ROBERVAL, QC – Ten communities in Quebec are the first to benefit from improved high-speed Internet access under the Feds’ new rural broadband program Connect to Innovate.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains said Thursday that Ambra Solutions will receive up to $13 million in funding to provide faster, more reliable Internet connections from Shawinigan to Chambord, a move impacting thousands of residents throughout the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean and La Mauricie regions. In addition, the improved network access will allow telcos to offer cellphone service along Route 155.
The Government of Quebec is providing matching funding for these projects through its…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – Registration is now open for the ‘New Developments in Communications Law and Policy’ presented by the Canadian Chapter of the International Institute of Communications.
Scheduled for November 14 -15 at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa, the event promises to bring together communications lawyers, academics, regulators and other stakeholders to discuss key developments in Canadian and international communications law and policy.
New CRTC chair Ian Scott will speak at the conference and FCC Commissioner (and former General Counsel) Brendan Carr will provide an update on the FCC's policies under the Trump administration.
In addition, research papers will be presented on, and…
Continue Reading
MONTREAL – Videotron will be the next Canadian TV service provider to roll out Comcast’s X1 interactive cable platform.
The Quebec company confirmed Tuesday that it has reached a strategic partnership with Comcast aimed at developing and delivering an IPTV service based on the award-winning Xfinity X1 platform “that will support a peerless customer experience for Videotron customers”.
X1 allows users to search and navigate live TV, on demand movies and shows, web video, apps and more in a simple, fast and intuitive way – and with a voice-activated remote.
When contacted by Cartt.ca, Videotron declined to disclose…
Continue Reading
WINDSOR, ON — Freedom Mobile’s customer care employees at its call centre in Windsor, Ont., have rejected a contract offer put forward by the company last week, the employees’ representatives from the United Steelworkers (USW) union announced Friday.
The employee vote took place Thursday, after a series of meetings were held throughout the day at a Windsor hotel. After reviewing the company’s contract offer, the employees held a secret-ballot vote and the offer was rejected, the USW said in a press release.
The 185 employees at Freedom Mobile’s Windsor call centre joined the USW in January and bargaining talks…
Continue Reading
MONTREAL — Quebecor Inc. reported Thursday consolidated revenue of $1.03 billion in the second quarter of 2017 and its largest quarterly year-over-year increase in adjusted operating income in almost five years.
The company’s adjusted operating income was $395.3 million for the second quarter of 2017, up 9.7% from the $360.3 million in adjusted operating income it reported in Q2 2016.
Quebecor’s net income attributable to shareholders was $132.4 million ($1.09 per basic share) in Q2 2017, compared with $9.8 million ($0.08 per basic share) in the same period of 2016. This increase of $122.6 million ($1.01 per basic share) was primarily…
Continue Reading
MONTREAL — Telefilm Canada announced Tuesday $4.7 million in funding for the production of 11 new Indigenous feature films in 2017-2018, following through on its commitment in February to increase financing available to Indigenous talent.
In fact, the support provided through the Telefilm Production Program’s Indigenous stream exceeds its original commitment of $4.2 million. Telefilm’s investment supports both established and emerging Indigenous talent from coast-to-coast-to-coast, with seven projects being led by women, Telefilm said in a press release.
“Telefilm Canada is a longstanding supporter of Indigenous creative talents and we are privileged to have the ongoing support of the…
Continue Reading
Bidding starts at $1.54 billion
OTTAWA – The auction of 600 MHz wireless spectrum, when it happens, will favour the smaller newcomers like Freedom Mobile and Vidéotron and looks to offer no payments to TV broadcasters which will be forced off the band.
While the Canadian bandwidth plan is to be harmonized with the United States (something we’ve known for a while), our auction for the valuable low frequency spectrum sure won’t be the same. In its consultation paper released late Friday (Ed note: right before the long weekend, so no questions, media!) Innovation, Science and…
Continue Reading
WINDSOR, ON — Collective agreement discussions have stalled between Freedom Mobile and the United Steelworkers (USW), which is negotiating on behalf of the wireless company’s customer care employees in its Windsor, Ont., call centre.
The 185 employees at Freedom Mobile’s call centre in Windsor joined the USW in January and bargaining talks for a first collective agreement for the employees began in late March.
Despite an intense last 19 hours of talks and the efforts of a federal labour conciliation officer, a settlement has not yet been reached, the USW announced in a press release late Thursday afternoon.
Freedom Mobile, previously…
Continue Reading
THE CORD-CUTTING ANALYSIS in Friday’s Summer Numbers: CRTC TV data dump highlights, lowlights says that 11.12 million households subscribed to cable, satellite or IPTV service in Canada in 2016, down only slightly – 3.5% – from 11.5 million in 2016.
I agree this doesn’t seem like a big drop over four years especially given the market changes in that period.
But when we look at the numbers relative to the total number of households in Canada, we see a different story emerge.
In 2011, there were 13.32 million occupied households in Canada per the census and 11.5 million…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU – Maybe it’s not so bad yet, after all…
The CRTC on Thursday released three different documents breaking down the 2016 results from conventional broadcast, discretionary and on demand, and broadcast distribution undertaking sectors of the Canadian TV business.
The numbers are all almost a year old (filed by the regulated companies at the end of the regulatory broadcast year, August 31, 2016) – so bear that in mind when perusing these highlights. Also, these figures do not include any revenue from broadband, telephony or wireless streams. (As well, the Commission told us the breakdown for…
Continue Reading
