Search Results for: telus

Cable / Telecom News

Telus tackles home dead zones with Boost Wi-Fi

VANCOUVER – Telus is offering its Internet customers a new system that extends the reach of their in-home Wi-Fi signals to ensure that every corner of their home receives a strong and reliable Internet connection. Telus Boost Wi-Fi uses a network of “boosters”, up to five per household, to efficiently relay the Wi-Fi signal and create additional hotspots wherever a stronger signal is needed.  The system is outfitted with Smart Wi-Fi technology that optimizes device performance as a user moves from room-to-room, ensuring each device is connected to the optimal booster relative to its location. The system may be set up with… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News, Radio / Television News

FairPlay: What’s the cost? What’s the tech? And, does the CRTC have the authority?

Nearly 10,000 submissions, most by people who didn’t read the proposal GATINEAU – The FairPlay Coalition has a fight on its hands. Last week saw the passing of the deadline to respond to the CRTC’s call for comments on the public proceeding opened to consider the FairPlay Coalition’s call for a new agency to help fight online piracy of content. In January, the coalition of Canadian artists, content creators, unions, guilds, producers, performers, broadcasters, distributors, and exhibitors proposed the CRTC establish something called the Independent Piracy Review Agency (IPRA), which would assist it in identifying websites blatantly engaged in content theft –… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

600 MHz auction rules set; will happen in March 2019, government expects a minimum of $1.54 billion

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

Cable / Telecom News

UPDATED: Commission gives Big Three a month to come up with skinny wireless

GATINEAU – Today the CRTC said no, for now, to Wi-Fi first mobile operators, effectively shutting down the business plan that was Sugar Mobile, it dramatically slashed the wholesale rates network owners can charge others to roam on their networks, and it gave Rogers, Bell and Telus a month to come up with new skinny wireless data plans for Canadians. While confirming that Wi-Fi first network operators can not roam on cellular networks and become full fledged resellers, and making no determinations on mandated MVNOs, the Commission decided instead to respond to the federal government’s request to re-examine its wholesale… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Ontario ISPs band together to fight pole rate increases

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

Cable / Telecom News

COMMENTARY: $200 million for 5G. Still zero million for those who can’t afford any G

THE SHALLOW BANALITY of the announcement is what’s initially most irksome. Today’s press release touted the federal government’s involvement in helping fund leading-edge 5G technology development in Ontario and Quebec – something it says is brand new but was actually announced 17 months ago – and the best three levels of government and five leading tech companies can come up with as a lead is: “Imagine a world where you start off the day right because your refrigerator has tracked how much food you have and ordered replacement items for you. Your commute… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News, Radio / Television News

Cord-cutting slows thanks to Shaw’s BlueSky TV

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

Cable / Telecom News

Telus helps enterprise clients with “digital transformation”

VANCOUVER – Telus is offering their client base of enterprise organizations a helping hand with their digital needs through a partnership with Vancouver-based software development agency Two Tall Totems. Two Tall Totems offers custom software design and development with technical capabilities that include mobile development, AR & VR, IoT, AI, cloud computing, and enterprise solutions.  The new partnership enables Telus to leverage Two Tall Totems’ engineers and designers to include custom software development alongside their suite of services.  The partnership is a three year service agreement with an option to extend an additional two years. “We are excited to extend our… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News, Radio / Television News

CBSC’s Courtemanche among WCT annual award winners

OTTAWA – Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) chair Sylvie Courtemanche has been named Woman of the Year by Women in Communications and Technology (WCT). Prior to joining CBSC in January, Courtemanche (pictured) was a senior executive at Corus for both regulatory matters and government relations.  She has also held roles as EVP policy and regulatory affairs for the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, legal counsel at the CRTC, and had her own consulting practice related to broadcasting and telecommunications in Canada. Cogeco Connexion was named company of the year, and WCT also named 9 other recipients of its annual awards, which recognize… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Billing and collection service to remain mandated, says CRTC

OTTAWA – The CRTC has denied requests from both Bell and Telus seeking forbearance from the regulation of billing and collection service (BCS). BCS is a mandated wholesale service that requires all local exchange carriers to bill and collect on behalf of alternate service providers (ASPs), such as long distance service providers, with respect to certain eligible services.  These eligible services include casual long distance services (also known as 10-10 services), 900 services, collect call services, and bill-to-third call services.  BCS enables an ASP to provide services to a local exchange customer without having a pre-existing billing relationship, or establishing… Continue Reading