VANCOUVER – A 12% increase in wireless subscribers helped to drive up second quarter earnings at Telus.
Net income was $296 million, up 21% from $244 million in the same period last year, while operating revenues increased to $2.39 billion from $2.38 billion. EBITDA for the quarter ended June 30, 2010 was $919 million, compared to $873 million in the same period last year.
Total net wireless subscriber additions of 124,000 increased by 12% over the same period a year ago. Higher value postpaid net additions were up 15% to 109,000, and smart phone subscribers now represent 25% of total postpaid…
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VANCOUVER – Telus’ Optik TV customers have a new option for their set top boxes – an Xbox 360.
With the gaming and entertainment unit, Optik TV customers can use it to enable PVR Anywhere features, such as scheduling the recording of up to three shows simultaneously on one PVR unit. The Microsoft Mediaroom software that powers Optik TV now also supports delivery of Optik TV to the Xbox 360 to provide functionality for watching television anywhere in the home, as well as all the gaming.
“We are blazing a trail as the first provider in North America to offer this…
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OTTAWA – Telus has filed a complaint with Industry Canada asking for mandated roaming on the wireless networks in Manitoba owned by MTS Allstream after what Telus says has been years of negotiations that never went anywhere.
“Telus has been unable to negotiate reasonable terms for roaming since 2001 and as a result Telus customers in Manitoba, particularly in the 204 area code (Winnipeg) are unable to obtain data roaming in their home Province,” reads the company’s application.
“Additionally all customers of Telus are limited to varying degrees in terms of roaming on the MTS network. This asymmetry is contrary to…
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VANCOUVER – Using state-of-the-art HSPA+ Dual Cell technology, Telus announced Tuesday it will increase its 3G+ wireless data network access speeds to up to 42 Mbps when commercial deployment is complete in Canadian cities and towns.
Telus says it is the only North American carrier to have successfully tested HSPA+ Dual Cell technology in its wireless labs and to announce deployment in its commercial network. However, the company did not set out a timeline for deployment when making the announcement, but noted devices that can take advantage of the network’s new capabilities aren’t coming until next year.
HSPA+ Dual Cell technology…
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MANY OF THE SUBMISSIONS to the digital economy consultation offered recommendations on what the federal government should do, or not do, to ensure every Canadian household has access to high-speed Internet services. Rogers suggests that mobile spectrum can efficiently and effectively complete the rural broadband effort.
“We recommend a joint government/industry initiative aimed at extending broadband access to remaining unserved rural and remote communities in Canada as soon as possible. The emphasis here, we suggest, should be on mobile broadband networks which will simultaneously bring both mobile and broadband service to rural communities,” Rogers says in its comments….
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GATINEAU – The CRTC’s proposal to include broadband as part of the basic service objective (BSO) for telcos is getting lukewarm support, at best. The Commission proposed the idea in a broad consultation on a variety of telecom matters, referred to as the “Obligation to Serve” proceeding.
MTS Allstream Inc. and the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) are two that have said making broadband part of basic service would represent a logical extension of the current regime. Presently the BSO only applies to local voice services.
“Including broadband access in the Commission’s universal service objective would also recognize the…
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GATINEAU – Citing “serial abuse” by Shaw Communications, Telus has reiterated its demand for immediate interim relief from the CRTC over the Calgary-based cableco’s tactics when customers want to switch from Shaw Cable or Shaw Direct to Telus’ Optik TV.
It did so while lamenting the Regulator’s decision to extend and expand CRTC 2010-406, the call for comments on the customer transfer process and related competitive issues, the very thing Telus (and others) want solved. Now. As reported by Cartt.ca, the Commission (prodded by Rogers Communications) decided to extend the deadline for comments on the proceeding because it…
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TORONTO – While one wireless company is warming up its lawyers in response to the launch of chatr by Rogers Communications, another was welcoming it to the Canadian wireless scene (once such a placid, “rational” playground with three big player, which has become one still with those three biggies, but with many more little guys kicking them in the knees).
To Mobilicity’s COO Stewart Lyons, however, chatr is illegal: A low-price brand formed by Rogers whose only goal is to put his company out of business. Company founder John Bitove threatened legal action when news of chatr leaked out,…
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TORONTO – Smartphone maker INQ is doing something few have done before: It is launching in North America in Canada, before the States.
INQ bills itself as more than a handset company though because its hardware and software are completely geared around social media. Its launch release this morning bills it in near religious terms: “The inventors of true social mobile bring their mission of affordable wireless internet for the masses to North America,” reads the release’s headline.
It’s Canadian launch partner is Telus, which will roll out the INQ Chat 3G (pictured) “soon”, under the Telus and Koodo brands, according to…
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CARTT.CA’S UPDATED STORY on the Shaw/Canwest deal seeks to fill in “incomplete data” on Shaw’s proposed benefits package of $23 million for a transaction reported at $2 billion. That’s not a typo. We estimate that this comes to 1% of the value of the transaction. Since Commission policy dictates 10% for benefits it’s fair to ask: Are we missing $177 million? Let’s look at the numbers.
In their main application, Shaw ascribed a value of the transaction at $475 million. At that point, they were proposing a benefits of $23 million, which would be spent on the conversion to…
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