TORONTO – Telus is adding 11 more channels from Asian Television Network (ATN) to its Optik TV lineup.
The new channels, available now on free preview through March 21, will provide an even broader selection of channels in languages including Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Tamil, and English. Programming spans news, sports, music, movies and more.
"At Telus we are committed to providing a broad range of TV channels that reflect the diversity of our customers," said Blair Miller, VP of content solutions, in the announcement. "The South Asian community is a large and dynamic part of Canada and we’re thrilled that we will…
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WINNIPEG – Telus debuted its new 4G mobile network with Dual Cell HSPA+ network access to its customers in Winnipeg on Tuesday, weeks before it plans to roll out Dual Cell HSPA+ technology in the city.
The Dual Cell upgrade doubles the manufacturers rated speed of HSPA+ from 21.1 Mbps to 42.2 Mbps. An industry-recognized 4G technology, HSPA+ provides an interim step towards the deployment of Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless network technology. The telco also began stocking new devices such as the iPhone 4, BlackBerry Torch and 4G Mobile Internet keys in its stores across the city.
"Telus is pleased to bring Winnipeggers…
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OTTAWA – Three major actors in the Canadian broadcasting sector say they are bullish on the future of the system in the face of new technologies and changing consumer TV viewing behaviour.
CBC/Radio-Canada, Astral Television Networks and Shaw Media said they have taken steps to ready themselves for new consumer content consumption behaviour resulting from new mobile technologies and other emerging platforms. They noted they did this even in the face of a significant advertising downturn resulting from the global financial recession.
During a panel moderated by former Global TV News anchor Kevin Newman, representatives from the three companies…
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WHILE BRAD SHAW is now CEO of a much different Shaw Communications than the one his father JR and brother Jim built and ran, one aspect hasn’t changed.
No handlers.
As a journalist, I’ve interviewed many CEOs and other senior executives at large corporations. Most of them come to interviews with one or two others in tow who keep tabs on the interview or have other tasks. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s just not the way the Shaws do things. Never been their style. When a reporter calls the company with a question, invariably the president or CEO is the…
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OTTAWA – Opponents and supporters of vertical integration faced off in a feisty debate during a session at the Canadian Media Production Association’s (CMPA) annual Prime Time conference in Ottawa on Thursday.
Representing the “prosecution” in the session, titled Vertical Integration on Trial, Telus argued that producers and independent broadcasters are going to be disadvantaged by having fewer outlets for distribution. As well, broadcasters would have to fight the vertically integrated company on issues such as channel placement.
A critical issue, according to Michael Hennessey, senior VP of government and regulatory affairs at Telus, is one of access where…
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TORONTO – Rogers Communications falling share of new post-paid customers, thanks in part to new competition from a shared network Bell and Telus launched in November, 2009, has led Canaccord Genuity to recommend that wireless investors switch from Rogers to Telus.
Rogers gained only 49,000 of such customers (a much more lucrative lot compared to less valuable “pre-paid” top-up card customers) in the quarter compared to 109,000 the year before. In comparison, Bell gained about 157,000 of those customers and Telus scooped up 109,000 last quarter, noted Canaccord Genuity analysts Dvai Ghose and Sanford Lee.
As a result, Rogers accounted for…
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TORONTO – Rogers Communications Inc. facing increased competition from traditional rivals BCE and Telus, and from new wireless upstarts such as Wind Mobile offered a modest 2011 growth forecast yesterday.
Rogers expects operating profit to be flat to slightly higher in 2011, at between $4.6 billion and $4.77 billion.
Profit in the fourth quarter, however, was still up by 5% to $327 million compared to the same quarter last year.
The company said it added 123,000 net wireless subscribers during the quarter ended December 31, 2010, which was down 5% from a year earlier. The decline for net post-paid customers was more…
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OTTAWA – Saying he’s defending consumer choice and competition, Industry Minister Tony Clement announced Tuesday that the Conservative government will appeal a Federal Court of Canada ruling that quashed a cabinet order allowing Egyptian-backed Globalive Wireless (whose retail brand is Wind) to operate in Canada.
The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP), ACTRA, and Friends of Canadian Broadcasting were intervenors in the case.
"Overturning the Cabinet decision is a victory for Canadian ownership rules and a victory for Canadian culture," said Stephen Waddell, ACTRA’s national executive director. "Globalive was potentially the beginning of the end of our…
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TORONTO – BMO Capital Markets has downgraded its investment rating on Shaw Communications from outperform to market perform, based on the growing competitive threat from Telus, which could eventually capture one third of the B.C.-Alberta TV subscription market, says the bank.
“We are growing increasingly concerned with Shaw’s ability to withstand competitive pressures from Telus, specifically its Optik TV service,” writes Tim Casey, cable and media analyst at BMO Capital Markets, in his note to clients.
He cautions that Telus has the financial scale and strategic incentive to remain aggressive with marketing promotions this year and next, particularly since Shaw is…
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VANCOUVER – Fourth quarter revenue at Telus rose 4% to $2.55 billion, the company reported today, driven by a 9% growth in wireless revenue and 7% in wireline data revenues.
Wireless average revenue per unit (ARPU) increased 1.9% this quarter, the first year-over-year increase in 14 quarters. Smartphones represented 46% of post-paid gross additions in the fourth quarter, as compared to 25% in same period last year. Higher revenue smartphone subscribers now represent 33% of total post-paid subscribers compared to 20% a year ago. However, the cost of acquisition per gross addition increased year-over-year by 2.1% to $388, reflecting a…
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