TORONTO – The pending AWS-3 auction announced Monday could spark the consolidation of some new wireless entrants, and give Quebecor/Videotron the push it needs to launch a national wireless service, say industry analysts.
“We believe that (Industry Canada’s) move is the first of many important requirements that will lead to the consolidation of fragmented new entrants and spectrum licences, and attract new capital from Quebecor/Videotron and potential partners”, wrote Scotia Capital’s Jeff Fan in a note to clients.
Videotron’s other requirements, Fan continued, are lower wholesale domestic roaming rates to at least below $0.01/MB, better rules to ensure tower sharing, a…
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TORONTO – Industry Canada will stage another wireless spectrum auction early next year, with more than half of that spectrum set aside for operating new entrants, in an effort to increase wireless competition.
At a press conference early Monday morning in Toronto, Industry Minister James Moore said that the AWS-3 auction will take place before the 2500 MHz auction, which is scheduled for April 14, 2015. The AWS-3 spectrum band also includes 50 MHz of paired spectrum and is is adjacent to the AWS spectrum auctioned in 2008. It is thought to be more valuable than the 2,500 MHz variety because it functions well…
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TORONTO and MONTREAL – The Canadian Premium Audience Exchange (CPAX) is re-launching and is adding three new partners.
Quebecor Media, Channel Zero and Reader's Digest have joined existing partners CBC/Radio-Canada, Rogers Media, Shaw Communications, Corus Entertainment, Cineplex, V and Télé-Québec. The bilingual real-time bidding exchange service allows each media company to maintain their unique, direct sales operations with a portion of their inventory flowing directly into CPAX for bidding by private access buyers. Inventory is pooled amongst the companies' digital assets, enabling buyers to bid specifically on inventory targeted to their demographic, and agency partners have first access to bid on the inventory.
According…
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TORONTO – Struggling Mobilicity has received another extension to its creditor protection.
After filing materials earlier this week with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the wireless carrier confirmed Wednesday that it has received a further extension under its current CCAA proceedings from June 30 to September 26, 2014. It was initially granted creditor protection last September.
Mobilicity added that it’s previously announced mediation is ongoing and it "continues to be business as usual” for customers.
All things considered, the company is hanging on, with 157,000 customers as of June 16th, according to the Monitor's Report, and "that management expects this number…
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TORONTO – There were no federal politicians that we could see in the audience at the Canadian Telecom Summit on Wednesday and just a handful from the CRTC and Industry Canada, but the message sent by new Quebecor CEO Pierre Dion was certainly meant for the ears of those in charge in Ottawa:
If the CRTC moves to dramatically lower the roaming rates the Big Three extract from smaller wireless newcomers to roam on their networks in Canada – and if Industry Canada can fix the tower sharing problems with better rules, Vidéotron will be that fourth national wireless company…
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TORONTO – Videotron is ready, and able, to become Canada’s fourth wireless carrier, said Quebecor president and CEO Pierre Dion Wednesday during his keynote speech at the Canadian Telecom Summit.
Dion said that the company’s new low-cost wireless service would provide Canadians with competitive voice, data and roaming plans currently only available in Europe and Australia. He added that Videotron is “experienced, well-financed, well-equipped, highly entrepreneurial and customer-focused”, and that its plan for growth includes major investments in spectrum, an expanded network and “consolidation with willing partners”.
"Our vision is to provide Canadians with a new high quality, low-cost wireless choice…
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MONTREAL – QMI Entertainment & Sports president and CEO Aldo Giampolo is leaving the company after just one year on the job, Quebecor said Wednesday.
Giampolo is joining Feeling Productions as CEO, and among other responsibilities, will be managing the career of Canadian chanteuse Celine Dion.
"Despite the exciting challenges I faced at Quebecor, working with one of the world's most popular and high-profile entertainers was a unique opportunity and a challenge I couldn't pass up," said Giampolo, in the announcement. "I know I am leaving behind me a solid team that is well equipped to continue the development of QMI…
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TORONTO – Given the pile of money Rogers Communications paid for the rights to the National Hockey League games for the next 12 years, look for the wholesale fees paid for sports by BDUs – and their customers – to shoot up.
A research report recently published by Scotia Capital analyst Jeff Fan says that if you think sports makes up a big portion of BDUs’ programming costs now, just wait. When the sports genre was deregulated by the CRTC back in 2010, CTV/Bell Media served notice that rates for TSN (which had been the same for more than a…
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TORONTO – Wind Mobile’s “best quarter ever” was overshadowed by speculation that the wireless carrier could be sold or merged with another Canadian company.
Jo Lunder, CEO of Wind’s Amsterdam-based financial backer VimpelCom, sparked the rumours Wednesday morning while on a call discussing the global telco’s first quarter financial results. When asked about its Canadian operations, Lunder alluded to discussions with different players in this market to either sell Wind or combine it and take “a smaller position in a larger entity”. He added his plans would have been different had VimpelCom been able to take control of Wind Mobile. (As…
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MONTREAL – Quebecor increased revenues 1.1% for the first quarter, noting growth was driven primarily by its Telecommunications segment.
For the period ended March 31, 2104, revenues were $1.04 billion, up from $1.03 billion in the same period of 2013, while adjusted operating income was $346.5 million, a 6.6% increase over $325 million last year.
Net income attributable to shareholders increased to $40.7 million compared with $35.6 million year-over-year, and adjusted income from continuing operations grew to $49.3 million versus $36.0 million.
Videotron grew its first quarter revenues by $31.8 million (4.8%) and its adjusted operating income by $21.9 million (7.0%) in…
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