GATINEAU – Broadcasters, distributors and special interests all took predictable stances on the CRTC's proposed framework for the distribution of national news services in interventions published this week.
The comment period for the framework, which launched from the Commission's August decision to deny mandatory distribution to Sun News Network, ended on Monday night. Last-minute submissions were posted to the CRTC site Tuesday and Wednesday. The Regulator’s proposals include rules on carriage, packaging and channel placement for national news services licensed as Category C, which would categorize all such services – new and…
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MONTREAL – Videotron is the latest wireless provider to offer customers the option to pay for their mobile devices over a 24 month period.
The company joins Telus and Wind Mobile in introducing and promoting two-year contracts, which is the maximum length for a contract set out by the CRTC’s new Wireless Code which comes into effect in December.
Videotron also confirmed that it will not increase the prices of its mobile plans.
www.videotron.com
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TORONTO – Shaw Media’s Global is jumping into the TV Everywhere market Thursday with an app called Global Go.
GlobaI Go will live stream the network 24/7 via web, iOS or Android platforms on smart phones, tablets and home computers anywhere in Canada, plus let viewers catch-up on entire seasons of more than 20 shows for up to 60 days after the finale (versus the 2-3 episodes which are currently available for catch-up). Those shows include the likes of Rookie Blue, NCIS, Elementary and Hawaii 5.0. It also includes a two week look-ahead schedule, and an interface with intuitive search and social…
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OTTAWA – Bell Canada has filed an application with the Federal Court of Canada seeking a judicial review of wireless spectrum policies and changes to conditions of license recently enacted by Industry Canada.
Bell has asked for an order saying the Minister of Industry doesn’t have the jurisdiction to “(i) require roaming and sharing in respect of the Applicant’s networks, antenna towers and sites; and (ii) to prohibit the inclusion or require waiver of specific terms in the Applicant’s agreements or arrangements with others with respect to roaming and sharing in respect of the Applicant’s networks, antenna towers and sites,”…
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TORONTO – There’s only a few weeks left to register for the Canadian Wireless Trade Show scheduled for September 25 – 26 at the Toronto Congress Centre in Toronto.
Now in its third year, the B2B tech, telecom, and wireless networking event will feature over 120 exhibitors from the U.S. and Canada. This year’s lineup of live talks includes Google executive Richard Trinder on the wireless shopper; Samsung Business Division VP Paul Brannen on security and BYOD devices; plus presentations from representatives of Rogers, Bell, Telus and Microsoft. A new addition to the show this year is iHub, an interactive and informative…
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AMID THE SWIRLING STORM surrounding the impending 700 MHz spectrum auction, a certain fact is often cited – followed closely by often obtuse, naïve assumptions which have served to warp the spectrum debate.
The fact we’re talking about is how Rogers, Bell and Telus own 85% of the existing spectrum licensed for wireless services in Canada. It’s a big number. It’s the correct number. When you put it in a pie chart (as the Industry Canada web site has), it looks daunting and very important. However, those who use that number to say the big three…
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NEW YORK – Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam told Bloomberg News on Monday that his company will not be entering the Canadian wireless marketplace after all and that it wasn’t all that interested in the first place.
He told the news organization in no uncertain terms the company is not interested in investing here and all the speculation that it might enter the Canadian market was “way overblown”. He told Bloomberg that Canada held some limited appeal for the company, but now that it announced it will pay British telco Vodafone $130 billion…
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BURNABY, B.C. and TORONTO – The Telecommunications Workers Union and the United Steelworkers announced today the two unions have agreed to a tentative merger.
The merger would join the TWU, representing close to 13,000 members working in telecommunications, cable TV and call centre locations in Canada, with the USW, representing 225,000 members in various sectors.
The two unions began merger talks in July. The agreement, includes strong commitments to support bargaining, membership education, legislative action and bringing in new members in the telecom sector.
“This is a merger about better bargaining power, about…
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OTTAWA – All it took was 21 minutes for the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology to halt any further hearings into the federal government’s 700 MHz spectrum auction rules.
Speaking from his Sudbury riding office, Glenn Thibeault, the consumer affairs critic for the NDP and who sits on the committee, says this represents a blow to Canadian consumers. “Ultimately at the end of the day by not having these hearings, it’s Canadian consumers that are going to lose out on this,” he tells Cartt.ca, lamenting the fact that there are still some big questions about…
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MONTREAL and TORONTO – Bell and Rogers have both sided with the NDP in the party’s call for an emergency meeting with the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology to review the federal government’s wireless policy.
First proposed in a motion tabled by NDP Industry critic Chris Charlton, the meeting was officially scheduled to take place Tuesday, and will be held in camera.
“Public hearings are the ideal opportunity for open and constructive dialogue among consumers, government and industry to find a solution to the problem of the wireless loopholes,” said George Cope, Bell Canada…
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