By Ahmad Hathout
SpaceX is getting broad support for its Starlink broadband satellite service to use the E-band spectrum to expand connectivity, including to Canada’s rural and remote communities.
The American aerospace company filed a request with Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) in December requesting that it be able to utilize the E-band (71-76 GHz downlink and 81-86 GHz uplink) for fixed satellite service (FSS) communications between its satellites and gateway earth station located at Saint-Laurent, Quebec and Janet, Alberta, which are currently serving users via the Ka-band. The E-band is used by terrestrial wireless network providers for…
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Telus announced Tuesday it has signed a commercial agreement with Texas-based AST SpaceMobile to deliver satellite-powered cellular broadband service — including text messaging, voice calls and data — direct to everyday smartphones, starting late this year.
The satellite-to-mobile connectivity will be made possible by combining AST SpaceMobile’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation and Telus’s wireless network, enabling Telus customers to connect in areas of Canada where traditional cellular network infrastructure is not available.
As part of the agreement, Telus will invest in ground-based satellite infrastructure and become an equity shareholder in AST…
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Capgemini last week announced it has been selected by Telus to lead an automation initiative to modernize the Vancouver-based telecom’s network operations.
An autonomous network is one that evolves from manual, rules-based operations to intent-based and closed-loop systems, explained a press release from Capgemini, a Paris-headquartered provider of AI-powered business and technology transformation services and solutions to companies across the globe.
“These intelligent networks can detect anomalies, predict equipment failures and resolve issues in real-time,” the press release said. “The result is a more resilient, efficient network that delivers consistent performance while significantly…
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By Ahmad Hathout
Telus and Bell have agreed to end applications to the CRTC that each claimed the other was making it difficult to lease space on their fibre networks.
According to a Friday letter from the CRTC, Telus and Bell submitted letters to the regulator earlier this week to withdraw their applications. The regulator, in turn, voided an interim order that forced Bell to revert system updates that Telus claimed was causing its wholesale access issues in Ontario and Quebec.
“Commission staff expects that any processes and procedures associated with the wholesale provisioning of HSA will apply to all wholesale customers…
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New wireless competitors took over half of mobile sub adds in 2024
By Ahmad Hathout
Independent wholesale-based internet service providers lost half of their market share since 2020, according to a report from the CRTC.
The market share dropped from a high of 8.4 per cent in 2020 to 4.2 per cent in 2024, according to the Canadian Telecommunications Market Report, released Tuesday. And it’s been steady in between: falling to 8 per cent in 2021, 6.1 per cent in 2022 and 5 per cent in 2023.
“With shifts in the internet service market and in…
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Freedom Mobile on Tuesday announced it is introducing a refreshed suite of Total Freedom plans offering coast-to-coast coverage across Canada, plus international roaming in 120-plus global destinations included at no additional cost.
“These plans will include monthly recurring Roam Beyond data, expanding the value proposition far beyond Canada-U.S.-Mexico use,” said a Freedom press release. “By embedding international roaming into wireless monthly rate plans, Freedom removes the unpredictability and financial burden typically associated with other international roaming options — a longstanding pain point for consumers.”
The new unlimited talk-and-text Total Freedom…
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Videotron last week announced it has selected Samsung to upgrade its network infrastructure with Samsung’s 5G non-standalone (NSA) and 4G LTE core gateway solution.
This core network collaboration builds on the companies’ radio access network (RAN) partnership that began in 2019.
Under the expanded partnership, Samsung will deliver a comprehensive, turnkey solution leveraging its cloud-native 5G and 4G core on Dell PowerEdge servers with AMD EPYC 9005 Server CPUs and Red Hat OpenShift, a hybrid cloud application platform powered by Kubernetes.
According to a Videotron press release, key highlights…
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By Ahmad Hathout
The country’s largest telecoms are challenging a decision by Quebec’s highest court allowing a proposed class of plaintiffs to seek punitive damages for device unlocking fees.
Rogers, Bell, Telus and Quebecor are asking the Supreme Court of Canada this week to review the December decision by the Quebec Court of Appeal, which stems from a Fido (Rogers) customer being charged what she called an “abusive” $50 plus tax to unlock her device before going on an overseas trip in 2016.
The telecoms allege the Quebec Court of Appeal incorrectly interpreted parts of the province’s Consumer Protection…
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By Ahmad Hathout
Service providers making under $25 million in revenue will not have to contribute to the National Contribution Fund (NCF) or pay annual telecom fees, the CRTC ruled Wednesday.
The regulator bumped up the threshold from $10 million of previous year’s revenues to $25 million for such fees, striking a balance, it said, between relieving an administrative and financial burden on smaller providers and only slightly increasing – by less than one per cent – the amounts to be paid by the rest of the pool to the NCF, which funds the regulator’s flagship Broadband Fund program.
Because the threshold…
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CBC announced Tuesday the greenlight of six new and returning original kids series from Canadian creators and producers, including three new preschool series, a live-action series and an animated series for school-aged children, and a third season of Murdoch Mysteries tween spinoff Macy Murdoch.
“Preschoolers and school-aged children will be delighted by the iconic characters and stunning animation in these highly creative shows that will not only entertain but also spark curiosity in kids across Canada,” Sally Catto, general manager of entertainment, factual and sports at CBC, said in a press release. “We are proud to continue…
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