By Peter Menzies
THIRTY-SIX YEARS AGO last week, the Calgary Flames scored one of their most famous triumphs – a 3-2 Game 7 playoff victory over the defending Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers.
Back then I was sports editor of the Calgary Sun and that playoff run to the finals (Calgary lost to Montreal in 5) dominated my days. But by night I was secretly just as excited that by June I’d be in Mexico covering Canada’s debut at World Cup ’86.
In Canada, being a proper football fan has been a pretty lonely, often mocked, existence. Sports departments considered soccer merely…
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CALGARY – Rogers Communications today announced the first members of a new advisory council, which will oversee THINKLab, a National Centre of Technology and Engineering Excellence to be established in Calgary after its proposed merger with Shaw Communications closes.
The Rogers THINKLab is part of a $6.5-billion multi-year commitment to invest in Western Canada once the companies have come together. It “will bring together leaders from academic institutions, developers, and research partners that will foster made-in-Canada technology solutions to benefit consumers and businesses, while fuelling Canadian competitiveness,” a press release explains.
The THINKLab Advisory Council will be responsible for guiding and…
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By Ahmad Hathout
LARGE TELCOS ARE recommending the CRTC avoid subsidizing next-generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) networks through a large fund subsidized by the carriers and dedicated to basic telecommunications services, with one large telco fearing such a move would increase the cost of operation with less oversight.
The Commission is currently putting in place the funding mechanism to allow for the installation and upkeep of networks that will drive NG9-1-1 service, which will allow distressed callers to submit texts, photos and videos to first responders. The Commission expects the cost of funding the networks will be $55 million annually over five years.
But in a proceeding…
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By Denis Carmel
GATINEAU – Following three complaints made by Teksavvy, a competitive telecommunications provider, the Information Commissioner ruled the CRTC did not respect the timelines of the service provider’s requests for information as required by the Access to Information Act.
The rulings – one of which was issued in March and two in April 2022 – were posted on Teksavvy’s blog.
“The time extension was claimed within the initial thirty-day deadline, however, while CRTC successfully demonstrated that an extension under 9(1)(c) could be justified, CRTC failed to respond to the request not only by the statutory due date, but…
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Calls for fair, transparent process to sale
By Amanda OYE
TORONTO – Canadians are stressed – even more than usual – about their cell phone bills, a new survey conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights says.
A little over half of Canadians reported “being more stressed than usual about their cell phone bill because of inflation,” a press release announcing the survey results yesterday explains. “When asked about the biggest issues that they have with the telecommunications market, Canadians continued to cite high prices compared to other countries (87%) and the lack of competition in the market (73%).”
This survey was commissioned…
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Projects are underway in Brant, Dufferin counties; projects in Middlesex, Perth, Dufferin counties completed
BRANT COUNTY, DUFFERIN COUNTY, MIDDLESEX COUNTY and PERTH COUNTY, Ont. — Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) and the Ontario government today announced work is now underway on a SWIFT-funded broadband project by Xplornet Communications in Brant County, Ont., as well as a project by EH!tel Networks in Dufferin County.
In addition, they announced SWIFT broadband projects in Middlesex County have been completed by Start.ca and North Frontenac Telephone Company (NFTC). Projects in Perth County by Mornington Communications and Wightman Telecom are also completed, and Bell Canada has…
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TORONTO – Rogers Communications today reported its first quarter 2022 financial results, which show total revenue increased 4% to $3.6 billion compared to the same quarter in 2021 and adjusted EBITDA increased 11% to $1.5 billion.
“Each of our businesses delivered better revenue and profitability than expected,” said Tony Staffieri, president and CEO of Rogers, during a conference call with investors today.
Wireless revenue grew 3% to $2.1 billion, cable revenue grew 2% to $1 billion and media revenue grew 10% to $482 million, according to a press release announcing the Q1 results.
Total service revenue was reported to have increased by…
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WIND MOBILE FOUNDER Anthony Lacavera (above) wants Canadians (and the federal government) to know he knows they deserve better.
In an open letter posted to his website, Lacavera argues Canada now has the “opportunity to permanently solve our decades-old mobile competition problem.”
That opportunity, of course, is centred around the sale of Freedom Mobile.
Early last month, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne issued a statement saying he would not allow Rogers Communications to acquire all of Shaw Communications’ wireless licences.
Rogers’ acquisition of Shaw requires approval from ISED, the Competition Bureau and the CRTC. (The CRTC is the…
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TORONTO and MUMBAI — QYou Media Inc. announced today The Q India is set to launch both its flagship Hindi channel The Q and its recently launched channel The Q Marathi to the global India diaspora via toober, a live TV app offering popular channels from around the world in more than 20 languages.
The toober app is currently available in Canada on Rogers, Shaw, Videotron and Apple TV. It is expected to soon be available on Roku and Android as well, according to a QYou Media press release.
Video broadcast solutions provider Nextologies Limited is the company behind…
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OTTAWA – The Government of Canada announced today is supporting affordable high-speed Internet in Canada through a second phase of the Connecting Families initiative.
“In partnership with 14 participating ISPs across the country that are voluntarily contributing to the initiative by offering $20 a month high-speed Internet services, the Government of Canada will help connect hundreds of thousands of low-income families and seniors to affordable high-speed Internet,” a press release explains.
The second phase of Connecting Families, which was originally announced last August, is introducing faster speeds, in line with the government’s connectivity strategy, which aims to ensure all Canadians…
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