Bell says licensees should pay less if restrictions are permanent
By Ahmad Hathout
Canada’s big telecoms said they are surprised by an Innovation Canada decision to restrict the use of the 3.5 GHz spectrum in areas where there are interference possibilities, principally around 26 major airports, which they say will affect the ability of Canadians’ living in the surrounding areas to get 5G services.
ISED proposed the restrictions in an August consultation document.
Bell said in its submission to the consultation the decision came after the June spectrum auction and the federal minister gave no indication there was an asterisk on…
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TORONTO – Mediapro Canada announced today OneSoccer, its dedicated soccer streaming service, will broadcast live coverage of the celebration tour matches played by the Canadian women’s national soccer team (above), who recently won gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
The tour features two matches against New Zealand. “The initial two-match series begins in Ottawa’s TD Place on October 23rd, before moving on to Stade Saputo in Montréal on October 26th,” a press release says.
Mediapro Canada will produce live coverage of the matches, “using a minimum of eight cameras and two netcams.”
Kaylyn Kyle, Canadian women’s national team member and Olympic bronze…
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Government will not publish submissions received
By Amanda OYE
GATINEAU, QC – Comments submitted to the federal government’s consultation into harmful content online highlight a multitude of issues with its proposals for addressing the issue as well as with the consultation process itself.
The submissions to the consultation are not easy to come by. The deadline for comments passed in September, but the government decided it would not publish the ones it received.
A spokesperson for Canadian Heritage told Cartt.ca via email the submissions will only be available if an Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) request is made because the submissions…
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Bloomberg says company chairman wanted up to nine senior executives gone
TORONTO – Rogers CFO Tony Staffieri left the company due to “a high-level power struggle” during which the company’s chairman attempted to unseat the company’s CEO, the Globe and Mail reported last Friday.
Staffieri’s abrupt departure from Rogers was announced by the company on Sept. 29. No explanation was given at the time.
The Globe and Mail has since reported unidentified sources said Staffieri had developed a close relationship with Rogers chairman Edward Rogers, had ambitions to be CEO and “frequently butted heads” with Joe Natale, the company’s current…
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Cartt.ca spoke to some smaller players about their plans
By Ahmad Hathout
After late October, Innovation Canada is expected to begin licensing portions of the 3.5 GHz spectrum it auctioned off earlier this year, so Cartt.ca asked some smaller providers what they plan to do with it.
The auction, completed in July, involved 23 applicants gunning for 1,504 licenses. The government sold the licenses for a total of $8.9 billion.
As tensions mount among larger providers over whether Quebecor’s Videotron should be allowed to build out west – Bell and Telus alleged the company cannot because it does not have adequate base facilities…
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TORONTO – WildBrain Television announced today its fall lineup for Family Channel and Family Jr., which include several exclusive Canadian broadcast premieres.
“This October, WildBrain Television is handing out treats for the whole family to enjoy,” a press release says.
New programming includes Game of Talents (pictured above), which will premiere exclusively on Family Channel on Oct. 5 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
Hosted by Wayne Brady (Let’s Make A Deal, Whose Line Is It Anyway?), the show “infuses the spectacle of a large-scale variety show with a clue-centered, high-intensity investigative game, pitting two teams of contestants against each other as they attempt to…
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Says new pricing meets government’s 25% price reduction target
MONTREAL — Bell Canada today announced it is lowering the monthly pricing for mobile data plans from its flanker brand Virgin Plus, as of Oct. 5.
Bell says these lower prices will achieve the federal government’s target of having the cost of wireless plans reduced by 25% from the beginning of 2020 to early 2022, a target set by the government in March 2020.
As of Oct. 5, 2021, Virgin Plus’s monthly prices for its wireless plans will be $37.50 for 2 GB of data, $41.25 for 4 GB, and $45 for…
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GATINEAU — The Competition Bureau on Tuesday issued a request for information (RFI) from market participants and Canadians in general to assist its investigation into Rogers Communications’ proposed acquisition of Shaw Communications.
“The Bureau is investigating whether the proposed merger is likely to result in a substantial lessening or prevention of competition for mobile wireless, wireline internet and broadcasting services — which are provided by both companies,” reads the Bureau’s press release.
Specifically, the Bureau wants input to help it assess potential impacts on competition in the following areas:
Mobile wireless services to consumers
Consumer and small business internet services
…
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TORONTO — Corus Entertainment announced today the Peacock Original series Frogger, a new game show based on the iconic 1980s video game, will premiere on its kids’ channel YTV on Sunday, Oct. 3 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
“The new game show promises to test skill, strategy and strength as contestants go through incredible obstacle courses in hope of bringing home $100,000!” reads a Corus press release.
The competition series is hosted by Damon Wayans Jr. (above, left) and Kyle Brandt (right) and invites contestants from across the U.S. “to test their physical prowess and problem-solving skills on a variety of epic…
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PIAC asks CRTC to strike CPAC reply from the record
GATINEAU – Rogers Communications maintained in its reply to interventions received regarding its application to acquire Shaw Communications’ broadcast holdings, submitted to the CRTC yesterday, that approval of the application will provide a myriad of benefits to the Canadian broadcast sector and consumers.
“Clearly, the transaction will enhance competition, will benefit consumers, Canadian programming services and independent producers and will, therefore, further public interest and contribute in an appropriate manner to the achievements of the policy objectives outlined in subsection 3(1) of the Broadcasting Act,” Rogers’ reply reads.
According to the…
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