MONTREAL, TORONTO and CALGARY – A second mediation attempt between Rogers Communications, Shaw Communications and Quebecor and the Competition Bureau has failed, according to a press release issued by the three companies today.
Rogers and Shaw are currently seeking approvals for their proposed merger. In an attempt to quell concerns about the potential impact of the deal on wireless competition in Canada, the companies agreed to sell Shaw’s Freedom Mobile to Quebecor subsidiary Videotron.
The first attempt at mediation between Rogers, Shaw and the Competition Bureau happened in July.
The second mediation attempt took place earlier today.
“We are disappointed with…
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OTTAWA – Canada’s telecommunications sector contributed nearly $75 billion to the country’s GDP in 2021 and supported over 650,000 Canadian jobs, according to a report from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), commissioned by the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CTWA), which represents wireless sector companies including Bell, Rogers, Videotron and Xplornet, and released yesterday.
This includes a direct contribution to the GDP of $24.7 billion and support of nearly 130,000 jobs. “This direct impact resulted in increased business-to-business activity, creating indirect contributions of $12.1B to GDP and supporting an additional 119,000 jobs,” the report says, adding, “Both the direct and indirect effects created an…
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The province is moving away from an old methodology on telecom procurement
By Ahmad Hathout
VANCOUVER – Telus Corp. CEO Darren Entwistle sent a seven-page letter to British Columbia premier John Horgan in March expressing concern the province’s move toward a price-focused approach to the purchase of telecommunications services would jeopardize the company’s future investments in the province and possibly force the company to move its headquarters out of Vancouver.
Telus is currently on a 12-year, $1.6-billion “strategic” deal – signed in 2011 and expiring next July – that sees it provide telecommunications services to the provincial government, with stipulations requiring it…
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Internet, cable/TV subscriptions are lesser priorities
TORONTO — More than 80% of newcomers sign up for a wireless account within a month of arriving in Canada, according to consumer research firm Solutions Research Group’s (SRG) Newcomers to Canada 2022 study, released today.
Getting a wireless account is as much of a priority for newcomers as opening a bank account and finding a place to live, according to the study, which was based on interviews conducted in late spring/early summer 2022 with 970 newcomers and 531 Canadian “general population” respondents.
In comparison, 65% of newcomers to Canada signed up with an Internet provider…
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“I think they’d better listen,” minister says
OTTAWA – Industry minister François-Philippe Champagne today announced the terms he wants to see in place as he considers whether to approve a deal between Rogers Communications, Shaw Communications and Quebecor, which would see Shaw’s Freedom Mobile sold to Quebecor subsidiary Videotron in an attempt to alleviate concerns about the impact of the merger of Rogers and Shaw on wireless competition in Canada.
The minister, stating he is officially denying the request by Rogers to acquire Shaw’s spectrum licences, announced “the lens” through which he is considering the proposal for Videotron to…
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The following is an abridged version of keynote address delivered to the Canadian ISP Summit last week, by Geoff White, executive director and general counsel, Competitive Network Operators of Canada (CNOC).
TORONTO – Last year, the CNOC keynote address was titled “Independents Unite: How We Are Fighting for a Fairer Today and a Stronger Tomorrow.” Well, it’s tomorrow now, and there’s a lot to reflect upon as we head into the future. So, the title of today’s remarks is “Where do we go from here?”
First, let’s take stock. Since we last met, a couple of major things that should not…
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BURLINGTON – Canadian motorsports and automotive channel REV TV announced yesterday it is now available on Rogers Ignite TV.
“We are going green on Rogers,” said Mike Garrow, CEO of REV TV, in a press release. “We look forward to being Ignite TV customers’ go-to motorsports channel. There is certainly something for everyone to feel the rush 24/7.”
Ignite TV customers now have access to on REV TV programming including MotoGP, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, World Rally Championship, SPEED SPORT TV, Monster Jam, as well as weekly news shows and much more.
Viewers who say “REV TV” into their voice remote…
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TORONTO – One of the things Canadians learned the hard way this past July when Rogers had its nationwide outage, is how important network resiliency – and redundancy – is, especially when it comes to essential services.
During a panel on how operators are leveraging fixed wireless access and fibre to the premise to fix the digital divide yesterday at the Canadian Network Operators of Canada’s 2022 ISP Summit, Shaun Brennan (above, right), regional sales manager at Calix, explained they have been seeing demand lately for fixed wireless as a complement to fibre for resiliency purposes.
Noting the Rogers outage “really…
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Cogeco said terms are “positive step”
By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – The CRTC has defined the boundaries for regional mobile virtual network operators to lease wireless space from the networks of the large incumbent operators, stipulating carriers wanting to operate such an MVNO must actively be offering services to retail customers, not just have spectrum and facilities.
The regulator earlier today released its long-awaited terms and conditions for an MVNO regime, which emerged out of its April 2021 decision to allow established regional virtual operators with spectrum and existing facilities to lease network space from Rogers, Bell, Telus, and SaskTel.
The terms and…
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SUDBURY, Ont. — Rogers Communications announced today a five-year strategic partnership with NORCAT, a global leader in the development and provision of skilled labour training and innovation services, to enable and accelerate the adoption of smart mining technology in the global mining industry.
This collaboration will see Rogers establish the Rogers Technology Centre of Excellence at the NORCAT Underground Centre in Sudbury, Ont., “to bring innovative new solutions to life and increase efficiency, safety, and productivity in the global mining industry,” says a press release.
“As part of our commitment to driving leading-edge innovation within mining, construction, and other industrial…
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