Commission asks Rogers to further consider proposals from interveners
By Amanda OYE
GATINEAU – Rogers Communications and Shaw Communications extolled the virtue of their proposed merger on the first day of the week-long CRTC hearing into the broadcasting side of the deal while Commission panel members grilled them on safeguards and the public interest.
“Joining forces with Rogers not only makes sense for Shaw, it makes sense for Canada,” Brad Shaw, executive chair and CEO of Shaw Communications told the Commission. “Combining the complementary assets of our two companies allows Rogers and Shaw to invest so much more than the sum of…
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By Denis Carmel
OTTAWA – The Supreme Court earlier this month opened a file from TekSavvy in which the Internet service provider (ISP) asks for leave to appeal a Federal Court of Appeal ruling on site-blocking.
In a May 2021 decision, the Federal Court of Appeal (FCA), ruled the Federal Court has the authority to order ISPs to block sites that are infringing on the rights of content creators by disseminating their content online without permission.
When the Federal Court issued the order in November 2020, it was the first time such a remedy was used and TekSavvy, a “pure” ISP…
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VANCOUVER — In response to the state of emergency in British Columbia due to recent flooding, Rogers Communications announced last week it is donating $1 million to B.C. Search and Rescue Association (BCSARA) through a new multi-year partnership.
The donation will provide “immediate and long-term support to critical search and rescue services in B.C.,” reads a Rogers press release issued last Friday.
It will also support BCSARA’s legacy fund as well as “new technology and specialized equipment for the 79 local teams and 3,000 professional volunteers, all of whom have been called upon to conduct air, swift water, and marine rescues…
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MCQUADE, NB – Rogers Communications announced today it is investing $1.5 million to connect 320 homes and businesses along Route 490, near McQuade, New Brunswick to high-speed Internet.
This will involve expanding Rogers’s fibre network across 30 kms. The company expects construction to be finished by the end of next year.
“Once completed, residents and businesses will have access to the full suite of services including Rogers Ignite Internet with speeds of up to 1.5 gigabit per second and Rogers leading IPTV service, Ignite TV,” a press release says.
“Rogers network investments, which have exceeded $60 billion over the past three decades,…
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GATINEAU – Despite attempts to delay it, the CRTC hearing into Rogers Communications Inc.’s application to acquire Shaw Communications Inc.’s broadcast assets will begin Monday, Nov. 22 at 9 a.m. MT/11 a.m. ET.
“Edward Rogers, Brad Shaw and members of their respective executive and regulatory teams will be appearing on next weeks panel,” a Rogers spokesperson confirmed with Cartt.ca via email.
The CRTC announced this morning the hearing will be held in a hybrid format and as such, only parties appearing in person will be allowed in. It will be available to watch on the CRTC’s website.
Throughout the week,…
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TORONTO – Accusations of unfair conduct, cautious optimism and a Ben Affleck meme – the Canadian Telecom Summit’s regulatory blockbuster panel, held Tuesday, had it all.
The panel (pictured above left to right) was moderated by Globe and Mail reporter Alexandra Posadzki, and featured Ceri Howes, head of regulatory at Opensignal, Dennis Béland, vice-president of regulatory affairs, telecommunications at Quebecor, Geoff White, executive director of Competitive Network Operators of Canada (CNOC), Paul Beaudry, vice-president of regulatory affairs at Cogeco, Ted Woodhead, senior vice-president of regulatory at Rogers Communications, Samer Bishay, CEO of Iristel and Stephen Schmidt, vice-president of telecom policy…
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TORONTO – Spectrum was on a lot of peoples’ minds at this year’s Canadian Telecom Summit, which is hardly surprising given Canada’s slow pace of 5G deployment compounded by the fact ISED has yet to hand over the 3.5 GHz spectrum that was auctioned off this past summer that raised $8.9 billion.
“Four years ago, there was apparently a race to 5G,” said Ted Woodhead, senior vice-president of regulatory at Rogers Communications, who spoke on the summit’s regulatory panel on Tuesday.
“For those of us in the room who are Canadians, that race is over, we lost it.” Woodhead pointed…
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Natale and board unable to reach “mutually agreeable arrangement.” Search is on for permanent replacement
TORONTO – Joe Natale is out as CEO of Rogers Communications Inc. (RCI) effective immediately, RCI announced Tuesday night.
Tony Staffieri has been appointed interim president and CEO, a press release says. Staffieri is also a candidate for the permanent position, which RCI’s board is now looking to fill, according to the release.
“On behalf of the Rogers family, the Board and our 24,000 team members across the country, I thank Joe for his leadership and contributions to our company, including paving the way for our…
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TORONTO – Fall is well underway and Corus, Bell and Rogers are all reporting the season is off to a good start for Global, CTV and Citytv respectively, albeit using different measurements of success.
Corus Entertainment announced last week Global has been scoring high audience ratings this fall, with six of the top ten most watched shows in Canada.
Based on Numeris PPM Data from Sept. 20 to Oct. 24, a Corus press release says the network’s “roaster of established hits returned with a vengeance this fall.”
Corus programs in the top ten most watched include CSI: Vegas (average of 1.8…
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VANCOUVER — Rogers Communications and the University of British Columbia (UBC) announced today they are renewing their 5G research partnership for an additional four years.
This new $4.8-million partnership for 5G research and development projects “will challenge researchers at UBC’s Vancouver and Okanagan campuses and Rogers to develop, explore and test new made-in-Canada 5G capabilities in areas such as wildfire management, human teleoperations and emergency response that will help save lives and support the province,” reads a press release.
Rogers and UBC first announced a three-year 5G collaboration in September 2018, when they partnered to build a 5G hub on…
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