TV stations will be moving
OTTAWA – As expected, 30 MHz of an available 70 MHz of new wireless spectrum to be auctioned off next year will be set aside for smaller, regional companies and possible new entrants in an attempt to push additional competition in the Canadian wireless market.
Wednesday evening, just as the federal government shut down for a two week Easter Break, the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada released the much anticipated framework for the auction of 600 MHz spectrum, a band prized for its ability to both travel long distances…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Internet service providers of every size and shape (except one big one) have launched a new coalition to rally Ontarians to help them battle large proposed rate increases for utility pole attachments.
While some local hydro companies have been pushing rates far higher, the Ontario Energy Board wants to set a standard rate across the province of $52 per pole per year, far above the current rate of $22.35. The three largest utilities, Hydro One, Toronto Hydro and Hydro Ottawa, have already boosted their rates to $41, $42 and $53.
Such rate increases for pole attachments will only…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – The CRTC has approved the sale of GameTV from Anthem Sports and Entertainment to Remuda Media Inc. for $6.5 million.
Remuda Media is jointly owned and controlled by Dean Langille, John Philips, 2078677 Alberta Ltd. (William Sawchyn) and 2225926 Ontario Ltd. (Bryan Woodruff), with each holding 25% of the shares.
According a CRTC letter to Anthem subsidiary Game TV Corp earlier this month, the transaction is valued at $6,500,000 for the purchase price and $25,291 for the net working capital that will be transferred at closing. The tangible benefits package of 10% of the transaction will be payable to…
Continue Reading
However, it's likely just temporary
OTTAWA – While Canada’s publicly traded television service providers lost almost 20% fewer TV subscribers in 2017 versus 2016, this is likely a temporary positive turn in a long road of permanent TV subscriber declines in the future, according to new research released Wednesday.
Ottawa-based research and consulting firm Boon Dog Professional Services found that BCE, Rogers, Shaw, Vidéotron, Cogeco, and Telus combined lost approximately 166,000 in their respective 2017 fiscal years, down from an estimated 205,000 lost in the previous year.
Boon Dog partner Mario Mota credited the improved cord-cutting numbers for 2017 to the…
Continue Reading
MONTREAL – Despite an uptick in revenues, Quebecor saw fourth quarter profits fall by $57.7 million from a year ago when it recorded a number of favourable non-operating items, the company said Wednesday.
Revenues for the quarter ended December 31, 2017 inched up 0.8% ($8.8 million) to $1.06 billion year-over-year. Revenues increased in Telecommunications ($36.2 million or 4.5% of segment revenues), though dropped in Media ($22.7 million or -10.2%) and in Sports and Entertainment ($3.8 million or -7.0%).
Net income attributable to shareholders fell to $65.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2017, compared with $123.3 million in the same period of 2016, due in part…
Continue Reading
SKIDEGATE, BC – Thirty-three rural and remote British Columbia communities, including13 Indigenous communities, will receive new or improved high-speed Internet thanks to a joint federal-provincial investment of $38 million.
The funding, announced Tuesday by Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Navdeep Bains, and British Columbia’s Minister of Citizens’ Services Jinny Sims, comes in addition to the $45.4 million investment announced in January for 154 coastal BC communities.
According to the announcement, $19.7 million will come from the federal government’s Connect to Innovate program; $11.3 million will come from the Government of British Columbia, through the Connecting British Columbia…
Continue Reading
Part VIII in our series on rewriting the Telecom and Broadcasting Acts
IT’S BEEN PRETTY CLEAR throughout Cartt.ca’s investigation of the opportunities and challenges associated with modernizing Canada’s telecommunications and broadcasting legislative frameworks that the Broadcasting Act appears most in need of updating.
We won’t rehash it here (check the prior seven articles on our “Investigates” page), but think Netflix and their online TV provider brethren and the myriad challenges facing media. That said, the Telecommunications Act requires some tweaking, too, according to interviews and comments in industry fora.
It’s been nearly two years since broadband services were…
Continue Reading
8e partie dans notre série sur la révision des Lois sur la radiodiffusion et des télécommunications
IL APPARAÎT CLAIREMENT au fil de notre enquête sur les défis et opportunités associés à la modernisation du cadre législatif de la radiodiffusion et des télécommunications que la Loi sur la radiodiffusion semble celle qui a le plus besoin d’une mise à jour.
Nous ne passerons pas en revue tous les arguments (consultez les sept articles précédents sous l’onglet «Investigate»), mais pensez à Netflix et leurs confrères fournisseurs de télévision en ligne et à la myriade de défis rencontrés par…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – The Canadian Chapter of the International Institute of Communications (IIC Canada) will host its two-day annual conference at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa on October 31 and November 1, 2018.
This year's confab will bring together leading communications sector players to discuss developments related to the major current issues in Canadian and international communications law and policy. In Canada, these developments include the federal government's planned review of the Telecommunications and Broadcasting Acts, the evolution of Internet-based audio and video distribution platforms, the impact of these platforms on traditional communications policies, tensions between net-neutrality and video program piracy,…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU – In a complaint filed with the CRTC last week, the Canadian Cable Systems Alliance says Rogers Media is violating a number of CRTC policies in refusing to let its members launch or re-package channels as contract negotiations drag on.
The CCSA represents over 115 independent broadband and video carriers which collectively serve approximately 350,000 Canadians, in areas which compete with one or more of the bigger providers, or in more rural regions.
In the complaint, filed February 22nd and posted to the Commission’s website Wednesday, the CCSA says Rogers Media Inc. is now refusing to permit CCSA members to…
Continue Reading
