By Ahmad Hathout
The CRTC has found that OneSoccer is owned, operated and controlled by Canadians, turning away a claim by Rogers that the cable giant was effectively negotiating a carry agreement with Spain’s Mediapro.
Rogers filed the complaint with the CRTC last summer, disputing an earlier finding by commission staff that said the OneSoccer service was operated by Canadians. Before that, in March 2023, the commission found that Rogers was giving itself an undue preference by refusing to carry the service in competition with its Sportsnet and Bell’s equivalent channels. Rogers had argued that…
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CBC and ABC News Studios announced last week the new feature-length documentary Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery will premiere in Canada on Sept. 17 on CBC and CBC Gem, and on Sept. 21 on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the U.S. and on Disney+ internationally (excluding Canada), following its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.
From Canadian director Ally Pankiw (I Used to Be Funny, Black Mirror, The Great), Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery was commissioned by CBC with the participation of the Canada Media Fund and the Rogers Group of Funds. The…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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.
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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…
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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…
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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…
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