now subscribe to the wireless Amber Alerts program, according to the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA).
The free text message service assists Amber Alert agencies in providing the public with immediate and up-to-date information about a child’s abduction, and solicits the public’s help in the safe and swift return of the child. The program is administered by Canada’s wireless telecommunications industry, in partnership with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the Ontario Provincial Police and Amber Alert agencies across the country.
The Amber Alerts program is available to cell phone users in all 10…
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OTTAWA – Encouraging competition in Canada’s wireless industry should be top of mind during future spectrum auctions, according to the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC).
The consumer group said that its comments come in response to some telco incumbents requests to Industry Canada to drop the practice of reserving spectrum for new entrants during the auction of spectrum in 2500 MHz band.
Noting that “the Big Three” currently hold the rights to 85% of the total available spectrum, and that Bell, Rogers and their joint affiliate Inukshuk own nearly two thirds of the 2500 MHz spectrum, PIAC said that Industry Canada must continue…
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OTTAWA – Regina-based Access Communications Co-operative has told the CRTC that it no longer wishes to pay into the country’s Local Programming Improvement Fund (LPIF).
Canada’s cable and satellite companies must contribute 1.5% of their gross broadcasting-related revenues per year to the fund, which can then be accessed by broadcasters serving markets with less than 1 million people to help fund local programming.
In an application made public earlier this week, Access asked the Commission to amend its BDU licence to relieve it from its LPIF contributions, citing its “unique corporate structure” as compared to other BDUs (Access is a community-owned not-for-profit cooperative…
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OTTAWA – The pace of play at the Federal Court of Appeal’s (FCA) hearing on Globalive Wireless’ ownership yesterday was certainly not like an NHL playoff game, but both sides used their opportunities to rough up their opponents.
After an in-depth explanation why the Federal Court erred in its decision to overturn the Governor in Council (GIC) decision giving Globalive the green light to operate, lawyers for the government of Canada took their first jab at Public Mobile, arguing that the company shouldn’t have even had the right to appeal the GIC in the first place. They said…
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TORONTO – Canada’s professional performers union said that it is hopeful that the new Conservative cabinet will “seize on the potential of Canadian cultural industries” as they focus on building the digital economy.
“We congratulate Minister Moore on his reappointment as Minister of Heritage and welcome Minister Paradis to his new Industry portfolio,” said ACTRA national president Ferne Downey, in a statement. “It’s a new day, we’ve got a new government and we’re keen to start working with both Ministers on the shared files that directly impact our cultural industries.”
ACTRA called on both Ministers to work together on delivering new copyright legislation…
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THIS MONTH, CARTT.CA INVESTIGATES is analyzing the myriad changes underway in television advertising. Two weeks ago, we found the appetite for new ways to reach consumers via the TV platform is growing rapidly. Last week we dove into the progress addressable ads are making (or not).
This week we look at interactive, mobile and an ol’ standby and find that while new technology is changing consumer habits, neat content integration and other tech is ready to capitalize on it.
THE IDEA BEHIND INTERACTIVE television advertisements is that interactive options will not only improve…
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GATINEAU – Independent Canadian ISPs say that while they welcome new proposals to charge for wholesale high-speed access to incumbent facilities such as Bell Canada’s aggregated volume pricing (AVP), most everyone is missing the point by focusing on usage rather than congestion.
Movie streaming service Netflix also filed its own opinion on the Bell proposal, too.
Canadian Network Operators Consortium Inc. (CNOC) criticizes both Bell’s AVP model and the blended charge approaches suggested by the cable companies for linking high volume users with those who create congestion on the network.
“This is a crucial distinction because all of the other proposals…
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IT’S ALL ABOUT ENSURING Canadians have access to an open and affordable Internet. This is how Steve Anderson, founder and executive director of OpenMedia.ca, describes the mission of the consumer advocacy organization with respect to the ongoing battle over usage-based billing.
He spoke at length with Cartt.ca last week about UBB, the organization, its creation, its financial backing and other issues.
He says he got involved in Internet policy matters when net neutrality sparked considerable debate in the United States. It was for purely personal reasons at first, but once he realized that this issue would rear its head north of…
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