AN INTERESTING DECEMBER 2012 paper from the Australian Government's Department of Finance and Deregulation, Offices of Best Practices Regulation entitled "Influencing Consumer Behaviour: Improving Regulatory Design" is an instructive piece of research when viewed through the lens of our own TV business.
The paper explores two broad frameworks that influence consumer behaviour – Rational Choice theory and Behavioural Economics. Rational Choice theory holds that consumers maximize utility subject to their budgetary limitations. Behavioural Economics assumes choice is affected by social, economic, emotional and other factors. Examples from the health, finance and other sectors are used to…
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THE RECENT SPORTS CONTENT AND SPECTRUM acquisitions made by Rogers Communications falls squarely into the category of “they had better be right”.
Adding up the $3.3 billion it paid for 700 MHz spectrum in the just-finished auction, last fall’s $5.2 billion NHL rights deal and the $650 million for its portion of Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment in 2012, that’s nearly $9.2 billion spent or committed in less than 24 months – largely due to the belief that delivering live sports (especially hockey and baseball) to any and every electronic device, any and everywhere in Canada, is the key to…
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VANCOUVER – Telus is offering $1 billion of senior unsecured notes to help pay for its purchases at February’s 700 MHz wireless spectrum auction.
The notes will be offered in two series, the first with a 7-year maturity, and the second with a 30-year maturity. The 3.20% 7-year Notes, Series CO, were priced at $99.739 per $100 principal amount for an effective yield of 3.242% per annum and will mature on April 5, 2021. The 4.85% 30-year Notes, Series CP, were priced at $99.874 per $100 principal amount for an effective yield of 4.858% per annum and will mature on…
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DENVER, CO – Anglers take note: World Fishing Network will be available on a free preview to cable, satellite and telco subscribers in North America for the month of April.
Dedicated to the angling lifestyle, the network’s programming includes instruction, tips, travel, tournaments, cooking, boating and outdoor recreation with exclusive series and original productions like Bill Boyce’s Baja, FORCE on FORCE, Guided with Mark Melnyk, Hookin’ Up with Nick & Mariko, JP DeRose Breaking Boundaries and World Fishing Journal.
Participating TV providers in Canada include Access, Bell, Cablevision du Nord du Quebec, Cogeco, Eastlink, MTS, Rogers, SaskTel, Shaw Cable, Shaw Direct,…
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VANCOUVER – Change is afoot atop Telus, kick-started Monday morning by the surprise announcement that president and CEO Darren Entwistle is stepping aside from the role that he has held since 2000.
He will be replaced by Telus veteran executive Joe Natale effective May 8, when the company holds its annual general meeting for shareholders.
At that time, Entwistle will be named as executive chair of its board, following the retirement of chairman Brian Canfield, who has spent 58 years with Telus and predecessor company BC Tel. Canfield will be honoured with the chairman emeritus distinction.
Natale, (pictured), joined Telus in 2003…
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OTTAWA – New food and lifestyle channel Gusto TV is now being served up to Telus’ Optik TV customers in British Columbia and Alberta, and will soon be available On Demand and on the go via smartphones, tablets or computers.
Effectively immediately, Gusto TV in HD is available to all Telus Optik TV customers in the Essentials theme pack on channel 315, and on Telus Satellite TV in standard definition in the Variety pack on channel 619.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Telus, expanding Gusto’s reach even further across Western Canada,” said Gusto TV president and CEO Chris Knight, in…
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QUEBEC CITY – Telus said Monday that it is buying security IT firm Groupe Enode Inc. and will fold the Quebec City-based company into its Telus Security Solutions division next month. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Telus, which has been expanding its Internet data security operations after opening data centres in Quebec and British Columbia in 2012, said the acquisition will enhance its end-to-end provision of IT security for businesses in Quebec and across Canada while also protecting its customers' digital data from security threats.
"The number of organizations victimized by security breaches continues to rise every year”,…
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TORONTO – Allstream announced the continued evolution of its SIP portfolio with its new SIP Gateway service that promises to help Canadian businesses save as much as 40% compared to traditional voice services.
By using its cloud-based IP voice environment, SIP Gateway offers the features and functionality of a Primary Rate Interface (PRI) for significantly less cost. Previously, Canadian businesses with non-IP Private Branch Exchange (PBX) systems were prevented from achieving the savings of a PRI without updating their PBX. Allstream's SIP Gateway allows Canadian businesses to take advantage of the benefits of IP telephony services without the cost and…
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TORONTO – This week marks both the arrival of spring, and a jump in the price of most voice and data plans offered by the country’s wireless incumbents and their respective flanker brands.
Bell matched Rogers Wireless and Telus Mobility this week by increasing the price of the majority of its plans by $5 per month. Virgin, Fido and Koodo, owned by Bell, Rogers and Telus, respectively, all increased prices by about $5 per month earlier this month.
The price hike will help to offset the introduction of unlimited voice and text plans by all three incumbents last year, plans that include…
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DALLAS, TX – Approximately one-fifth or 20% of Canadian television service subscribers downgraded their service over the last 12 months, with many opting for an Internet video option instead, according to a new research report from Parks Associates.
The report, Video in Canadian Households, analysed the market for subscription home video services via an online survey of 1,500 Canadian broadband households in the last quarter of 2013.
Among Canada’s nine largest TV service providers, nearly one-third (29%) of Telus Optik TV subscribers said that they had downgraded to a less expensive TV package with fewer channels or features in the last year. …
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