Cogeco airs its HMNO model
By Greg O’Brien
GATINEAU – On Wednesday, CRTC commissioners tried to get Bell Canada CEO Mirko Bibic and other company executives to pick what they might think is a least-bad mandated mobile virtual network operator option from the choices of MVNO models others have brought to the proceeding.
Each time, Bell said no MVNO is the only option.
While some operators have said, if forced to choose, the only palatable proposed MVNO model is the one from the Competition Bureau, which would see MVNO access mandated for existing regional operators like Freedom and Videotron, and only for five…
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MANY OF THE ARGUMENTS in favour of Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) are not informed by facts, as evidenced by Samer Bishay’s editorial from February 16 (Wireless review is critical for Canada; MVNOs must be mandated).
Using actual data from Canada and other OECD countries, the evidence clearly demonstrates that implementing wholesale MVNO access regulation will harm Canadian consumers. MVNOs have little to no competitive impact as their business model focuses on identifying niches in the market, rather than competing in existing markets. They are generally not sustainable, as market saturation and competition yields few, if any, viable niches…
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By Greg O’Brien
GATINEAU – If you’re looking for drama, day one of the CRTC’s wireless policy review hearing was not for you.
That’s not to say it was boring, however. During the morning session, we got an engaged CRTC chair Ian Scott taking a deep, detailed dive into the Competition Bureau’s evidence as well as its idea for mandating a tempered vision for mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) in Canada.
The Bureau is not for broadly mandating an MVNO structure where any company that comes along wanting to sign up wireless subs using a CRTC-decree as the crowbar can get into…
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OTTAWA – The Canadian Network Operators Consortium (CNOC) has filed a counter submission to the Governor-in-Council (a.k.a. federal cabinet) over petitions sent by the big incumbent carriers who are protesting the CRTC’s decision to lower wholesale prices for internet.
Last August, the CRTC lowered the final prices the incumbents – Bell, Rogers, Telus, Shaw, Videotron, Cogeco, and Eastlink – can charge resellers, and made those rates retroactive to 2016, when interim rates were set. The incumbents protested to the Federal Court, the cabinet and the CRTC. The court granted the leave to appeal and has yet to…
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MONTREAL — Stingray is adding to its TV channel offerings with the launch announced Tuesday of its Stingray Country music video channel, featuring new country, bro-country, ’90s country hits, pop country and more. Stingray says the channel is currently the only dedicated country music channel in Canada.
“We are thrilled to introduce our latest TV channel, Stingray Country, to Canadian country music fans,” said Mathieu Péloquin, senior vice-president of marketing and communications for Stingray, in the news release. “With a growing millennial fan base including both men and women, country music’s popularity is spreading across all regions of the…
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By Samer Bishay
IT’S NO SURPRISE CANADIANS are paying some of the highest wireless prices – especially for data – in the world.
In another international audit of prices last fall, by Rewheel Research, it confirmed what Canadians already know: we pay far too much. In public surveys released by Canada’s telecom regulator earlier this month, Canadians said overwhelmingly they feel cell service in Canada is more expensive than abroad.
Affordability is the main reason the federal government ordered the CRTC to move up its review of the wireless market and start a critical public hearing February 18, a…
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TORONTO – Intended to make a few waves just as the CRTC kicks off its two-week public hearing into its policies on the wireless market in Canada, Ice Wireless today said a few new plans, with one set at 99-cents per week, will launch next month.
“If we can do this in Canada’s North, where network costs are higher, there’s no reason we can’t do it in other parts of the country, if we’re allowed,” said Samer Bishay, president and CEO of Ice and its parent company Iristel.
Ice Wireless is a regional mobile network operator, where the company’s release says…
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LONDON — Mobile analytics company Opensignal today released its latest mobile network experience report for the Canadian market, and Telus came out on top across all categories, except voice apps where it scored a draw with Rogers.
In terms of wireless download speeds, Canada scored high compared to other countries, achieving an average download speed of 55.4 Mbps, ranked second behind South Korea’s average speed of 58.7 Mbps. The third-ranked country was Netherlands with an average download speed of 49.5 Mbps. The average download speed for Canada includes regional operators such as Freedom Wireless, Videotron and SaskTel, which have slower…
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OTTAWA — Ahead of the CRTC’s public hearing next week to review its wireless policies, research firm Abacus Data released results Wednesday of a survey commissioned by Shaw Communications that found 95% of Canadians say regional wireless providers increase competition and provide better service to customers.
Furthermore, 66% of Canadians agree competition from regional wireless companies like Freedom Mobile, Eastlink and Vidéotron has resulted in reduced prices charged by the national carriers, says study.
“One reason Canadians value having strong regional wireless network options is because most see a direct connection between reduced prices charged by the national carriers and increased…
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TORONTO — The Canadian Telecom Summit’s regulatory blockbuster panel was announced Wednesday.
The annual showdown between Canada’s largest and smaller telecom competitors will see Ted Woodhead appear for the first time in the Rogers chair, after his recent move from Telus.
The list of announced regulatory panel participants (and others may be added) includes:
Samer Bishay, CEO, Iristel
Andy Kaplan-Myrth, vice-president, regulatory and carrier affairs, TekSavvy Solutions Inc.
Rob Malcolmson, senior vice-president, regulatory affairs and government relations, Bell
Ted Woodhead, senior vice-president, regulatory, Rogers Communications
Returning to guide and referee the conversation will be Cartt.ca’s own editor and publisher Greg O’Brien.
Those…
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