Rural areas need a single, open access, network
By Joe Hickey
IN A WORLD WHERE many causes are highly politicized, rural broadband access is a cause just about everyone can get behind. With it, Canada can improve rural access to education, healthcare, and economic growth. This is especially important in the wake of COVID-19, which put a glaring spotlight on the digital divide, and made it all the rage to support rural broadband access.
Even major urban telcos seem to be getting on board, with Rogers Communications promising a $1 billion rural broadband fund in its recent proposal to…
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By Howard Law
UNTIL LAST WEEK, PARLIAMENT’S Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage was plodding through the clause-by-clause review of Bill C-10 with no tasty headlines. Perhaps the bill’s revamp of the Broadcasting Act, which would sweep in Netflix, isn’t controversial anymore.
Of course, federal political partisanship is inevitable, as Canadian as bad weather.
And so, we now have the Conservatives’ faux controversy over free expression on social media platforms. In an e-mail blast from CPC MPs across the country, they made their case:
“Recently, the Liberal government introduced Bill C-10 – a bill that would regulate social media websites like Facebook, YouTube, and…
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VANCOUVER and OTTAWA — In response to Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne’s announcement last week the 3500 MHz spectrum auction scheduled for June 15 will not be delayed, independent telecom services provider Novus Entertainment has instead asked for the application process to be reopened.
“Novus would like to propose that the Department of Industry, Science and Economic Development (ISED) simply extend the time allowed for providing an application,” writes Donna Robertson, co-president and chief legal officer of Novus, in a letter sent to Minister Champagne on April 30.
“We would not expect a delay to the auction,”…
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QUÉBEC CITY — In the latest broadband funding announcement from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, a joint investment of $81.36 million made as part of the Canada-Quebec Operation High Speed program will help to deliver high-speed Internet services to 18,200 households in the Outaouais region (north of Gatineau) by September 2022.
The projects, which will be implemented by Cogeco and Xplornet, have a total value of $112.09 million, says the government’s press release.
Cogeco will receive $23.8 million in funding to provide high-speed Internet access to 2,890 households, while Xplornet will receive $57.5 million to connect 15,310 homes.
The municipalities…
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TORONTO – Wireless upstart Data On Tap (dotmobile), filed a petition to federal cabinet Tuesday asking the federal government to overturn the portion of the CRTC’s recent wireless policy decision which excluded a mandate for full mobile virtual network operators to participate in the wireless market in Canada.
Dotmobile is Canada’s first full MVNO but has yet been unable to come to a wholesale agreement with any Canadian wireless network operator (company owners say none of the carriers even return their calls seeking a meeting). The CRTC’s much-ballyhooed wireless decision, however, didn’t mandate access for full MVNOs like…
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CCSA, Distributel, Novus want application process reopened to allow more telecoms to participate in auction
TORONTO — Independent telecom service providers Distributel Communications, Novus Entertainment and the Canadian Communication Systems Alliance (CCSA), which has over 100 member companies, have written to Innovation, Science and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne in support of a request last week by the Competitive Network Operators of Canada (CNOC) for a 90-day delay to the start of the 3500 MHz spectrum auction currently scheduled to begin June 15.
In a letter today shared by Distributel CEO Matt Stein (who also chairs CNOC), the independent telecom company Continue Reading
TORONTO – CTAM Canada will hose a “lunch and learn” on Wednesday, April 28th featuring guest speaker David Shaw, senior vice-president international and content for the UFC, moderated by TSN’s mixed martial arts reporter Aaron Bronsteter.
The two will discuss how the UFC weathered – and thrived – during the Covid pandemic. The virtual event is free to CTAM members and will happen Wednesday, April 28 from noon to 1 p.m. ET.
Please click here for more.
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$10 million not enough of a deterrent, Péladeau says
By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – The maximum fine of $10 million for a first offence available to the CRTC to impose on violators of its rules is not enough for Bell Canada, Quebecor president and CEO Pierre-Karl Péladeau said Tuesday.
“I’m sorry to say this, it’s like a drop of water in the ocean,” he said Tuesday evening in an appearance in front of the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, which is studying spending on large projects. “It doesn’t amount to much for a company like them…to delay the competition, it…
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Company chair Edward Rogers lays out Shaw purchase positives for investors
By Greg O’Brien
TORONTO — Despite the challenges of the pandemic, Rogers Communications today reported good results from its first quarter ended March 31, with revenue gains in its cable and media business units, although wireless service revenue was down compared to the same quarter last year.
Of course, there is more news than that orbiting the wireless, broadband, cable and media giant. While the company had so far been mostly mum on the recent new wireless policies announced by the CRTC (where the headline was mandated, regional, facilities-based MVNOs…
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OTTAWA — In a letter sent today to Innovation, Science and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne, the Competitive Network Operators of Canada (CNOC) is asking for a 90-day delay to the 3500 MHz spectrum auction, which is scheduled to start on June 15.
CNOC’s main objection to having the auction proceed as currently scheduled is that the CRTC’s new wireless policy on mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) — in which it mandates the provision of wholesale facilities-based MVNO access service but only to regional wireless carriers who own spectrum at the Tier 4 level or higher — was released after…
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