OTTAWA – Did the industry have this decision pegged or what?
Mere minutes after the CRTC’s voice over IP decision was put out, the Canadian Cable Telecommunications Association issued a press release declaring itself pleased by the decision, while Bell Canada wired one out which blasted the decision, saying it will appeal immediately, just like BCE CEO Michael Sabia said here last week.
“I think we’re very happy,” CCTA president Michael Hennessy told www.cartt.ca in Ottawa today upon the decision’s public release. “It’s pretty much what we expected and for the telephone companies, they’re allowed into the market, allowed…
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MONTREAL – A $62.9 million revenue increase at Quebecor Media Inc. (home to TVA and Videotron, among other assets) helped offset a decrease at printing division Quebecor World, as the mother corp. reported its first quarter Wednesday.
Quebecor Inc. recorded revenues of $2.59 billion in the first quarter of 2005, essentially unchanged from the same period of the previous year, said the press release. Quebecor generated $360.2 million in operating income in Q1 ’05, a 2.6% decrease.
The $19.7 million (15%) increase in Quebecor Media’s operating income did not fully offset the US$9.2 million (5.1%) decrease at Quebecor World…
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TED ROGERS TURNED TO AN old friend this week to expand his telecom empire, but was a little unclear whether or not he’ll use his new hammer to nail his cable friends while building local telephony across the country.
Today, Rogers Communications announced it would purchase Call-Net Enterprises, which does business mainly under the Sprint Canada name, in a $330 million all-stock deal. Still a money-losing competitive local exchange carrier (its net loss in 2004 was $78.4 million), Call-Net did book revenues last year of over $818 million and EBITDA of $105 million.
Call-Net CEO Bill Linton is a…
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MONTREAL – With 80 job openings, Quebec MSO Videotron today announced a recruiting drive to fill the customer service rep and tech rep positions.
Candidates should have relevant experience, be bilingual and be available to work evenings and weekends, says the Quebecor Media-owned cable company. Videotron will hold screening interviews by telephone during the week of May 9. Selected candidates will be asked to come to the Saint-Hubert customer contact centre for a job interview on May 14.
"Joining Videotron means becoming part of a growing, fast-changing company that provides innovative products and services and offers stimulating challenges," said…
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MONTREAL – Quebecor Media’s TV and magazine division, TVA Group, reported a significant decline in net income for the first quarter of 2005, thanks to the launch of new TV channels and magazines.
In the quarter, TVA launched digital specialty ARGENT, a business channel, and will soon debut Mystère, a digital mystery channel.
Net income came in at $2.9 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2005, compared with net income of $8.3 million for same quarter of 2004. Also contributing to the decline was a higher rate of income tax resulting from the decreased use of future income…
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EDMONTON – The man many thought would finally bring western telco Telus into the TV distribution game, former Videotron president Guy Beauchamp, has left the western telco after only a year as its executive vice-president, consumer solutions.
While the company made no announcement and could not make anyone available for comment to www.cartt.ca, Beauchamp’s last day was April 15th. He worked in cable for over 25 years, starting with the company his father ran, Telecable Laurentien, in Hull, Que. He was appointed chair of the Canadian Cable Television Association in 1989 at the age of 29 while general manager…
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