OTTAWA – While it may be a stretch to suggest that Canada’s glaring lack of a digital economy strategy is directly damaging our economy, witnesses to Parliament’s Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology this week noted that there are places reaping significant benefits from just such a plan, albeit on a regional basis.
Catherine Middleton, a professor at Ryerson University and the Ted Rogers School of Management, pointed to the success of Chattanooga, Tenn., as an example that Canada and Canadian cities should strive to achieve. There, the municipal utility has built out a Gigabit per second broadband network,…
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TORONTO – Rogers Communications announced today it is introducing its LTE network to 44 markets this spring and intends to reach a total of 95 markets in 2013.
Among the 44 LTE markets launching this spring will be Saint John, New Brunswick; Medicine Hat, Alberta; Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario; Guelph, Ontario; Muskoka, Ontario; Collingwood, Ontario; and multiple cities in Quebec. More than a million Canadians will now have access to Rogers’ LTE network.
Rogers will also be making its 2600 MHz LTE spectrum band available in all markets, and 34 of the 44 new LTE…
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TORONTO – With outgoing Wind Canada CEO Tony Lacavera having told Cartt.ca that he loves auction rules set by Industry Canada because it shows the federal government is committed to seeing a fourth national wireless player emerge strongly, Bay Street is now wondering if Lacavera’s former backer, Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris, will risk diving deeper into the Canadian wireless market.
Scotia Capital analyst Jeff Fan wrote in a research note to clients last week that there are numerous reasons not to invest in the Canadian wireless market, yet…
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TORONTO – Astral Media announced today its TV Everywhere services TMN GO, HBO GO Canada and TMN Encore GO will now be available to Rogers cable subscribers.
Rogers cable customers who have a subscription to The Movie Network and TMN Encore can access TMN GO’s 1,000-plus hours of high-definition programming, which includes current Hollywood movies and classics, exclusive series from HBO, CINEMAX and Showtime, as well as Canadian original films and series on their various Apple wireless devices or their PCs.
With this announcement, Astral says TMN GO is now available to approximately 75% of…
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GATINEAU – Wireless industry stakeholders are still at loggerheads over a number of issues pertaining to a wireless code of conduct. They include three-year contracts, the co-existence of the code with provincial consumer protection legislation and notifications of data and fee caps, among others.
On these matters, the Big Three – Bell Canada, Rogers Communications and Telus – remain united. They all agree that banning three-year contracts as has been suggested by some consumer advocates and the new entrants isn’t necessary given the clear language on earlier termination fees (ETF).
The ETF formula, in conjunction with the unlocking and cancelation policies,…
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TORONTO –The Canadian Comedy Network’s “Russia” spot was named “Best in Show” at the 2013 Crystal Awards, which honour the best in radio advertising. The spot, produced by Grey, received the platinum award at the awards gala, held last Wednesday during Canadian Music Week.
Presented by Astral RadioPlus, Canadian Broadcast Sales, Bell Media Radio Sales and Target Broadcast Sales, the Crystal Awards celebrate the best in radio creative from more than 600 English and French radio stations across Canada in 2012.
The 10 gold Crystal Awards were presented to the following winners:
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TORONTO – Rogers radio stations garnered four awards in the “Station of the Year” category at last night’s Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Awards, held at Toronto’s Kool Haus as part of Canadian Music Week.
Three of Rogers’ Toronto stations were awarded station of the year: 98.1 CHFI in Toronto (mainstream AC) and Kiss 92.5 (CHR), and 680 News Toronto (news/talk sports). Sonic 102.9 in Edmonton won in the rock category, and its program director, Al Ford was recognized with “Program Director of the Year, Major Market” award.
Amanda Logan of 104.5 CHUM FM in…
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TORONTO – Advertisers in the digital space need to be “pinball wizards” to keep consumers engaged with their brands or risk losing them as potential customers, says Shelagh Stoneham, senior vice-president and general manager of brands and marketing communications for Rogers Communications.
Stoneham was one of five panellists who took part in a discussion about digital advertising strategies at the Digital Media Summit being held in Toronto this week as part of Canadian Music Week. She asked the audience to visualize a marketer’s advertising message as a pinball ricocheting off different bumpers as it descends down the pinball machine. “The…
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TORONTO – Rogers has announced the certification of its suretap service for the Android and BlackBerry 10 operating systems (or, mobiXpress in Quebec). The certification allows banks and other credentials issuers with loyalty or reward programs to develop mobile payment solutions for Android and BlackBerry 10 devices that leverage the secure SIM card in an NFC-enabled device.
As of today, three Android NFC-enabled smartphones and four BlackBerry smartphones are suretap mobile-payment-ready, which means they are now certified ready to support new mobile payment applications that accept MasterCard and Visa credit cards….
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KINGSTON, ON – Rogers Communications and SMG Canada announced late yesterday that the city’s K-Rock Centre will be renamed Rogers K-Rock Centre, after receiving approval from Kingston City Council.
The new agreement is an amendment to the 10-year partnership between Rogers Radio station K-Rock 105.7 and SMG Canada, management company of the K-Rock Centre, signed in 2008 and grants K-Rock 105.7 the naming rights for the arena through 2018. As part of the rebranding, Rogers will work closely with K-Rock Centre to change all external and internal signage at the arena to reflect the…
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