By Ahmad Hathout
VANCOUVER – Telus CEO Darren Entwistle said Friday the company’s roll-out of 5G technology, which now has 150,000 subscribers, isn’t based on necessity because its current generation of wireless technology is presently the best available.
“It’s not a situation where we’re deploying 5G out of necessity when we’re already leading the world on wireless speeds, coverage and reliability with our 4G networks,” Entwistle said during a third quarter conference call. “Our 4G technology is beating 5G technology in other jurisdictions as it relates to speed, coverage and reliability, which is an exceedingly good position to be winning on…
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Transparent measure follows Telus
By Ahmad Hathout
MONTREAL – Bell Canada may begin formally separating its mobile phones from tablets and other connected devices in future financial reporting, which will better isolate subscriber figures for 5G-connected peripherals and enhance transparency and comparability with competitors in the industry.
Back in 2018, Telus – which had trailed its competitors on paper when it came to new wireless subscribers – declared that it actually had similar, if not better, smartphone-specific new additions in its base versus its major competitors for certain quarters. The problem was that it, and its competitors, didn’t separate the “quality” smartphone…
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By Ahmad Hathout
TORONTO – Some of the country’s largest carriers have lost an appeal challenging the process by which the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) set higher pole attachment rates they say could hamper the delivery of broadband services.
Rogers, Telus, Shaw, Cogeco, Quebecor and Bragg (Eastlink), among others, didn’t like the consultation process that saw the rate to attach their cables on structures jump from an annual rate of $22.35 per attachment set in 2005 to $43.63 across the province. They argued in the province’s divisional court in late September that the OEB had not provided them with the appropriate…
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MONTREAL — Broadcaster and music service provider Stingray today reported its revenues decreased 16% in the second quarter of its 2021 fiscal year, compared to the same quarter last year, primarily due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the company’s radio revenues.
For the three months ended September 30, 2020, Stingray’s revenues totalled $64.3 million, down from $76.6 million in the same period of last year. The company’s radio revenues decreased by 33.6% to $25.1 million, compared to $37.8 million a year ago.
Stingray’s broadcasting and commercial music segment (which includes its TV channels) saw revenues increase 1.1% to…
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Videotron, others, are skeptical of Bell’s commitments
By Denis Carmel
MONTREAL – On Friday, Bell Canada issued a news release announcing new measures to simplify the process for access to poles by recipients of the Québec Branché and Régions Branchées grant programs and other service providers.
This follows a process announced by the Government of Québec back in May 2020, along with the members of a working group that was tasked to accelerate the deployment of high-speed Internet in rural regions through a program financed by the Government of Québec.
“To address the many technical challenges associated with the deployment of fibre…
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Company adds 60,000 wireless subs in Q4
CALGARY – While so many industries and companies have suffered through the Covid-19 crisis, Canadian telecoms like Shaw Communications have proven resilient because people need connectivity. This pandemic has shown that like never before.
The company’s fiscal 2020 results released Friday were in line with pre-Covid guidance, including adjusted EBITDA growth of 3.7% and free cash flow of $747 million, and included an addition of 60,000 new wireless subscribers in the fourth quarter (which includes Freedom Mobile and newly launched Shaw Mobile), ended August 31st. Wireless service revenue grew 17.4% to approximately $815 million…
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WATERTOWN, N.Y. – WPBS-TV, the PBS station serving Northern New York and Eastern Ontario, announced today Janet Yale has joined its board of directors.
Most recently, Yale chaired the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review panel which resulted in the report Canada’s Communication Future: Time to Act. A lawyer by training, she served as president and CEO of the Arthritis Society, executive vice president at Telus, and president and CEO of the Canadian Cable Television Association.
“Janet’s true passion is in the not-for-profit sector where she has been recognized as a prominent innovator and leader. She is past chair of the Arthritis…
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VANCOUVER – Saying Canadians have collectively lost more than $60 million to fraud this year so far and almost 90% of them wish their internet was more secure, but only 18% report using tools to protect their identity online, Telus today expanded a few things to help out.
The company today announced Telus Online Security Powered by NortonLifeLock is now available throughout Canada. The service features online safety and privacy solutions from NortonLifeLock to help Canadians protect their identity, devices, and online privacy. Telus Online Security was previously available only to Telus Internet customers in B.C. and Alberta.
“Throughout the pandemic,…
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VANCOUVER — In partnership with mental fitness app developer Calm, Telus today launched the Telus Healthy Living Network on Optik TV and Pik TV to bring meditation and relaxation content directly into customers’ homes.
Calling it a global-first agreement, Telus says the collaboration with Calm will enable Telus to provide mental health resources to Canadians as they deal with the stresses brought on by life during the Covid-19 pandemic. The on-demand Calm content, which is free for all Optik TV and Pik TV subscribers, includes guided meditations, breathing exercises and Calm’s Sleep Stories, bedtime stories for grownups.
“At Telus, we know…
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VANCOUVER — Telus today said it’s accelerating its commitment to deliver smart city solutions to enable municipalities to leverage technology and data to enhance their residents’ health and safety, increase operational efficiencies and meet sustainability goals.
The company says it has already deployed technologies to enable smart city solutions in more than 65 municipalities across Canada, helping city officials to track infrastructure usage, save energy with intelligent lighting systems, improve traffic flow and decrease emergency response times.
“From intelligent traffic systems and connected street lights, to advanced artificial intelligence that provides insights to create smarter city planning, Telus Smart City solutions…
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