By Ahmad Hathout
The CRTC on Thursday confirmed a preliminary view that regional mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) should have access to shared wireless networks even when an agreement is reached with just one of the carriers.
The commission determined Thursday that the network sharing agreements between Bell and Telus make them one national network “that results in both carriers being national wireless carriers that possess market power,” upholding a view on which it asked for comments in October.
To deny regional players access to parts of that contiguous network would, therefore, confer on the large telcos an undue…
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By Ahmad Hathout
Rogers is challenging a decision by the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) that found it responsible for ensuring the safety of contractor workers following the death of a man working on one of its towers in Minden, Ontario.
The memorandum, filed in the Federal Court of Appeal Friday and that expounds on a notice it submitted earlier this year, challenges the decision that found Rogers was responsible for ensuring the safety of the 30-year-old employee who, in January 2022, fell approximately 400 feet while installing a new antenna near the top of the tower.
The…
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Telus announced Thursday it has closed a deal that will see the country’s second-largest pension fund purchase a 49.9-per-cent equity stake in Terrion LP, a company with a portfolio of nearly 3,000 Telus wireless towers.
The deal with La Caisse for $1.26 billion, announced last month, means the telco will be able to reduce its net debt by that amount, which was the intended outcome. The transaction values Terrion at $2.5 billion.
The new company will manage the tower sites across British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec and will generate money through wholesale rental. Telus will retain full…
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Rogers claims the telco failed to comply with its ad rules
By Ahmad Hathout
Telus is alleging Rogers is refusing to allow the telco to advertise on the cable company’s valuable media properties in a move it says is harming its ability to compete.
The Part 1 application – dated June 9 but only made public on the CRTC website Tuesday – claims the issues started with Rogers refusing “on extremely short notice” to run two Telus ad campaigns on Rogers’s radio stations in November 2024, despite over 30 years of ad inventory purchases. Those cancellations have allegedly “grown into a blanket…
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Top usage spots since July beta launch have included national and provincial parks
Rogers announced Tuesday it has expanded the coverage of its satellite-to-mobile texting service, Rogers Satellite.
“Now, when connected to Rogers Satellite, customers can send a text to friends when taking the ferry from Newfoundland to Nova Scotia, fishing off Haida Gwaii or crossing James Bay, with the expansion across bodies of water and along waterways off the Canadian coastline,” reads a Rogers press release.
With the expansion of the service, which launched as a beta…
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Bell announced Thursday that the latest Wi-Fi modem is available to subscribers in certain areas.
The Giga Hub 2.0 is now available across major areas of Ontario and select areas of Quebec, “delivering up to four times faster speeds, lower latency and better performance for today’s connected homes,” the telco said in a press release.
“Offering speeds up to four times faster than Wi-Fi 6E, lower latency for gaming, video calls and augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR) experiences and support for up to double the number of simultaneously connected devices, Wi-Fi 7 sets a new standard in home connectivity,” the release said.
“Paired with…
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Blue Ant Media announced Wednesday the appointments of Dervla Kelly as chief marketing and communications officer and Surani Adamesco as chief technology officer.
Their appointments follow the completion of the company’s reverse takeover transaction and listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
“Now as a public company, we’re embarking on an ambitious growth strategy to strengthen our position as an international streamer, production studio, and rights-management leader,” Jamie Schouela, chief operating officer of Blue Ant Media, said in a press release. “Dervla and Surani bring exceptional expertise and strategic vision in their respective areas. Their leadership will be key as…
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By Ahmad Hathout
Cogeco and Eastlink are challenging cabinet’s decision not to intervene in the CRTC’s refusal to exclude the three largest telecommunications companies from accessing the internet networks of their competitors.
The basis of the judicial review request is simple: that cabinet, through the recommendation of Industry Minister Melanie Joly, allegedly did not provide the legally required justification for declining their petition to reverse a policy that they say creates an “existential” threat to their businesses.
“Instead of explaining and justifying its decision to sit on the sidelines, the had a Minister send out…
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Rogers announced Thursday it is offering Xfinity customers Netflix, Disney+ and Apple TV+ in one plan for a lower price than if purchased separately.
The cable giant said customers seeking to add the new Rogers Xfinity StreamSaver plan to their internet or TV packages are looking at $22 per month, saving more than 30 per cent compared to the $32 they would spend if they purchased each streaming service separately. The plan is also available as a standalone option and is already included in the Ultimate TV plan.
The savings are based on a before-tax Netflix with ads plan at $8…
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Asian Television Network (ATN), Canada’s largest South Asian broadcaster, announced Wednesday that it initiated a strategic review that could see the company partially or wholly sold off.
The broadcaster, which has 54 specialty television channels, said the review will explore a “range of transactions” with no guarantee that there will be any such deal at the end of the review.
The company is enlisting Toronto-based Blair Franklin Capital Partners as its financial advisor to explore its options. In the meantime, the broadcaster’s operations will continue without disruption, and the company will “provide updates as appropriate,” it said in a press release.
The…
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