THE ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC Co-operation and Development (OECD) biennial study on comparing wireless markets should be viewed for what it is: a limited analysis comparing four wireless plans in Canada with other OECD nations, says a new report from Nordicity.
The report, International Wireless Market Comparison, prepared for Telus, argues that OECD analyses are suspect because they only compare advertised prices. Instead, it says, a full understanding requires a look not only at price but other important factors.
“Cost should only be considered as part of an international wireless comparison – rather than the definitive factor,” states Nordicity,…
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GATINEAU – If the Canadian TV industry is to fend off the growing power of unregulated sources of video (yes, especially Netflix), exclusive deals on content must be allowed, Quebecor president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau told the CRTC Monday afternoon.
He was appearing in front of the Commission on day one of its hearing into the regulatory framework on vertically integrated corporations (those big four companies which own big broadcast assets and big distribution companies: Bell, Rogers, Shaw and Quebecor).
While noting “vertical integration is the only viable tool to allow us to protect the Canadian broadcast system,” Péladeau also…
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TORONTO – Telus has eliminated hefty cancellation fees from its customer contacts in a move that it says is designed to further simplify device ownership agreements.
Consumers and business customers wishing to end their agreement early to upgrade to a new Telus device must only pay their device balance, which is the remaining portion of the device credit they received when they purchased their previous device, and is displayed on their monthly bill. Customers wishing to leave Telus must also pay back their remaining device balance plus an “administrative account closure charge” of $50.
"Over the last few years, we’ve worked…
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IN OUR EVER-MORE connected world, there are fewer secrets. People talk, they e-mail, they SMS, Facebook, tweet and YouTube.
They often use those outlets to speculate, pontificate, fustigate, postulate and guesstimate. Which means those “secrets” are sometimes true. Sometimes not. Sometimes educated guesses. Sometimes hopeful. Sometimes fuelled by less than good intentions.
So, it’s a good idea once in a while to take a few of those secrets and rumours floating around and ask someone in charge about them – and also to put the issues of the day facing our industry in front of someone at the top.
For this Cartt.ca…
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OTTAWA – Huawei, Telus and Carleton this week signed a more than $1.4 million deal today to establish a research lab dedicated to enterprise cloud services.
Located in Carleton University’s new Canal engineering building, the Huawei-Telus Innovation Centre for Enterprise Cloud Services will give students, faculty and industry an opportunity to research real-world problems associated with cloud computing such as security and performance issues, according to the companies.
“In addition to the joint innovation centre we announced with Telus earlier in the year, this new lab, another strategic partnership with Telus, is dedicated to enterprise cloud services, and underscores our…
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LOOKED AT THROUGH A Darwinian lens, the current Canadian television industry is at an evolutionary crossroads.
Changes in the ecosystem have resulted in a new species of TV-content provider: the non-Canadian, unregulated video sector, known as over-the-top (OTT). Among those migrating into the country are Netflix, Boxee, Apple and Google TV (oh, there are more – and more to come).
Like any addition to an environment, it’s changing the landscape, but the question is whether it’s a threat or will it be assimilated.
“We don’t see a big problem at this point. Look at OTT, whether Netflix or Apple TV or Google….
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BANFF – Would relaxing the rules on foreign investment in Canada around our communications sector help to create competition which in turn, would benefit consumers with lower prices and more choice, or, would it spell the end of our cultural sovereignty?
That theme was the focus of a spirited panel debate Tuesday at the Banff World Media Festival appropriately titled ‘Foreign Ownership: The Impact on the Communications Business’.
Norm Bolen, president and CEO of the Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA), came down hard, and consistently, on the side of preserving Canada’s unique culture at all costs, something that only Canadian ownership can…
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TORONTO – As promised last week, Telus announced Monday the company is lowering its roaming voice and data rates by up to 60%.
With the launch of Telus’ new “clear and simple international travel pricing,” all customers will now get the same low roaming rates when they’re traveling. Separate travel bundles and passes will no longer be required to take advantage of the lowest rate, making it easy and hassle-free for customers to use Telus wireless services when overseas.
"After the launch of our new HSPA+ wireless network in late 2009, Telus was able to offer our customers a…
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BANFF – It seems as though you can’t go far at the Banff World Media Festival without hearing talk about over-the-top (OTT) providers, and, depending on your point of view, whether they are a bane or boon to the Canadian broadcasting industry.
At a panel discussion on Monday called "OTT Services The Future of Television" — moderated by Telus’ Michael Hennessey — a Canadian cable company, broadcaster and the independent producers coalition faced down a trio of representatives from foreign OTT services Google TV, Boxee and Netflix. But with every expectation of fireworks, the predominant tone of the discussion seemed to be one…
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TORONTO – Telus customers will soon be able to use Skype on their smart phones and purchase Skype credits through their Telus accounts. In addition, Telus will launch the first Skype edition smart phone in Canada, the LG Optimus Black, the companies announced Thursday.
Skype is a software application that allows users to make low cost voice and video calls and chats over the Internet. With 663 million registered users as of 2010, the company was acquired by Microsoft for US$8.5 billion last month.
Telus said that its partnership with Skype will allow customers to make unlimited Skype-to-Skype voice calls and instant…
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