GATINEAU – Major concerns have been raised about the broadcasting side of the proposed Rogers/Shaw deal, which is currently being reviewed by the CRTC.
Individuals and organizations had until last Monday to send in their submissions in response to the Commission’s call for comments on Rogers’ application to the CRTC on behalf of Shaw to acquire Shaw’s licensed broadcasting distribution undertakings (BDUs), Shaw Direct, Shaw Broadcast Services and Shaw Pay-Per-View.
Bell, Telus, Independent Broadcasters Group (IBG), Cogeco, Corus, Ethnic Channels Group (ECG) and TLN, Forum for Research and Policy in Communications (FRPC) and Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) are…
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CBC SPORTS AND U SPORTS announced today they have reached a four-year agreement for the exclusive English-language digital broadcast rights for U Sports national championships.
The Canadian university sports organization “also announced Monday that CBC Sports will be the English television home of the 56th Vanier Cup at Université Laval’s TELUS-UL Stadium on Dec. 4,” a press release says.
“Today, is the first step towards reshaping coverage of university sport in Canada,” said John Bower, director of marketing and communications at U Sports, in the press release.
“U SPORTS look forward to growing our audience with CBC so that the performances and…
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Independent ISP pushing voters to get pledges to lower rates from election candidates
By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – The Federal Court of Appeal will look into whether the CRTC was correct in its May decision to revert back to older, more expensive bulk internet purchase rates set in 2016.
The court said it will review the case in a decision dated last Wednesday after independent internet service provider (ISP) TekSavvy, which buys network capacity from the larger telecoms, filed an appeal of the decision in June. The larger carriers include Bell, Rogers, and Telus.
The CRTC originally set lower final rates in a 2019…
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VANCOUVER – Telus announced today Optik TV customers now have access to AMC Networks’ Acorn TV, a streaming service that specializes in British and international television, on free preview.
“Acorn TV features original and exclusive new and classic dramas, mysteries, and comedies including Whitstable Pearl, Manhunt starring Martin Clunes, My Life is Murder starring Lucy Lawless, and Bloodlands starring James Nesbitt,” a press release says.
“Customers can access the free preview of Acorn TV on channel 377 and through the On Demand library now until September 21, and can add Acorn TV to their Optik TV subscription through the Variety theme…
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TORONTO — Google Cloud announced today its new Toronto cloud region is now open.
“Toronto joins 27 existing Google Cloud regions connected via our high-performance network, helping customers better serve their users and customers throughout the globe,” reads a blog post from Jim Lambe, managing director of Google Cloud Canada.
It is the second such region in Canada, following the launch of Google Cloud’s Montreal region in 2018.
Like Montreal, the new Toronto region launches with three zones “allowing organizations of all sizes and industries to distribute apps and storage to protect against service disruptions,” Lambe writes.
In addition, the new…
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Quebecor CEO said it’s “another attempt” to “eliminate real competition”
By Ahmad Hathout
TORONTO – Bell wants the Federal Court to review whether Innovation Canada made a mistake in awarding Quebecor’s Videotron crucial 5G spectrum licenses outside of its normal operating territories, a move that Pierre Karl Peladeau said is another attempt to “eliminate real competition.”
The Quebecor CEO, who has tweeted his thoughts on the matter, said in a statement Monday: “This is just another attempt from Bell and Telus to eliminate real competition, but Canadians deserve better than today’s overpriced wireless marketplace.” Bell and Telus have a network sharing agreement…
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By Denis Carmel
CARTT.CA HAS LEARNED large Canadian broadcasting and telecommunication enterprises collected significant amounts from the federal government’s Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) and Canada Recovery Hiring Program (CRHP) in 2020 and will likely receive more for 2021.
The following companies have, according to the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA), received subsidies:
BCE: $122.9 million
Québecor: $3.1 million
Rogers: $90.5 million
Telus: $38.6 million
Stingray: $25.2 million
Corus: $34.9 million
Pelmorex: $6.3 million*
According to the administer these programs, “a Canadian employer who has seen a drop in revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic, may be eligible for a subsidy to cover part of its…
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BRITISH COLUMBIA – The BC government announced this week Telus will receive up to $3.6 million in funding from the Connecting British Columbia program to improve Internet access in nine First Nations territories.
The territories include Ashcroft Indian Band, Upper Nicola Band, Cook’s Ferry First Nation, Shackan Indian Band, Bonaparte First Nation, Saik’uz First Nation, Kitselas First Nation, Lheidli T’enneh, Coldwater Indian Band.
The government also announced ABC Communications will receive up to $322,010 to improve high-speed Internet access in the Yekooche First Nation territory.
“These projects are an important step to ensuring people in Indigenous communities have the connectivity they need…
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Office life unlikely to return to what it was in 2019
By Amanda Oye
AS COMPANIES AROUND the country make plans to bring employees back into offices, and grapple with how to do so safely, Cartt.ca asked a variety of Canadian telecommunications and broadcasting companies about their own plans.
Few companies Cartt.ca reached out to have, at this point, decided to require staff to be fully vaccinated. Fourteen companies responded to our request for information on back to office plans, only three of which indicated they were requiring some or all employees to be vaccinated.
OUTtv is one of those companies. While…
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TORONTO – TikTok has big plans to reach beyond mobile around the world, including in Canada.
The company hired Dan Page (above) in April as its head of global business development, new screens. Since then, Page has been working “to ensure that TikTok is distributed beyond mobile, with the goal to be on every other screen around the world, while also overseeing all Distribution in Canada,” he said in an email to Cartt.ca.
Page, who noted it is interesting the company often gets compared to social networks when it is not one, described TikTok as “an immersive, entertaining platform that enables…
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