By Ahmad Hathout
Rogers says it is being hamstrung by having to set aside money for the $750-million Broadband Fund that it says is not efficiently distributing money to projects.
The cable giant said in a Part 1 application made public Monday that it has to tie-up millions of dollars in “uncalled” contributions – amounts that the telecom must be ready deliver to the National Contribution Fund (NCF) when requested – which is creating large liabilities on its balance sheet.
It is asking the CRTC to change the NCF’s collection practices to prioritize the amounts that are waiting to be collected over…
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Rogers announced Monday it is now offering next-generation Wi-Fi 7 to Rogers Xfinity customers in select areas of Calgary.
The cable giant said Rogers Xfinity will roll out Wi-Fi 7 to the rest of Canada this year.
“The launch of the Rogers Xfinity router in Alberta is the company’s most powerful,” said a Rogers press release. “It is capable of delivering multi-gig symmetrical speeds over WiFi with the ability to connect 200+ devices at one time. The router is available exclusively with Rogers Xfinity’s Pro 4G plan, delivering up to 4 Gbps…
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By Ahmad Hathout
As Corus and Rogers battle in court over carriage of programs, both urged the CRTC Friday to take a closer look at how the regulator reviews the issues that give rise to such disputes.
The CRTC is currently reviewing the dynamics between the distributor and the programmer as the regulator moves to incorporate online streamers into the regulatory fold.
One issue the commission is examining – and one that has embroiled Rogers and Corus for nearly two years – is the use of the standstill rule, which stipulates that disputing parties must maintain carriage of programs on the same…
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Rogers announced Monday it has installed a new 5G+ in-building network system and antenna infrastructure to support 50,000 fans at the new seasonal outdoor concert venue Rogers Stadium located at YZD (the former Downsview Airport lands) in Toronto.
Representing a $5.2-million investment, the Rogers Stadium 5G+ network project required 3,800 hours of planning and 2,300 hours of equipment installation by the Rogers team, including more than 50 antennas around the lower bowl and at the top of the stadium over 20 metres from the ground, according to a Rogers press release.
Designed to…
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Telus alleges Bell complaint a delay tactic
By Ahmad Hathout
Bell is alleging that Telus is unduly disadvantaging its newly branded television networks after the broadcaster signed a deal in March to carry Rogers’s Warner Bros. Discovery programming.
In the partially redacted complaint, dated late April but only made public by the CRTC last week, Bell says its USA Network, Oxygen True Crime, CTV Nature, CTV Speed, and CTV Wild services are being treated unfairly because the broadcaster is allegedly looking to remove the services from some packages containing Rogers’s Discovery content.
“We are not trying to maintain a de facto access right…
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By Ahmad Hathout
If the CRTC mandates information disclosure for wireless services like its 5G home internet, then it could stunt Rogers’s effort to bridge the digital divide, the cable giant said Thursday.
“Introducing what’s being considered here, for something that’s not captured by the legislation, could impose costs and burdens upon Rogers in the infancy of its launch of this product that actually undermine achievement of that critical public policy objective,” Dean Shaikh, Rogers’s senior vice president of regulatory affairs, told the commission studying the implementation of standardized information to make it easier for customers to choose internet services.
“This is…
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By Ahmad Hathout
Rogers has received the final regulatory approval it needs to purchase Bell’s 37.5 per cent stake in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), after the CRTC greenlit its purchase of the corresponding portion of NBA TV on Thursday.
As a result of the approval, Rogers now owns 75 per cent of Toronto Raptors Network Ltd. (TRNL), which it valued at $37.2 million for the sake of determining tangible benefits. It offered to pay $3.7 million (10 per cent) to the broadcasting system as a condition of approval, which the CRTC accepted.
The CRTC divided those amounts as follows: 80…
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Rogers announced Wednesday it has completed a $10-million project using an undersea fibre line to connect the Southern Gulf Islands to mainland British Columbia, enabling it to deliver Xfinity internet service to 3,000 homes and businesses on Pender, Mayne and Galiano Islands.
“We are committed to bringing the best communications and entertainment experiences to customers across the country,” Bret Leech, Rogers’s president of residential, said in a press release. “Now residents on the Southern Gulf Islands can use Rogers Xfinity, Canada’s most reliable internet, to stream, make video calls and more.”
Customers on…
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Rogers said Wednesday that it has received all sports league approvals to buy Bell’s 37.5 per cent stake in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE).
The cable giant got approvals from the NHL, NBA, CFL, MLS, and the American Hockey League (AHL) to become 75 per cent owners — which it values at $15 billion — in the sports empire.
The company now requires CRTC approval “to acquire an additional indirect interest in Toronto Raptors Network Ltd (NBA TV Canada), representing a very small portion of the transaction,” it said in a press release.
“We’re pleased to have league…
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Rogers Communications announced Tuesday it has started to deploy Ericsson 5G Advanced technology on its national network, calling it “a first for a Canadian operator.”
“5G Advanced will help unlock the full potential of 5G for businesses and consumers,” Mark Kennedy, chief technology officer of Rogers, said in a press release. “We continue to invest in Canada’s largest 5G network and are proud to be the first in Canada to bring 5G Advanced technology to our customers.”
Rogers said it is rolling out Ericsson’s 5G Advanced RedCap software to power next-generation Internet of…
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