VICTORIAVILLE, Que. — Quebecor’s Videotron today launched a new personalized in-store offering for businesses at its retail location in Victoriaville, Que., as part of a company-wide revamp of its stores.
“Developed to provide business customers with local, personalized service at Videotron’s redesigned stores, the new spaces will be unveiled in several regions in the coming months,” reads a press release.
Currently, 36 of Videotron’s 124 retail stores have added a business counter, “with that number expected to climb to 58 by the end of 2022,” the release says.
The addition of a business counter to existing in-store services “will allow Videotron…
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OTTAWA – Last week, the CRTC posted a part one application from several service providers who came together to ask the Commission to review the wholesale roaming tariff rates of the country’s national wireless carriers (Bell Mobility, Rogers Communications and Telus Communications), calling them “manifestly unjust and unreasonable”.
“This application deals with the flagrant overcharging for wholesale roaming – an essential service that stands as one of the central pillars of the Commission’s policy framework for ensuring sustainable competition in the provision of mobile wireless services in Canada,” reads the application, which was filed by regional competitors Bragg Communications Inc….
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By Denis Carmel
OTTAWA – The CRTC today closed two separate complaints made by BCE against Quebecor subsidiary Videotron, deciding in favour of Québecor in one matter and choosing not to get involved at this time in the second matter.
VRAI HVOD service
In the first matter, the Commission issued a decision dealing with a BCE complaint (see also here and here) about Quebecor’s Vrai service which, it argues, was offered in violation of the CRTC hybrid video-on-demand (HVOD) exemption order because it was not being offered to other broadcasting distribution undertakings for television and was being offered as…
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Bell was not consulted on Globalive/Telus network sharing agreement, CFO said
By Ken Kelley
TORONTO – Executives from each of Canada’s major telecoms, along with their counterparts from some of the country’s smaller players, gathered in Toronto on Wednesday for the first in-person edition of the TD Securities Telecom and Media Conference since the Covid pandemic began.
BCE executive vice-president and chief financial officer Glen LeBlanc kicked off the day’s proceedings, with discussion around the company’s recent financial performance as well as the implications of the sale of Shaw’s wireless assets, Freedom Mobile, in order to settle anti-competitive concerns brought on…
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Contingent on Globalive acquiring Freedom Mobile
By Amanda OYE
TORONTO – Globalive announced yesterday it has signed a network and spectrum sharing agreement with Telus, contingent on Globalive acquiring Shaw Communications’ Freedom Mobile.
“It’s a transformational agreement – it’s the first of its kind,” said Globalive’s founder and chair Anthony Lacavera in an interview with Cartt.ca.
The agreement, which would span a minimum of 20 years, “marks the first time that a Canadian carrier has entered into a network and spectrum sharing agreement with a pure-play independent wireless competitor,” according to a Globalive press release.
Globalive is the founder of Wind Mobile, which…
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By Denis Carmel
TORONTO – After failing to get an injunction to prevent the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) from issuing 3500 MHz spectrum licences to Videotron, Telus was denied yesterday a judicial review of ISED’s decision to deem Videotron eligible to bid on set-aside spectrum in the 2021 auction.
Although it is not a surprising decision, the Federal Court offers some harsh language towards Telus’ application.
“The Decision, which permitted Vidéotron to bid on and obtain set-aside spectrum in British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba on…
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By Ken Kelley
OTTAWA – Less than a week after the House of Commons voted to send Bill C-11 to Canada’s Heritage Committee, a panel gathered at the International Institute of Communications Canada’s 2022 conference weighed the details and realities of the act.
Bill C-11, also known as the Online Streaming Act, was first introduced in February 2022. Its goals include clarifying the scope of the Broadcasting Act, which dates back to 1991, and determining how the latter should apply equitably to online streaming services.
Today’s panel comes on the heels of a Globe & Mail-Nanos Research poll, which shows…
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By Denis Carmel
OTTAWA – In a keynote speech at the International Institute of Communications’ annual conference in Ottawa on May 16, Pierre-Karl Péladeau, CEO of Québecor, in his usual frank manner urged Parliament to pass Bill C-11 and Bill C-18. As well, he wants to see more competition in wireless. (Péladeau gave his speech in a combination of English and French.)
Wireless
“Our legislative and regulatory system has to ensure a healthy competition in the market, to benefit consumers but also to ensure the perennity of the Canadian broadcasting and telecommunications systems,” he said.
Péladeau mentioned the Competition Bureau indicated…
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MONTREAL – Quebecor’s advertising sales division Québecor Expertise Média announced today Questions de fond (Substantive Issues), a co-branded podcast from QUB radio and Desjardins Group, is now available.
“In keeping with its commitment to work with Quebec partners to produce and broadcast new content, Desjardins and its partner media agency, Glassroom, asked QUB radio to develop this project,” a press release explains.
Questions de fond is a five-episode podcast series hosted by Léa Stréliski that “tackles social issues that matter to young adults, reflecting concerns for the present and future – issues like the environment, diversity and regional development. In each…
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CEO says they are looking with “increasing favour” on expanding their wireless business
MONTREAL – Quebecor today reported its first quarter 2022 financial results, showing revenues fell by 0.3% to $1.1 billion, compared to the first quarter of 2021.
Adjusted EBITDA was also down, with the company reporting it decreased by 2.3% to $442.1 million.
Quebecor’s telecommunications segment reported revenues declined to $903.4 million in Q1 2022, compared to $914 million in Q1 2021 and adjusted EBITDA for the segment was reported to be $460 million in Q1 2022, compared to $450.9 million in the same quarter last year.
Videotron reported an 8.7%…
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