VANCOUVER – Just over a year after launching its low-cost network for Canadians travelling in the US, telecommunications provider Roam Mobility Inc. now has a retail presence in six provinces and more than 400 locations.
The company announced a partnership with London Drugs that makes Roam Mobility’s replacement products available at the retailer’s 76 locations in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.
To reach its core market of Canadian travellers, Roam says it focused its retail strategy on includes airports, duty-free stores, and inflight retail opportunities. It has secured partnerships with retailers such as…
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WHEN ASKED ABOUT how the reports that Wind, Mobilicity and Public Mobile are all looking for a way out of the wireless business in Canada, Industry Minister Christian Paradis told reporters in a conference call on Monday: “I still remain confident we can achieve our goal,” of having four wireless players in each region of Canada.
Mr. Minister, you are the only one with that confidence.
As we have noted before, the Canadian wireless market right now, has as many players as it will ever have and in all…
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TORONTO – Fans tuning in to the third-season finale of Showcase’s original series Lost Girl this Sunday will be able to interact with their favourite characters at the same with a new mobile app for iOS and Android that launches the same day.
Lost Girl: The Game is Showcase’s all-new mobile app that connects the show’s fans worldwide by delivering a fully interactive social gaming experience. Featuring an original storyline written by the show’s staff, fans can create a customized character from the show's Fae world that they can use to navigate through mysteries set in…
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TORONTO – The CBC, Bell Media and Shaw Media are the top three English broadcaster recipients of Performance Envelope allocations for 2013-2014 as announced today by the Canada Media Fund.
Of the CMF’s program budget of $360.7 million, $173.3 million has been allotted in Performance Envelopes for 21 English broadcasters. CBC will receive $58.1 million, Bell Media $32.6 million and Shaw Media will receive $27.3 million. Thirteen French broadcasters will share $85.7 million, of which Radio-Canada will receive $32,7million, Groupe TVA $22 million and Astral (French) $16.4 million.
CMF’s envelope system was designed to…
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HALIFAX and FREDERICTON – Shaw Media-owned Global News announced it is rebranding its Global Maritimes operations to Global Halifax and Global New Brunswick as part of its mandate to tell more locally-focused stories.
The separation of Global Maritimes into the two new stations, which takes places April 15, moves both Global Halifax and Global New Brunswick from being an amalgamated regional news source to focusing more on local stories in both areas. Global is highlighting the move with new programming and the hiring of new on-air talent
The two stations will continue to share some…
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MONTREAL – Bell says it wants to help its internet customers practice safer surfing with its launch today of a new McAfee Security feature.
Bell Internet customers will automatically be transferred to one of three McAfee Security from Bell tiers: Good, Better or Best. Customers currently using free Bell Internet security will receive the Good package at no extra charge. Bell Internet customers with enhanced security services will be moved to the corresponding Better and Best security packages. McAfee Security from Bell is compatible with both Windows and Mac.
“Bell Internet customers want to focus…
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OTTAWA – Competition in Canada’s wireless industry could be hampered by more stringent spectrum licence transfer regulation, new entrants and incumbents alike are telling Industry Canada.
Rogers Communications warns the department that its proposal will lead to an inefficient market where the existing secondary trading market for spectrum licences will become limited as some operators will see their options to sell spectrum holdings constrained. These new rules could “dampen new entry by increasing the risks associated with selling their business to the highest bidder if they fail to establish a viable wireless business” and “possibly result in lawsuits by aggrieved…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – Cable companies reported a modest growth in revenues and subscribers in 2012, while satellite companies recorded a decline in these categories, according to the CRTC’s statistical and financial results for the industry released today.
Combined revenues for both cable and satellite companies increased by 4.2% from $13.5 billion in 2011 to $14.1 billion in 2012. Similarly, the total number of subscribers (which includes customers subscribed to IPTV services such as Bell’s Fibe TV or Telus’ Optik TV), rose by 1% from 11.4 million to 11.5 million. (We checked with the CRTC and the only…
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GATINEAU – There's no Say No To Bell campaign this time around, but most of Bell's major competitors have again told the CRTC they are strongly against the takeover of Astral Media by BCE, even with the new promises to divest English-language TV assets.
Quebecor, Rogers and Telus all said they were against the deal in submissions sent to the Commission on Friday, the deadline for interventions in the new application for change of ownership.
Quebecor Media, which owns the Vidéotron cable provider and broadcaster TVA, "asks the Commission to categorically refuse the approval of the revised application," saying it would…
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BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Arrested Development fans, rejoice! Netflix will premiere its highly-anticipated fourth season of Arrested Development on May 26, 2013. On that date, all 15 new episodes of the Emmy Award-winning comedy will be available for members to watch instantly at launch at 12:01 a.m. PDT.
“Arrested Development is now widely viewed as one of the top TV comedies of all time and Mitch Hurwitz is bringing it to Netflix in a brand new way, crafted for the on-demand generation that has come to discover the show in the years since it last appeared…
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