TORONTO – The fact that ARPU is trending downwards and churn is rising among the big three wireless providers shows that facilities-based competition brought by the likes of Videotron, Freedom and Eastlink is working – and mandated MVNOs would be a bad move for Canada.
So says a report published this week by Scotiabank’s telecom analyst Jeff Fan.
“Quebecor has been a wireless facilities-based competitor in Quebec for a decade. Is that not sustainable enough? We estimate the company has now captured approximately 19% market share in the province, and, with its new Fizz brand, the momentum has actually accelerated. We…
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NORTH BAY, Ont. – The headline you see came about mid-day during the first Bridging the Digital Divide rural broadband conference being held in North Bay this week.
The prescient comment was made by Geoff Gillon, executive director of the Rainy River Business Development Corporation (Fort Frances, Ont.), and those six words sum up the massive challenge of making sure all Canadians can get excellent broadband and wireless service, no matter where they live.
Canadian consumers and businesses need broadband, whether it’s to take a university course where the school is thousands of miles away, to run robotics in a dairy…
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GATINEAU – Canada’s major cable carriers (Eastlink, Cogeco, Rogers, Shaw and Videotron) Wednesday made the point to federal cabinet that all the CRTC decision on new third party internet access aggregated wholesale rates does is disincentivize needed investment in high-speed networks, which is contrary to public interest.
November 13th was the deadline to file petitions to Cabinet (technically to the Governor-in-Council with cabinet) on the August CRTC decision to set lower final rates for TPIA – and force the incumbents to pay three years of retroactive overpayments to independent ISP resellers – and as the cable carriers argue, “by reducing…
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GREENWOOD VILLAGE, CO — CSG, a Colorado-based provider of managed services for business support system (BSS) operations, has extended its partnership with Shaw Communications’ Freedom Mobile to provide additional business and IT operations managed services to help the wireless company provide exceptional customer service to its subscribers, the companies said Tuesday.
Through the expanded partnership, CSG will support Freedom Mobile in addressing customer inquires related to billing and payment management, error processing and service disruptions. CSG is also providing monitoring of business operations and best-in-class IT support, CSG said in a news release.
“Our partnership with CSG helps us streamline…
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TORONTO – Like most others worldwide, Canadians' TV viewing habits seem in constant flux. They're taking to streaming and on-demand viewing, driven by the adoption of Amazon Prime, Netflix, Crave TV, and other services, and are watching on more than television sets. An expert panel at the Canadian ISP Summit took a look at this changing landscape and discussed what the future may hold for ISPs and traditional TV providers.
Moderator Brad Fisher, CRO of Distributel, was joined by panelists Doug Edwards, executive chairman and founder of Zone TV, Kerry Travilla, VP of technology at MobiTV, John Pomeroy, GM –…
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CALGARY – Shaw Communication said today announced it is expanding the availability of Freedom Home Internet, an internet product which was tested in Calgary in October, which is designed to give its wireless customers the fast download speeds and unlimited data they need to stay connected at home.
“Freedom Home Internet gives our customers access to all the in-home connectivity they want, paired with the innovative wireless plans from Freedom Mobile that they already love,” said Paul McAleese, Shaw’s wireless president.
Freedom Home Internet is designed for customers who also want a fast, self-managed, in-home internet service, adds the company. This…
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Incumbents ask for two more months to file their R&V of the wholesale rates decision
GATINEAU – Following the August CRTC decision on final rates for aggregated wholesale high-speed internet access services (CRTC Telecom Order 2019-288), it was obvious by their collective reaction that the incumbent ISPs would challenge the decision, by any and all means necessary.
They went to the Federal Court of Appeal already and were granted a stay, as we reported, and the next step is to ask the CRTC to review, rescind or vary its own decision, as provided…
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WOODSTOCK, ON — Execulink Telecom is sponsoring the installation of a new device charging station in the Legacy Recreation Centre in Thedford, Ont, for the use of the centre and its patrons.
“The Legacy Centre is an integral backbone in the Lambton Shores community and we are thrilled to equip them with a new, innovative solution to keep their visitors connected,” said Ian Stevens (pictured on left), president and CEO of Execulink Telecom, in a news release. “Our Vision, Mission and Values are the key driver for all of our community sponsorships. We strive to put focus on technological growth…
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GATINEAU – "The Commission is of the preliminary view that certain device financing plans may create a new barrier for customers to take advantage of competitive offers in the market.
“In particular, customers, who may benefit in the immediate term from lower monthly costs related to their devices, appear to be asked to accept terms and conditions that may require them to stay with their current WSP after the end of their wireless service plan commitment period or be charged for the remainder of the cost of the device,” reads the notice from the CRTC when it opened a Continue Reading
GATINEAU – After being told its first application was deficient, Videotron rewrote the CRTC to rectify the company’s application and request again the withdrawal for its unbundled up-to-1 Gbps download, up-to-100 Mbps upload service since as October 23rd, it no longer has any more wholesale clients on that tier.
As before the company wants to also grandfather its retail clients who pay for the service, but stop offering to any new customers.
The removal of top speed services tilts against the prevailing winds in the broadband world.
Generally, withdrawal/de-standardization like this takes place when a service is…
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