TORONTO and CALGARY – Rogers Communications and Shaw Communications released a joint statement today indicating the early mediation with the Commissioner of Competition that took place earlier this week on Monday and Tuesday did not end in a resolution to the Commissioner’s objections to the proposed merger of the two companies.
“Rogers and Shaw intend to continue to work constructively with the Commissioner to highlight the many benefits of the merger to all Canadians, including maintaining a strong and sustainable fourth wireless carrier across Canada through the proposed divestiture of Freedom Wireless to Quebecor Inc.,” the statement says.
This news…
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Cabinet declined to consider petition to set aside CRTC decision on Rogers merger
CALGARY – Shaw Communications announced today its financial results for Q3 2022, which shows revenue decreased 2.1% to $1.35 billion, compared to the same quarter the previous year.
The financial results for the quarter ended May 31, 2022, further show adjusted EBITDA increased slightly (0.3%) to $644 million compared to Q3 2021, while net income decreased 42.7% to $203 million.
“The prior year period included incremental Wireline Consumer revenue of approximately $20 million related to the release of a provision following the decision on final aggregated Third Party Internet…
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CALGARY – Shaw Business announced today it is launching Fibre+ Gig 2.0 for businesses across Western Canada.
Fibre+ Gig 2.0 is a 2 Gbps Internet tier that will give businesses “access to the speed and bandwidth they need to connect their data-heavy applications and cloud services that power their day-to-day operations,” a press release says.
“Gig 2.0 is ideal for businesses working through multiple locations who utilize multiple connected technology services simultaneously, from in-store WiFi and point-of-sale systems to video conferencing tools, multiple connected workstations and cloud services,” says the release.
“Businesses are more connected today than ever before, and with more…
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VANCOUVER and HAMILTON – Broadcast Dialogue publisher and Momentum Media Marketing president Shawn Smith is acquiring Cartt.ca, Canada’s cable, radio, television, and telecom industry digital publication.
Greg O’Brien, Cartt.ca’s founding publisher who is now news director at CHCH Television in Hamilton, will stay on as editor emeritus and contribute occasional editorial content, while acting in an advisory role during the transition period.
“Seventeen years ago, I formed CARTT.ca to provide comprehensive coverage of the rapidly converging electronic media and telecom industries and I have so enjoyed my time covering such a dynamic industry and all the interesting people working in it,” said O’Brien, in a press release….
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OTTAWA — Rogers, Shaw, and the Competition Bureau have agreed to sit in front of a mediator to hash out a possible settlement on the issues involving the cable companies’ proposed merger, according to a letter dated yesterday to the Competition Tribunal.
The first scheduled mediation dates are July 4 and 5, the letter said. The process involves a neutral person assisting the disputing parties to come to a voluntary settlement of the issues. Options for that neutral person include a judicial member of the tribunal or the Federal Court, and the parties can give a preference…
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OTTAWA – In response to a report from the industry committee urging the federal government to block Rogers’s proposed takeover of Shaw Communications, Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne declined to comment on the matter specifically but pointed to a number of policy developments that he says will help alleviate concerns about telecom competition and prices.
In March, the committee recommended that the government block the proposed deal on the grounds that it allegedly would stunt competition. If ISED – which is reviewing the spectrum licensing portion of the deal – permits the merger, the committee urged the government…
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TORONTO, CALGARY and MONTREAL – Rogers Communications, Shaw Communications and Quebecor Inc. announced late Friday night they have reached an agreement for the sale of Freedom Mobile to Quebecor in a deal valued at $2.85 billion, subject to regulatory approval.
Rogers initiated a process of selling Freedom several months ago, after the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne released a statement saying he would not permit Rogers to acquire all of Shaw’s wireless assets.
The sale of Freedom to Quebecor “will ensure the presence of a strong and sustainable fourth wireless carrier across Canada,” a press release says. “The…
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Tribunal releases scheduling order putting hearing in November
COMMISSIONER OF COMPETITION Matthew Boswell is pushing back against claims Rogers Communications and Shaw Communications have made about the competitive impact of their proposed merger and the proposed divestiture of Freedom Mobile, arguing that selling Freedom is not enough to outweigh the negative effects he claims the deal will have on competition.
In replies to Rogers’ and Shaw’s responses to the commissioner’s application to the Competition Tribunal seeking to have the proposed merger blocked, which were made public by the tribunal today, the Commissioner of Competition reiterated that he does not…
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THOSE WHO ARE CLOSELY following the approval process of the proposed merger of Rogers Communications and Shaw Communications will know the outside date for closing the transaction was extended from March 15, 2022, to June 13, 2022, and was extended again last month to July 31, 2022.
So, we are already looking in the rear-view mirror at one (soon to be two) outside closing dates.
What is going on? A lot.
Competition Tribunal
Last month, the Commissioner of Competition Matthew Boswell filed an application to the Competition Tribunal seeking to block the merger. He also filed an application seeking…
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Shaw says Freedom was built to be easily separated from Shaw
ROGERS COMMUNICATIONS AND Shaw Communications today filed their responses to the Competition Bureau’s application to the Competition Tribunal for an order blocking their proposed merger, with Rogers calling Commissioner of Competition Matthew Boswell’s position “unreasonable”.
In an application to the Competition Tribunal, filed last month, the commissioner indicated he is seeking to prevent the Rogers and Shaw merger due to concern over the impact he alleges it will have on wireless competition in the country.
Rogers, however, says the commissioner’s analysis “is flawed and incomplete.”
“Contrary to the Commissioner’s allegations, the…
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