TORONTO – Media Access Canada (MAC) has asked Industry Canada to use the pending 700 MHz spectrum auction to top-up its accessibility fund initiative.
MAC, on behalf of the Access 2020 Coalition, MAC is urging Industry Canada to include a 10% buyer’s premium on successful bids for the 700 spectrum, and apply a portion of the funds collected to the accessibility fund. MAC and Access 2020 are committed to financing a business model to achieve 100% captioning and description by 2020. Currently at $5.7 million, the fund’s establishment is conditional on the CRTC approval of BCE’s acquisition of CTV.
“The Accessibility…
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CHATHAM, ON – TekSavvy Solutions said that it is “encouraged” by Industry Minister Tony Clement’s opposition to usage based billing (UBB), and cheered his stance on the need for competition in Canada.
The independent ISP applauded the Minister’s comments made earlier this week that described UBB as “inconsistent with good public policy”, and agreed that the best way to provide consumer choice is through “vigorous competition”.
“Minister Clement has a deep understanding of the complex issues that need to be addressed to ensure Canadians have the benefit of robust competition in Internet service,” said TekSavvy CEO Rocky Gaudrault, in a…
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OTTAWA – Usage-based billing (UBB) threatens to limit the benefits that innovative and creative businesses such as those involved in cloud computing could bring to the Canadian economy, Industry Minister Tony Clement told a Parliamentary committee Tuesday.
Speaking to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology on Tuesday, Clement argued that the CRTC’s UBB decision is not consistent with good public policy and “is quite simply the wrong way to proceed.”
“Independent ISPs must not be forced to adopt the same retail pricing strategy as the incumbents. To do so is to limit consumer choice and…
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OTTAWA – While the massively confused usage-based billing issue gets all the attention these days, another media issue that will affect tens of thousands more Canadians than UBB is still receiving scant notice: the transition from analog over-the-air TV to digital.
Granted, most Canadians won’t notice a thing come September 1 of this year as most of us are plugged into a cable, satellite or telco TV subscription. When the analog TV transmitters are turned off in the mandatory markets, it will be a non-issue as our carriers will continue carrying and distributing as before.
But for the 900,000 estimated households…
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OTTAWA – In a 2-1 decision, the Federal Court of Canada said the CRTC does, in fact, have jurisdiction and can let broadcasters demand a fee from satellite, cable and telco TV carriers for the broadcasters’ off-air signals.
Given that the big Canadian broadcasters are now all owned by large distributors (we’re assuming Bell will soon get approval for its CTV purchase), this seems a pyrrhic victory. During the often nasty debate throughout the second half of 2009 (Stop the TV Tax vs. Local TV Matters), broadcasters and carriers lobbed verbal and digital grenades, each accusing the other of trying…
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TORONTO – The Federal Court of Appeal has set May 18, 2011 as the date that it will hear appeals by Wind Mobile and the federal government over its decision to quash a cabinet order allowing Wind’s parent Globalive Wireless to operate in Canada.
The Court of Appeal also granted a stay of that Federal Court judgment until it decides whether it should stand.
Globalive chairman Anthony Lacavera maintained that its business as usual at Wind, and expressed optimism over the pending appeal.
“From the beginning, we have maintained that we are fully compliant with the rules. Industry Canada saw this clearly….
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UTICA, Ont. – Another independent cable company, this time Compton Communications, which serves about 5,500 basic cable subscribers in and around Port Perry, Ont., has been purchased by Rogers Cable, the companies announced late Tuesday evening.
The purchase of Compton Communications augments Rogers’ cable footprint in an adjacent and growing Ontario region, says the company.
Compton has been a leader in Canadian cable, despite its size. It boasts north of 75% digital cable penetration, was a very early adopter of video on demand and was the first cable company in Canada to offer a high definition digital video recorder in 2003….
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OTTAWA – The incumbent wireless operators want a straight-up winner-take-all auction (mostly).
Those newer to the wireless game want some protective rules in place. They say some restrictions (set asides, caps) are needed in order for them to be able grab a slice from the lucrative, high quality, 700 MHz wireless spectrum to go on auction likely in 2012 or 2013.
In November, Industry Canada launched a consultation on a technical framework to auction spectrum in the band 698-806 MHz (also known as the 700 MHz band). Comments were sought on general policy considerations related to commercial mobile broadband spectrum…
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TORONTO – The merger of XM Canada and Sirius Canada is one step closer to fruition after the Competition Bureau proffered its blessing to the proposed union this week.
Canadian Satellite Radio Holdings (CSR), the parent company of XM Canada, said that it was “pleased” by the Competition Bureau’s announcement that it does not intend to make an application to the Competition Tribunal to challenge the proposed acquisition of Sirius Canada by CSR.
"Coming on the heels of last week’s CSR shareholder approval, (the Bureau’s) announcement is another exciting step forward in the process towards the proposed merger”, said CSR executive…
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CALGARY – Shaw Communications recently added a couple of new executives, one to oversee its wireless push, and promoted a pair of others.
The company has named Jay Mehr to senior vice president, operations for Shaw Communications with responsibility for all of Shaw’s distribution activities including Shaw Cable, Shaw Business, Shaw Satellite and Shaw Wireless.
Cam Kernahan has been promoted to group vice president, wireless and business with responsibility for Shaw’s wireless product launch and the Shaw Business organization.
Jim Pitt has been hired as vice president, operations – wireless (he replaces Lawrence Cooke, with whom Shaw parted ways in January). Pitt…
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