Telus announced the launch Wednesday of SmartEnergy, an app that the telco said will help Canadians save on energy bills and reduce their environmental footprint by automating energy use.
Subscribers of the service connect their smart devices, such as thermostats and wall outlets, into Telus’s SmartHome+ app, which will automatically adjust home temperatures settings and power down unused devices.
Telus says it is expecting subscribers to save an average of 15 per cent on their energy bills, depending on their province, home type and heating source. Most of those savings will come from setting automated routines, Telus says in its FAQ.
Users…
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By Ahmad Hathout
Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. has fired Thursday the first challenge to the CRTC’s decision to force it to open its last-mile fibre facilities to its major competitors, alleging the regulator relied in its decision on a cabinet direction that was already beyond the jurisdiction of the Governor in Council.
“The CRTC, by adhering to the cabinet direction, conducted a lengthy consultative exercise, with input from a broad spectrum of industry participants and interested parties, including SaskTel, in service of making a determination that was, in effect, already made,” the Crown corporation says in its memorandum to the Federal…
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Telus announced Wednesday a partnership with Mila, the Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, to mutually “develop artificial intelligence (AI) for the benefit of society.”
The Vancouver-based telecom and the Montreal-based research institute “will explore state-of-the-art AI technologies and potential industry impacts for the benefit of Canadian customers,” a press release said.
“Translating generative AI’s groundbreaking capabilities into real solutions is a critical step in realizing amazing outcomes for our customers and communities,” Jaime Tatis, chief insights officer at TELUS, said in the release. “Through our collaboration with Mila, TELUS is dedicated to fostering the growth of AI talent in Canada and to building state-of-the-art…
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Telus announced late last week that it’s putting more streaming services into its EnContinu+ bundle for Telus and Koodo customers in Quebec.
Subscribers to the service will now get two options: a basic plan, which includes Netflix with ads, Club illico, Amazon Prime Video, and Telus Films and Series for $25 per month; and a premium plan, which all of the above and Netflix without ads for $38 per month. The bundles also include the Amazon Prime shipping service, whose subscription alone would give subscribers access to the video service.
“By bringing three of Quebec’s most popular streaming services into one plan, EnContinu+…
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Peladeau lambasts “contradictory” decision
By Ahmad Hathout
The CRTC said Thursday that Quebecor must come to an agreement on separate terms with Bell unrelated to the commission-approved tariff in order to access the telco’s national wireless network.
After the commission picked Bell’s access rate in final offer arbitration with the regional carrier last fall, Quebecor filed a complaint to the CRTC alleging Bell is attempting to delay its access to the large network by making it agree to terms that were outside of those already approved by the commission – and that there was an expected access date of…
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The CRTC is committing more than $17 million through its Broadband Fund to Bell Canada, TBayTel, Telus Communications and Sogetel Mobilité to build new cell towers and improve mobile wireless service along eight major roads, the telecom regulator announced Wednesday.
The four telecommunications service providers submitted their funding applications in response to the CRTC’s third call for applications to the Broadband Fund.
Bell has been approved for up to $1.05 million in funding to build a cell tower to serve approximately 15 kilometres of Route 330 near the community of Gander Bay South in Newfoundland and…
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Telus said Thursday it is participating in a U.S. Department of Commerce initiative to support the development and deployment of trustworthy and safe artificial intelligence.
The U.S. AI Safety Institute Consortium, announced in February, will “unite AI creators and users, academics, government and industry researchers, and civil society organizations in support of the development and deployment of safe and trustworthy artificial intelligence (AI),” a Commerce Department press release said.
Telus will be joining more than 280 artificial intelligence stakeholders in the initiative.
“At TELUS, we are determined to harness the power of technology to create a better future,” Pamela…
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As Jasper residents began returning home last week after being forced to evacuate in late July due to ongoing wildfires in the area, Telus technicians have been onsite at the Jasper Re-Entry Centre to provide immediate technical assistance and connectivity solutions for the community.
Telus customers can also pick up free temporary wireless home phone and internet solutions at the re-entry centre, located at Commemoration Park, 1324 Pyramid Lake Rd., Telus said in a press release last Friday.
“Over the past few weeks, TELUS crews have been working around the clock in the Jasper area to maintain critical…
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The Federal Court of Appeal (FCA) has upheld a lower court ruling in 2022 that found Videotron’s illico set top box platform did not violate patented technology claimed by U.S.-based Rovi, now known as Adeia Guides.
The FCA said in its August 6 decision that Rovi’s appeal was dismissed as “the Federal Court did not make a reviewable error in its obviousness analysis concerning the 870 Patent and the 344 Patent” — two of four patents at the centre of Rovi’s original patent infringement claims against Videotron involving interactive television program guide technology.
In its…
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Telus International, rebranding to Telus Digital Experience later in the third quarter, announced last week the launch of Telus Expert Messaging, a generative AI (GenAI)-powered asynchronous messaging tool available 24/7 through the My Telus app.
This new customer support tool provides flexible two-way interactions that allow customers to start, pause and resume conversations at their convenience, eliminating wait times associated with traditional phone and live chat queues, a Telus International press release says.
The tool “lets TELUS customers access human support whenever it is most convenient for them, 24×7, by sending…
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