GUESS WHAT? Canadians don’t want to pay any extra per month for their television. They also don’t want to lose their local TV stations.
Independent producers think that broadcasters should have to buy lots of shows made by them and those broadcasters would prefer to use those producers a little less, so that they can make (and sell) some of their own dramas.
The creative side of the industry is afraid of the word “flexible” when it comes to the broadcasters’ requests for changes to their Cancon requirements because flexible might mean less Canadian drama and comedies altogether, fewer hours in…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Later this month, Rogers Wireless will begin selling a new Rocket Mobile Internet stick, one that can provide nearly three times the speed of the current on offer today.
Available on Rogers’ upgraded High Speed Packet Access Plus (HSPA+) network in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, it can clock speeds up to 21 Megabits per second (but more typical will be in the mid-to-high-teens, as shown during a live test yesterday at Rogers HQ in downtown Toronto).
Rogers is the first wireless operator in North America, and one of the few in the world, to offer the 21…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Canadian wireless operators will likely see a three percent decline in their service ARPU for 2009, with data accounting for 20% of wireless service revenue – and all of the growth, says a new report from Toronto’s Convergence Consulting.
Over the last year Canadian wireless voice revenue growth has moved into negative territory, while data growth continues to be robust, thanks to the growing adoption of smartphones/data devices, which the report estimates will reach 23% by year-end 2009 (and break 50% in 2014).
Based on what Convergence projects in terms of new entrants pricing (Wind, Dave, Public Mobile), and…
Continue Reading
TORONTO and MONTREAL – The sale of Look Communications’ spectrum and broadcast licence to Inukshuk Wireless Partnership has cleared its final hurdle after receiving approval from Industry Canada Friday.
Inukshuk, a joint venture between Bell Canada and Rogers Communications, agreed to pay $80 million in cash for Look’s 92 MHz of spectrum and its mobile broadcast license in May.
In keeping with the agreement, Inukshuk has asked Look to support its application to the CRTC for the grant of a licence under the Broadcasting Act.
Look said that it will no longer offer services to subscribers as of November 15, 2009. It…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – The latest regulatory skirmish between an incumbent wireless operator and the new kids with the spectrum is “about fat cats looking to get fatter,” according to Public Mobile’s CEO Alek Krstajic.
In an e-mail to Cartt.ca, the former Rogers and Bell executive lashed out at Rogers Communications request for a review into the ownership of both Public and DAVE Wireless.
Rogers said in a letter to the Regulator that the ownership of both companies may not be sufficiently Canadian, as our regulations require, and that the Commission should analyze them in a public hearing, as Cartt.ca reported first…
Continue Reading
WINNIPEG and TORONTO – MTS Allstream and Rogers Wireless have received regulatory approval to proceed with their shared 3.5G high speed packet access (HSPA) wireless network.
The agreement, announced in July, will also allow MTS Allstream to leverage Rogers’ purchasing scope and scale for cost effective access to new network technology and HSPA handsets.
In addition, the two companies signed a roaming agreement under which MTS’ HSPA customers will roam exclusively on the Rogers’ mobile network within Rogers’ wireless service area across Canada when travelling outside of the MTS coverage area. Rogers also pledged to help MTS Allstream launch…
Continue Reading
NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, ON – With the Summit for Independent Communications (Connect 2009) just around the corner, the CCSA has confirmed its list of speakers and topics.
Christopher Lammers from CableLabs will provide an overview of DOCSIS 3.0, IP video, video-on-demand and network PVRs. He will be followed by Rahaf Harfoush, an expert on new media and a member of Obama’s social media team, and Max Valiquette, a youth culture and marketing expert.
The CTAM topic, called ‘The Digital Transition – It’s Happening’, will examine what Canada can learn from the recently completed US over-the-air transition to digital. Moderated by CCSA consultant…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Rogers Sportsnet has inked a three-year agreement with the National Football League to be the exclusive Canadian broadcaster of the NFL Network’s eight-game schedule this Fall.
RSN’s first game broadcast kicks off on November 12, and its schedule will include the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets matchup played at the Rogers Centre in Toronto on Thursday December 3, 2009.
www.sportsnet.ca
Continue Reading
TORONTO – CBC digital channels bold and documentary will be available in free preview for Rogers digital customers as of Friday.
Bold can be seen on Rogers’ channel 277 from September 11 – 13, 2009, and on its digital barker channel 1 from September 12 -13. In addition, documentary will be in freeview from September 18 – 20 on digital channel 325, and on digital barker channel 1 on September 19 – 20, 2009.
www.boldtv.cawww.documentarychannel.cawww.rogers.com
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – The CRTC has denied a request by Rogers Broadcasting to amend the broadcasting licence for the Outdoor Life Network (OLN).
Rogers had proposed to add categories to the list of program categories that may be broadcast by the service. Specifically, it asked to increase the percentage of programming that may be broadcast from category 7 drama and comedy from 5% to 25%, to remove requirements that programming drawn from that category be Canadian, and that programming drawn from category 6(a) professional sports not include stick and/or ball sports.
In its decision, the Commission expressed concern that the proposed amendments…
Continue Reading
