CANADA’S TRADITIONAL CABLE companies have banded together on a new website to promote the reliability of their networks to customers across the country.
The networksyoucancounton.ca website, registered to Quebecor’s TVA Group, displays the logos of Cogeco, Eastlink, Rogers, Shaw and Videotron, with links to each service provider.
“We know how important it is to have networks you can count on,” reads the website.
“We provide high-speed Internet access to more than 6.9 million Canadian households and businesses across the country, including in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities,” it continues. “Our physical networks — built, maintained, and upgraded over many years at…
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By Ken Kelley
OTTAWA – In an already competitive landscape where ad dollars are becoming tougher to secure, the Covid-19 pandemic piled yet a new challenge on top of several long-simmering issues for independent broadcasters in the country.
Appearing virtually before the Standing Committee of Finance, Luc Perreault, an advisor to Stingray (and former Pelmorex executive), outlined the challenges the Independent Broadcast Group (IBG), a consortium of 10 independent Canadian TV broadcasters, have seen over the last three months.
“We estimate the broadcast advertising market has shrunk by 50%, or more since January,” Perreault said. “Before Covid-19, the Canadian ad market was…
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By Denis Carmel
VANCOUVER – In a civil suit filed on June 10, Telus has asked the British Columbia Supreme Court to grant an injunction preventing Shaw, from using the term “Fibre+” as the product name for its fastest Internet service.
“The false and misleading statements in Shaw’s advertising and promotional materials described above, which Shaw knew and knows are false, were made with the intent to cause consumer confusion and injury to Telus without lawful justification, and will result in Telus suffering actual economic loss,” writes Telus in its statement of claim.
Telus argues that using the word “Fibre”, Shaw misrepresents…
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OTTAWA — The Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) has provided updated data about the changes in traffic volumes and usage patterns that have occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Its most recent report, released Friday, looks at wireless and wireline traffic volumes through the month of May, as some regions of Canada began to loosen restrictions on the mobility of citizens and the reopening of some businesses. (The CWTA’s previous report looked at traffic volumes in March and April.)
Among the data highlights of the new CWTA report, Managing Networks in Unprecedented Times – Part 2, are the following:
Wireline…
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CALGARY – The 2020 Shaw Charity Classic golf tournament has been cancelled due to the Covid-19 crisis, the company and PGA Tour Champions announced today.
It was scheduled for August 24-30, 2020, at Calgary’s Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club.
With international travel restrictions still in place, along with federal and provincial governments urging caution, the official decision came after the City of Calgary cancelled all event permits through to August 31st, in an effort to minimize the spread of Covid-19.
“Over the past few weeks, we have had extensive meetings with all of our key stakeholders including the PGA Tour, along…
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VANCOUVER — Home Internet customers in Western Canada now have another high-speed option to consider, with the announcement from Telus on Wednesday it is launching its Telus PureFibre 1.5 Gigabit service for residents in B.C. and Alberta.
This follows Shaw’s announcement two weeks ago that its gigabit-speed Internet service, Fibre+ Gig, is now available to more than 99% of its residential customers in Western Canada.
Telus PureFibre 1.5 Gigabit provides up to 1.5 Gbps download and up to 940 Mbps upload speeds, according to the Telus news release. Telus says its PureFibre network is the largest 100% pure fibre-to-the-premise…
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By Greg O’Brien
OTTAWA – No one likes delay, especially when it comes to the auction of the wireless spectrum which will drive the primary advantages of 5G wireless technology.
Canadian wireless companies have been clamouring for access to 3500 MHz (3.5 GHz if you prefer) because the mid-band spectrum will deliver the speed and low latency so key to 5G’s future and all were anxious to get to this December’s auction and hit the gas on the next generation of wireless.
Then the coronavirus pandemic hit.
While company CEOs like Joe Natale (Rogers), Mirko Bibic (Bell), Darren Entwistle (Telus), and…
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MONTREAL – Music, media and technology company Stingray today announced it has reached an agreement with Shaw Communications to renew its carriage agreement.
As part of the agreement, Shaw Cable and Shaw Direct customers will have access to Stingray Music audio channels and can enjoy the Stingray mobile app and web player for free. Music video TV channels Stingray Retro, Stingray Loud, Stingray Vibe and Stingray Country will also be available to residential and commercial subscribers.
“We are thrilled to have renewed our agreement with Shaw,” said Eric Boyko, president and CEO of Stingray. “Our partnership creates an important channel to…
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By Denis Carmel
GATINEAU – Saying it is suffering from an asymmetrical marketplace, Shaw filed an application to the CRTC on May 27th, requesting interim relief from having to offer access to its network to resellers, at mandated rates while Telus and Bell/MTS have no such obligations for their higher speed offerings.
The application was filed the same day the company launched its Fibre+ Gig service, across 99% of their network.
“Five years have now passed since the last review of the Commission’s wholesale wireline framework and ILECs’ fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) services continue to enjoy a regulatory holiday from mandated HSA requirements….
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GATINEAU — On Monday, the CRTC initiated a proceeding to examine the offer and promotion of accessible wireless plans by wireless service providers and the extent to which these plans meet the needs of Canadians with various disabilities.
All retail wireless service providers are required to offer accessible wireless plans and to promote those plans in ways that are accessible, including through stores, websites and customer service representatives.
The aim of the proceeding, however, is to look at how wireless service providers are complying with these requirements, whether differences exist between primary and flanker brands, whether the plans currently offered and…
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