OTTAWA – While some might say that a review of the Broadcasting Act and Telecom Act has more or less already begun with Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly’s “everything is on the table” consultations on Canadian Content in a Digital World, the federal government’s 2017 budget, released Wednesday, confirmed that a more formal review will begin this year.
While Minister Joly and the federal government have not given any formal indications on where her consultation will lead when it comes to new law or policies (so far, just a detailed summary of her cross-country consultations has been released), the budget…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Canadian sports fans now have an all-access pass to beIN Sports during a free preview on now through April 19.
The freeview will serve up exclusive access to coverage of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final match featuring Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid on April 12 at 2:45 PM ET, soccer action from LaLiga, Serie A and Ligue 1, and international MotoGP Grand Prix races from Qatar and Argentina.
“From top European soccer to thrilling motorcycle racing, this is an extraordinary opportunity for Canadians to experience a jam-packed month of international sports coverage and to discover all the excitement that beIN…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – While Canadian viewers continue to cut their TV cords, they still remain a small fraction of the total TV market, says new research released Wednesday.
Ottawa-based research and consulting firm Boon Dog Professional Services said that the big, publicly traded traditional TV service providers – Rogers, Shaw/Shaw Direct, BCE, Videotron, Cogeco, Telus, and MTS, combined lost 202,000 TV subscribers in their respective 2016/2017 fiscal years, up from 160,000 lost in their 2015/2016 fiscal years.
But the report found a shift in trends, noting that the cable companies lost fewer subscribers and that the IPTV providers saw subscriber growth slow significantly.
“The…
Continue Reading
LAST WEDNESDAY, THE CRTC ordered Sugar Mobile, a discount wireless services provider, to stop its unauthorized use of Rogers Communications’ wireless network. The telecommunications regulator found that Ice Wireless, Sugar Mobile’s sister company, had “improperly allowed the end-users of cellular network.”
The CRTC’s decision is welcome news, and reaffirms its commitment to promote facilities-based competition in Canada’s wireless sector.
Ice Wireless is a wireless service provider operating in the Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut. It owns a wireless network in the territories, but has a roaming…
Continue Reading
VICTORIA – Victoria General Hospital has become the first hospital on Vancouver Island to offer the social support platform and networking tool Upopolis to their young patients.
Powered by Telus Health and created by Kids' Health Links Foundation (KHLF), Upopolis.com is Canada's only private, secure and trusted online social network designed for kids and teens receiving medical care in hospitals and clinics. The site offers access to medical content written in kid-friendly language so patients can better understand their diagnosis and treatment plan, enables connections with other patients who share similar diagnoses through public and private discussion groups, and…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Just in time for March Break, Bell Media’s pop-culture channel Much will kick off a national free preview from March 7 until April 4.
Home to comedy classics South Park, The Simpsons, and American Dad, Much will also serve up new British comedy Brotherhood, genre-busting prank show Fameless, plus the debut of Conan O’Brien’s new Conan Without Borders: Made In Mexico special (pictured).
Much’s freeview is available through television service providers including Bell, Bell Aliant, Cogeco, Eastlink, Rogers, SaskTel, Shaw, Shaw Direct, Telus, Videotron, and several CCSA partners including Westman Communications Group and Tbaytel.
www.Much.com
Continue Reading
WINNIPEG – Telus officially launched the Telus Manitoba Community Board on Wednesday, led by board chair Dave Johnston, retired president and COO of Great West Life's Canadian Division.
The new board will provide $350,000 in grants each year to local registered charities across the province to help local youth succeed through the power of technology. This contribution is part of the telecom company’s total $1 million commitment in 2017 for community investment in Manitoba.
Telus has been part of the community since it launched national wireless services in Manitoba in 2000 but earlier this month, it announced it will welcome…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU – Today, the CRTC announced changes to the proposed final terms and conditions for the mandated mandated wholesale roaming offered by Bell, Rogers and Telus.
The changes, once implemented and approved by the Commission, “will ensure that, among other things, the incumbents’ tariffs (i) reflect the policy established in Telecom Regulatory Policy 2015-177; (ii) define the scope of mandated wholesale roaming to avoid potential anti-competitive behaviour by the incumbents; (iii) recognize the principle that the incumbents are not required to provide access to their networks to service providers and their customers that do not qualify…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU – The CRTC today told Ice Wireless that allowing its Sugar Mobile customers to roam constantly on the Rogers Wireless network violates its roaming agreement and that it has 50 days to stop.
As Cartt.ca has reported, Ice had applied to the CRTC for relief against Rogers Communications after the national operator told Ice more than a year ago it was violating their agreement – and it would be terminating that contract, along with roaming service to Sugar customers.
Ice Wireless operates a mobile network that includes coverage in the three Canadian Territories and some…
Continue Reading
VANCOUVER – Telus has expanded its smartphone plans for customers who are frequent U.S. travellers, snowbirds, and those with family and friends in the United States.
The telco said Monday that its new Canada-U.S. monthly rate plan works the same in both countries, with unlimited calling and texting to Canadian and U.S. numbers as well as usage from the customer’s data bucket while in Canada or the US.
According to the company’s website, the plan offers various data options as well as voice mail, call display, call waiting and conference calling. Customers are required to stay on this plan for the…
Continue Reading
