By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – Rogers on Wednesday filed a challenge in the Federal Court of Appeal against the CRTC’s decision to select Quebecor’s rate for access to the cable company’s wireless infrastructure to build out its mobile virtual network operator business.
Rogers is alleging that the reasoning provided by the CRTC for selecting Quebecor’s rate in July deviates from legal precedent and runs counter to the “just and reasonable” provision under the Telecommunications Act.
Specifically, Rogers is alleging the regulator made errors in its determination that the rate it selected didn’t need to provide Rogers with an immediate-term return on investment…
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By Ahmad Hathout
TORONTO – Rogers is asking Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice to force Telus to continue fulfilling its obligations under existing wireless roaming terms with the cable company while the two competitors wrangle over terms of a proposed agreement.
Rogers is alleging in the August 14 filing that Telus is threatening to cease providing certain wireless services to it as a result of a dispute “over a particular term” in a proposed bilateral wireless agreement that is before arbitration. The particulars of the commercial dispute are not outlined in the complaint.
“TELUS has threatened to terminate Rogers’ access to certain…
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By Connie Thiessen
Former Rogers Communications CEO Joe Natale is suing for wrongful dismissal and breach of contract over his ouster during the 2021 family power struggle for control of the company led by Edward Rogers.
Natale’s statement of claim, filed in Ontario Superior Court last week, seeks $24 million in damages, including $4 million related to an unpaid bonus due upon closure of Rogers’ acquisition of Shaw Communications, under terms of his employment contract.
A former Telus CEO, Natale served as Rogers’ CEO from 2017 to Nov. 2021, when current President & CEO Tony Staffieri was appointed to the role.
The suit…
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By Connie Thiessen
Colleagues, friends and competitors are remembering Phil Lind today. The longtime Rogers Communications executive and Vice Chair of its board passed away Sunday at age 80.
Retired Shaw Communications President Peter Bissonnette was among those processing news of Lind’s death, which he only learned of in the wee hours of Monday morning after spending a long day on the road to Calgary to escape the ongoing wildfire situation in Kelowna.
(l-r): Former Shaw Communications President Peter Bissonnette, Phil Lind, and Astral Media co-founder Ian Greenberg,…
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By Ahmad Hathout
MONTREAL — Quebecor CEO Pierre Karl Peladeau declared Thursday that the Canadian market is in a “different world” following the company’s acquisition of Freedom, as it saw good reception to its new wireless offers that are expected to heat up the promotional period later this year.
“The market suddenly became more competitive in Ontario,” Peladeau said during a second-quarter earnings conference call with analysts Thursday. “We should not be surprised.”
“We can’t completely anticipate what will take place in the future, but this is certainly where we are today — a different world,…
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Large cuts hark back to time Telus threatened 5,000 cuts during wireless review
By Ahmad Hathout
Telus announced Friday it is cutting 6,000 jobs across its telecom and information technology business, which president and CEO Darren Entwistle partly attributed to getting ahead of regulatory changes.
The job losses are split across Telus and its IT business Telus International, with losses of 4,000 at the former and 2,000 at the latter.
“It is with heavy heart that we are seeking to reduce 6,000 staff positions across our global footprint,” Telus said in its second-quarter results release, adding it is also “offering early retirement and…
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By Ahmad Hathout
TORONTO – Quebecor said Thursday it is “upgrading the telecom industry” by providing enhancements and a new plan on its newly-acquired Freedom Mobile brand intended to undercut the incumbents ahead of the promotional back-to-school and holiday seasons.
Freedom announced the launch of a new 5G uncapped data plan of 50 GB covering Canada, the United States and Mexico for $65. (Speeds are throttled after a user exceeds their monthly data allotment.)
The company also has a $45-offer for 30 GB of data with unlimited talk and text across the country and 20 GB and 3 GB 4G/LTE options starting…
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By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – Rogers CEO Tony Staffieri said Wednesday the company is weighing its options, including possibly appealing a decision by the CRTC to pick Quebecor’s rate for access to the national carrier’s wireless network.
“We’re reviewing it,” Staffieri said about the decision. “As you would expect, we’re considering next steps, including potential appeals.”
The regulator said in its decision that while both offers for access met the policy objectives, it was Quebecor’s price that provided the regional player with an opportunity to market more data and therefore more plans.
Rogers said in its original pricing pitch that…
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TORONTO – Freedom Mobile announced Monday its existing customers’ monthly plans have been upgraded to include Freedom and Nationwide data, which can be used across Canada, at no additional cost.
Freedom Mobile, acquired earlier this year by Quebecor’s Videotron subsidiary, explains in a customer email alert that Freedom Nationwide data can be used on both Freedom and its Canadian partner networks.
Also starting today, Freedom Mobile customers on monthly plans priced $45 and up will have early access to Freedom’s 5G network at no added cost.
“To access 5G speeds, the subscriber needs to…
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By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – Quebecor has won an arbitration hearing at the CRTC to determine the cost to access Bell’s wireless network.
In a letter dated July 13, the CRTC accepted Quebecor’s June 22 application for the commission to call the final offer for that access, which the Montreal-based company said is integral for its mobile virtual network operator business and its growth as the fourth national carrier after acquiring Freedom Mobile from Shaw.
Quebecor argued that the two sides tried their best but could not hammer out a deal within the 30 days they were required to make a best-efforts…
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