THE CABLE INDUSTRY MIGHT not like reading this, heading into the local forbearance hearings next week, but residential phone choice seems pretty real to me.
If there was any doubt about it, my local newspaper, The Hamilton Spectator, delivered ample evidence last Wednesday. In the mess of inserts I curse about that usually flutter out of the thing, three glossy direct marketing pieces caught my eye: One from Primus; another from Rogers; and the third from Direct Energy.
Primus was a pure low-cost sell. “Get TalkBroadband and save big on your home phone service,” it said, beside a garish…
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Cogeco Cable and Videotron have signed a new multiyear distribution agreement with Speed Channel, the companies announced today. With Videotron reaching 1.4 million subscribers in Quebec and Cogeco Cable Canada Inc. 830,000 in both Ontario and Quebec, “Speed’s programming reaches as many fans in those areas as possible,” says today’s press release.
The U.S. channel also recently renewed with Rogers Cable, which included some video on demand. The Cogeco-Videotron release didn’t mention VOD content.
“The extension of these distribution deals with Videotron and Cogeco Cable firmly cements…
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THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS are the most valuable, most talked about, most loved sports team in English Canada.
Launching a TV channel that’s all Leafs, all the time, was a no-brainer for team brass back in 2001. But without any games, LeafsTV left a little something to be desired, say viewers, and says executive producer and vice-president programming John Shannon (right).
That changes this season (and was supposed to last year, but for the NHL lockout) as LeafsTV will have a total of 21 Toronto Maple Leaf games – eight pre-season matchups and 13 regular season tilts – to…
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OTTAWA – With the hearings on the new pay television applicants scheduled for next month, the two major associations have weighed in with their comments.
While expressing no opinion on the merits of the applications, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters told the CRTC in its submission that since the applications force it to consider altering its policy of licensing just one Canadian specialty or pay service per genre – or in this case, per region – that a separate hearing needs to be held.
As reported by www.cartt.ca, four new applicants will face the Commission October 24th…
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MONTREAL and TORONTO – Quebecor-owned MSO Videotron will join the quadruple play club in 2006 by adding wireless service on the Rogers Wireless network.
The two companies today announced the signing of a strategic relationship agreement that will enable the Quebec cable company to offer consumers television, broadband Internet, cable telephony and Videotron branded mobile wireless services.
Videotron will operate as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator, or MVNO, utilizing wireless voice and data services provided by Rogers Wireless across its GSM/GPRS network. This is the same arrangement Virgin Mobile Canada has with Bell Mobility.
The company plans to launch…
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GATINEAU – This sounds something like the Spike TV debate.
In January this year Discovery Wings changed its name to The Military Channel and significantly altered its programming. Soon after, the Canadian Cable Telecommunications Association asked for a change in the eligible satellite list to reflect the switch.
The CCTA has submitted that the Commission’s current authorization to distribute Discovery Wings extends to The Military Channel. The U.S. channel is owned by Discovery Communications.
On Monday, however, the CRTC issued a call for comments on the CCTA’s request to alter the list. The channel remains on the digital…
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TORONTO – Rogers Communications is conducting a market trial of the Mint PayPass MasterCard at its Toronto headquarters.
Throughout the trial, Rogers employees can use the Mint MasterCard for two new payment options: MasterCard PayPass is a feature which enables “contactless” payment processing and prepaid functionality which allows cardholders to preload value on their card. Over the course of the trial, employees at the Rogers Campus need only register for the Mint MasterCard, which can be used for contactless payments at MasterCard PayPass designated merchants at the Campus and traditional purchases wherever MasterCard is accepted worldwide.
"Rogers is committed…
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TORONTO – With it new stations in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia set to go to air in October, Rogers Media announced the appointment of its Atlantic Canada radio advisory board.
The board will act for Rogers Media’s CKNI-FM 91.9 in Moncton, CHNI-FM 88.9 in Saint John and CJNI-FM 95.7 in Halifax, says Rogers Radio CEO Gary Miles today.
Chaired by prominent Halifax lawyer John Fitzpatrick, the board serves as independent counsel for radio station management. It does not affect the management or governance of the stations, but instead “offers the opportunity to seek advice on business plans from…
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BURLINGTON – Cable technology distributor White Radio announced today that Laura O’Hare has been hired as national product development manager for the company’s communications division.
O’Hare has extensive cable industry experience. Most recently, she was manager of the engineering technology integration lab at Rogers Cable. Her responsibilities there included national lab testing activities as well as integration and verification of technology. The positions that she held at Rogers – manager, engineering technology verification and support and technical specialist, outside plant engineering – “will be of significant value in the understanding of her customers requirements now and in the future,”…
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TORONTO and MONTREAL – Rogers Communications and Bell Canada today said they will jointly build and manage a Canada-wide wireless broadband network.
The network is expected to initially reach more than two-thirds of Canadians in less than three years. The companies will pool their wireless broadband spectrum holdings into a joint venture, Inukshuk Internet Inc., which will build and operate the network. Once built, Canada will have one of the most robust and extensive wireless broadband networks in the world.
Normally enemies on many competitive fronts, Bell and Rogers decided to get together on this project to split the…
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