By Ahmad Hathout
The Governor in Council has rejected an application to force the CRTC to relook at a decision it made that automatically renewed the broadcasting licences of major broadcasters that have been clamouring for changes to their regulatory obligations due to worsening financial conditions.
The Governor in Council said in the decision dated December 8 that it “is not satisfied that the decision derogates from the attainment of the objectives of the broadcasting policy for Canada set out in subsection 3(1) of that Act,” and that it, on the recommendation of the Minister of Canadian Heritage, “declines to refer…
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Rogers Communications said Friday it has turned on three new cellular towers along B.C.’s Highway 16, known as the Highway of Tears, as part of its ongoing efforts to improve public safety and wireless coverage along the northern route where many Indigenous women and girls have gone missing or have been found murdered over the years.
Providing 911 access for all travellers and 5G wireless coverage for Rogers customers, the new towers are part of a project Rogers announced in April 2021 whereby the telecom is building 12 new towers to provide 252 kilometres of…
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Rogers and Lynk Global announced early Thursday morning they have successfully completed Canada’s first satellite-to-mobile phone call using Samsung S22 smartphones.
The call took place Sunday, Dec. 10 in historic Heart’s Content, Newfoundland, where the world’s first transatlantic telegraph cable took place between Canada and Ireland more than 150 years ago, explains a Rogers press release.
The phone call was made between Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey and a member of the Newfoundland and Labrador Search and Rescue Association using Lynk’s low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites and Rogers’s national wireless spectrum.
Footage of the…
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By Ahmad Hathout
The large telecommunications companies are urging the CRTC to turn away applications asking it to require a pre-production test environment for next generation 911 calls, saying it is unnecessary and too costly.
Some public safety answering points (PSAPs) and the government of British Columbia filed separate Part 1 applications with the regulator asking for it to mandate the ability of these emergency entities to hook up to a pre-production test environment for NG911 so that real 911 calls are not at risk when testing software updates and new features. The NG911 networks are expected to carry multimedia, such…
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Corus Entertainment announced last week its 16-channel streaming service StackTV is now available through the Bell Fibe TV app.
“Existing Fibe TV app customers can now add STACKTV to their subscription for $10 a month and unlock access to exclusive content you can’t stream anywhere else, from binge-worthy comedies and dramas, to guilty pleasure reality, how-to lifestyle shows, and adored family content,” reads a press release.
StackTV offers live and on-demand access to thousands of hours of content from Global Television, Food Network Canada, HGTV Canada, W Network, The History Channel, Adult…
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Rogers announces new five-year deal as title sponsor
CALGARY – Rogers Communications said Tuesday the Shaw Charity Classic golf tournament presented by Rogers has reached a key milestone, raising more than $100 million since its inception for children’s charities across Alberta.
In 2023 alone, the 11th annual tournament raised $18.7 million for 272 charities, which included a $1 million donation by Rogers to support Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AtlaLink. This brings the total raised since the tournament’s inception to $112.3 million, says a press release.
“The…
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Rogers announced Monday the sale of all of its shares in Cogeco to pension fund Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec.
The transaction, worth $829 million, will allow the cable giant to reduce its debt and exit non-core businesses as it focuses on its core competencies, including telecommunications after its acquisition of Shaw.
“This sale further demonstrates our commitment to strengthen our investment grade balance sheet and aggressively reduce our debt leverage ratio,” Tony Staffieri, Rogers president and CEO, said in a press release. “We’re tracking six months ahead on our deleveraging priorities and we’re committed to reducing our debt leverage ratio…
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TORONTO – Corus Entertainment announced Monday a change within its audio division that sees current GTA program manager Rick Lee moving to a new role as senior program manager for London, Kitchener/Guelph and Hamilton, effective Dec. 11.
Lee now reports to Corus’s regional program director, Dave Blezard.
“Rick brings a wealth of radio knowledge to the team west of the GTA, and we are very excited to have him aboard,” says a Corus statement about his appointment.
Lee has been program manager of Corus’s GTA radio stations, including 102.1 the Edge, Q107, Y108 and…
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By Ahmad Hathout
The country’s highest court has granted Thursday Telus’s request to hear its case that the CRTC has jurisdiction over wireless access to municipal infrastructure.
The Vancouver-based telecom is appealing from the Federal Court of Appeal’s decision that determined that Parliament did not intend for “transmission line” under section 43 of the CRTC-administered Telecommunications Act to include wireless technologies. Telus has argued that the wireless signals must route back to hard wires anyway.
“By focusing on the point that small cell antennas send and receive wireless signals, the court below failed to appreciate the importance of the physical connections between…
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By Ahmad Hathout
Bell has filed a trademark for the name “Bell Pure Fibre,” reflecting its drive to connect more homes directly with the advanced technology.
The trademark was filed late last month, according to the trademarks database.
While the telco uses the language “pure fibre” on its website, it is not used as a proper name for the internet packages – instead, it is used to characterize the technology behind the package.
Bell has said that it still has at least five million homes in its…
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