Media company eyeing 180-day carriage extension
By Ahmad Hathout
Bell is defending itself against a claim made by WildBrain that it improperly terminated its agreement to carry the media company’s services.
The claim in the Ontario Superior Court primarily centers on a notice Bell was contractually obligated to provide WildBrain that laid out that it did not want to auto renew their agreement to carry the Family Channel, Family Jr., WildBrainTV, and Télémagino services at the end of December 2022. That contract stipulated that the terms would otherwise auto renew after that first term of the four-year agreement.
In a statement of claim…
Continue Reading
Rogers and the United Steelworkers union (USW) Local 1944 have resumed negotiations on a new collective agreement for 25 Rogers technicians who are currently on strike in Abbotsford, B.C.
Following accusations by the USW earlier this month that Rogers was refusing to return to the bargaining table, the USW issued a press release Monday saying talks were set to begin again.
A Rogers spokesperson confirmed to Cartt on Wednesday afternoon that the two sides resumed bargaining on Tuesday, with discussions carrying over into Wednesday.
A sticking point for the striking…
Continue Reading
By Ahmad Hathout
Rogers president and CEO Tony Staffieri said Wednesday that the company’s spending on networks is now at risk if the federal government doesn’t rescind a CRTC decision mandating that the three largest telecommunications companies be allowed to ride on the networks of others.
Last month, the CRTC turned away applications, including from Rogers, that asked the regulator to reconsider allowing Rogers, Bell and Telus – the “Big 3” – to use the wholesale internet regime because of the claimed negative impact on investments and on smaller service providers who, they say, will be crushed by…
Continue Reading
Telus announced Monday it is investing $2 billion over the next five years to expand its broadband services in Ontario and Quebec.
“This investment comes as a result of the CRTC confirmation of the wholesale fibre-to-the-premise (FTTP) framework and serves as a complement to our wholesale fibre access agreements, allowing TELUS to deliver national scale, accelerate network builds and drive investment, competition and affordability in Canada,” a Telus press release reads.
The Vancouver-based telecom said this investment will be part of its annual budget and will be supported by investments from its strategic…
Continue Reading
By Linda Stuart
Following a Globe and Mail story published July 11 that was further reported on by online publication iPhone in Canada, Rogers has told Cartt that it has made changes to its “vendor mix” when it comes to outsourcing some of its customer service roles to third-party companies.
Rogers provided a statement July 17 to Cartt in response to questions about the Globe report that Rogers had ended its contract with Foundever, a Luxembourg-headquartered company that had reportedly been providing Canada-based customer service personnel for Rogers until recently.
Continue Reading
Rogers last week filed with the CRTC proposed new tariff pages for new internet service speeds it is introducing to retail customers while also proposing to destandardize a number of service speeds that it no longer offers to new retail users.
The cable giant’s tariff change request is being made in accordance with the CRTC’s speed match rules whereby a provider introducing new service speed packages to retail customers must make those same speeds available to third-party providers or wholesale customers.
Rogers said in its Tariff Notice 86 (dated July 15 and posted on the…
Continue Reading
Telus ramps up public relations campaign
By Ahmad Hathout
Cogeco and Eastlink have filed Friday a legal challenge to a CRTC decision that allows the three largest telecoms to use the wholesale internet regime, a move that was teased in the aftermath of the June 20 ruling.
The legal arguments, filed in the Federal Court of Appeal, center on the decision’s alleged friction with the 2023 policy direction from cabinet: that the CRTC allegedly erred in characterizing Rogers, Bell and Telus – the Big 3 – as “new” service providers because they would be riding on…
Continue Reading
By Ahmad Hathout
The CRTC is probing how to get emergency alerts to areas that do not have at least LTE/4G networks.
The commission is contemplating broadening the distribution of these alerts on 3G networks and is floating the creation and operation of a downloadable national mobile application. The current system broadcasts the alerts on television, radio and to mobile devices connected only to 4G and newer (5G) wireless networks.
“While persons without access to may still be able to receive public alerts through broadcasting undertakings or other means, the Commission is seeking comments on the possibilities for enabling…
Continue Reading
By Linda Stuart
Rogers announced Tuesday the launch of a beta trial of Rogers Satellite, a new satellite-to-mobile text messaging service that all Canadians can participate in at no cost.
“With Rogers Satellite, Rogers now covers over 5.4 million square kilometers — that’s over 2.5 times more than any other Canadian wireless service provider,” reads a Rogers press release.
Starting July 15, all Canadians on any mobile carrier can sign up for the Rogers Satellite beta trial for free. Participants must have a compatible smartphone and unlimited messaging plan….
Continue Reading
By Ahmad Hathout
The Federal Court of Appeal has set a date for a hearing into whether the CRTC erred in freezing Rogers’s ability to move and remove certain Corus channels.
The court will hear the case on September 23 at 9:30 am in a special sitting in Toronto, according to an order dated Friday.
Rogers filed the original application against two confidential November decisions of the CRTC that froze its ability to remove or relocate three Corus channels: Slice, Home Network, and Flavour Network.
Rogers has argued that the Broadcasting Act’s standstill rule – which requires the two companies…
Continue Reading
