GATINEAU – The CRTC took a big step towards ensuring that net neutrality reigns in Canada with its decision today to order Vidéotron to no longer zero-rate its Unlimited Music service.
In Telecom Decision 2017-105, the Commission ruled that Videotron violated subsection 27(2) of the Telecommunications Act by providing certain customers with access to Unlimited Music at no charge and not having it count against their data plans. The company has conferred its eligible subscribers and content providers included in the service “an undue and unreasonable preference", says the regulator in its decision.
It went on to say that Vidéotron subjected…
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Vidéotron’s Unlimited Music hangs in the balance
GATINEAU – Is selecting and offering free music services to wireless customers a form of net neutrality-bruising gatekeeping, or an innovative way to win and keep happy customers?
The CRTC will let us know Thursday when its decision from the November hearing into what the Regulator termed “differential pricing practices” (DPP) is announced at 4 p.m. ET.
According to Quebecor Media Inc., Unlimited Music is simply a marketing instrument which helps grow its wireless subscriber base (especially among younger users). Essentially, QMI’s Vidéotron has chosen a number of music services to…
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Top 10 priorities
TORONTO – Expectations will be high for Joe Natale when he takes the elevator up to the 10th floor of 333 Bloor St. E. for the first time as CEO of Rogers Communications.
Since he has such a long history in Canadian telecom and wireless and stellar track record leading so much of the growth at Telus since joining that company in 2003 (and departing in 2015), Bay Street expects Natale to waste no time making his presence and his priorities felt.
BMO Capital Markets telecom/media/cable financial analyst Tim Casey even went so far as to construct a top-10…
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MONTREAL – Club illico is adding 11 new documentaries spanning the animal kingdom, foreign lands and the wonders of food from the iconic global brand National Geographic.
Eat: The Story Of Food (French title: Une histoire d'appétit), Wild Thailand (Destination Wild : La Thaïlande) and Animal Selfie (Quand les animaux font des selfies) are available now, and a new title will be added every month through December, Videotron said Friday.
The documentaries were licensed to Quebecor by Fox Networks Group Content Distribution, the global distributor for both Fox and National Geographic content.
“With these exclusive additions to its catalogue, Club illico becomes the…
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TORONTO – Competition between Canada’s telecommunications and cable companies will rise to unprecedented levels in the coming years as companies keep spending to improve their network fibre-optic infrastructure, according to a new report from Moody’s Investors Service.
The report, ‘Broadband Communications – Canada: Unique Market Structure Guides Capital Spending for Broadband Providers’, says the investment is unlikely to yield a definitive winner in the long run. Rather, based on their investments and advances in internet protocols, the companies' technological capabilities are more likely to converge.
"Canadian broadband communications companies will continue investing in their networks over the next decade, driving their…
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Says the company is in no hurry to sell spectrum outside of Quebec
MONTREAL – Quebecor turned in a good fiscal 2016 on Wednesday as revenues and income climbed on wireless additions and better than expected cable subscriber results.
2016 revenues were $4.02 billion, up 3.2% from 2015 and adjusted operating income was up 3.7% to $1.49 billion. Net income attributable to shareholders was $194.7 million, an increase of $42.9 million over 2015. Adjusted income from continuing operating activities was $305.5 million an increase of 27.3%.
Vidéotron significantly increased its revenues from mobile telephony (by $106.7 million or 26.4%), Internet access ($58…
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MONTREAL – Quebecor is once again teaming up with the International Ski Federation (FIS) as a major partner of this weekend’s Cross-Country World Cup finals.
TVA Sports will broadcast all three days of racing from the event, which run March 17 – 19 on the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City. The historic site will play host to one sprint and two distance races.
Cross-country fans will be able to catch the performances of the world's top skiers, including Quebec's own Alex Harvey (pictured), currently fourth in the overall World Cup standings.
“This is an opportunity for us to demonstrate all aspects of…
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MONTREAL – Quebecor Media Group is joining forces with Quebec online promotional network Tuango to allow advertisers to sell their goods and services through the group buying site.
Launched in June 2010 in Montreal, Tuango boasts close to 1.3 million email subscribers and draws 2 million visits per month on the Web and via its apps. The deal will allow it to offer its partner-clients greater exposure as well as integration with off-line campaigns.
Quebecor Media Group said that the exclusive partnership will allow it to enter into more contra arrangements and deliver significant volumes of new customers, visits and…
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MONTREAL – Pierre Karl Péladeau has resumed his role as Quebecor’s president and CEO effective immediately, the company said Thursday.
Péladeau, a separatist who entered provincial politics before resigning from the Parti Quebecois last May, was Quebecor’s president and CEO for 14 years, from 1999 to 2013. Péladeau’s father Pierre founded the Quebec-based company in 1965.
Pierre Dion, who replaced Péladeau as president and CEO in April 2014, will become chairman of the Quebecor Media board and a director of Quebecor. Brian Mulroney will remain as chairman of the board of Quebecor.
"I am very pleased to return to the helm…
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GATINEAU – Leave the Wireless Code of Conduct alone, for the most part, three of Canada’s largest wireless operators told the CRTC on the second day of a hearing which is the code’s scheduled three-year review.
Rogers, Bell and Quebecor said consumers now have a much better understanding of their rights, and the code has led to a more competitive environment – so therefore there is little need to make major changes.
“The current Code strikes the right balance of providing standardized protection for consumers, while allowing competitive market forces to introduce differentiated products and customer support,” said David Watt, senior…
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