GATINEAU – After reviewing a dozen of the new submissions made at the CRTC’s latest wireless policy review submission deadline on Friday, we can confidently say: No one has yet changed their mind since the last rounds of information were filed.
The arguments, butressed by some new expert reports in some instances, mostly bolster what has been said and repeated early and often.
The incumbent carriers say mandated mobile virtual network operators riding on their networks as wireless resellers will cause them to decrease investment.
Poppycock, says the Canadian Network Operators and the Canadian Communication Systems Alliance. “Such threats have never, not…
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Says unfettered MVNOs would jeopardize regional players
GATINEAU – Friday was the deadline for the second phase of the comments in the CRTC’s Review of mobile wireless services and all eyes were on the Competition Bureau’s submission, which had the additional advantage of having access to the material filed in confidence, which we had reported on earlier this year.
The Bureau’s report determines there is not enough competition in the marketplace, and it even suggests a policy for the Commission to consider. (Does it suffer from “Commission Envy”?)
“Bell, Telus and Rogers (the Big 3) possess market power at both the retail…
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OTTAWA – Back in the summer, as we reported, Justices from the Federal Court ordered the individuals operating the so-called GoldTV Services to cease operations.
They are unauthorized subscription services that provide access to programming content over the Internet without having obtained the rights, a violation of the Copyright Act, and Bell Media, Groupe TVA, and Rogers Media had all pursued the matter in court.
Despite the issuance of injunctions, the Court, in a decision released last week, says some of the GoldTV services remain in operation and the infringements continue.
Last Friday, the Complainants against Gold, Rogers,…
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TORONTO – Babe Nation Films, Shaftesbury’s KindaTV and WhoHaha announced today web series Ghost BFF has begun production on season two (8x5min).
Created and written by star Vanessa Matsui (The Handmaid’s Tale, Shadowhunters, The Smurfs 2), Ghost BFF “follows two best friends – one alive, one dead – across space, time and the suburbs as they struggle to find themselves and right past wrongs following a suicide,” says the press release.
The series will film in Toronto this November and will be available for streaming on Shaftesbury’s YouTube channel, KindaTV (worldwide, excluding the U.S.), and in the U.S….
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TORONTO – Family Channel kicked off Bullying Awareness Week with the launch of Stand UP!, a new year-round campaign dedicated to promoting kids’ mental health and wellness, in partnership with PREVNet, Kids Help Phone, Recess Guardians, Jack.org, Telus Wise and others.
Beginning with Bullying Awareness Week, November 17-23, Family will be donating broadcast media space for PSAs to Kids Help Phone and Recess Guardians. The channel will also be feature special messages from its stars, such as Alexandra Chaves (The Next Step), Kamaia Fairburn (Holly Hobbie), Alec Dahmer (Bajillionaires) and others on Family social media channels. Additional on-air and…
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TORONTO – The fact that ARPU is trending downwards and churn is rising among the big three wireless providers shows that facilities-based competition brought by the likes of Videotron, Freedom and Eastlink is working – and mandated MVNOs would be a bad move for Canada.
So says a report published this week by Scotiabank’s telecom analyst Jeff Fan.
“Quebecor has been a wireless facilities-based competitor in Quebec for a decade. Is that not sustainable enough? We estimate the company has now captured approximately 19% market share in the province, and, with its new Fizz brand, the momentum has actually accelerated. We…
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Incumbents ask for two more months to file their R&V of the wholesale rates decision
GATINEAU – Following the August CRTC decision on final rates for aggregated wholesale high-speed internet access services (CRTC Telecom Order 2019-288), it was obvious by their collective reaction that the incumbent ISPs would challenge the decision, by any and all means necessary.
They went to the Federal Court of Appeal already and were granted a stay, as we reported, and the next step is to ask the CRTC to review, rescind or vary its own decision, as provided…
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TORONTO — BAI Communications today announced the appointment of Don Morrison (pictured) as the executive chairman of its Canadian operation, effective November 11, 2019.
The executive chairman role was created because BAI Communications Canada CEO Ken Ranger is relocating to London to become the chief operating officer for BAI Communications in the UK, the company explained in a news release on Tuesday. As CEO in Canada, Ranger led the team responsible for the rollout of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) cellular, IP and Wi-Fi network across the Toronto subway system. As executive chairman, Morrison will be driving the business,…
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Registration to close November 7th
NORTH BAY, ON – Canada’s first annual Rural and Remote Broadband Conference announced today the panel members who will engage with conference attendees in North Bay on November 12-14.
There are three excellent panels comprised of government, industry and First Nations leaders which will tackle a number of broadband’s most compelling challenges.
They are:
Government’s Role in Addressing the Challenges of the Rural Digital Divide.Developing government policy that supports Broadband development in non-urban regions. A conversation between government and private sector.
Panelists include Fausto Iannialice, director of broadband and digital strategy branch, Ministry of Infrastructure; Angela Lawrence, CCSA…
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GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE of digital connectivity in the modern, digital era, the affordability and availability of Internet access for Canadian households is an extremely important concern for policymakers.
Fortunately, Canada ranks very high in both of these dimensions, according to an international survey published annually by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Canada ranks first among the 100 countries in internet affordability and 18th in internet availability in the most recent, 2019, EIU report.
The EIU, a sister company to The Economist newspaper, is a highly-regarded international provider of global information for businesses, the financial sector, and governments. It has been publishing…
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