OTTAWA – An attempt by Axia SuperNet to overturn the CRTC’s decision on Telus’ deferral accounts has failed.
The Commission said that Axia was unable to “demonstrate substantial doubt as to the correctness” of its determinations in Telecom Decision 2010-639 which gave Telus the go ahead to use its deferral account funds to expand broadband services to 159 communities in Alberta, British Columbia, and Quebec.
Click here for more on the decision.
www.crtc.gc.ca
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CALGARY – While remaining mum on just who the manufacturer is, Shaw Communications says it will launch a new residential media hub/gateway in May.
The new customer premises device (which would replace existing set top boxes) is meant to compete with Telus’ Microsoft Mediaroom-driven Optik TV.
Telus’ TV service offers customers options cable doesn’t, like the ability to remote-program their DVR and multi-room DVR ability – meaning customers can watch shows on any room there is an Optik-connected television. Its more-flexible search functionality lets customers find shows or movies by the name of the actors or directors instead of…
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MARKHAM, ON – Bell and Telus are partnering with Chinese networking and telecommunications equipment supplier Huawei on two joint innovation centres that will focus on advancements in wireless.
The location of the centres or the number of jobs that could be created were not made available as part of Monday’s announcement. Huawei opened a Canadian research and development centre just outside of Ottawa last April.
“Huawei played a key role in the introduction of Bell’s world-leading HSPA+ network, and we’re confident this Joint Innovation Centre will create further breakthrough products and services that keep both companies at the forefront of mobile…
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TORONTO – The Canadian broadcast and telecom industries appear to have plenty to say about the proposed merger of Bell and CTV. With comments and interventions due on Tuesday, three weeks in advance of the CRTC hearing, most stakeholders offered their conditional support, but only with safeguards in place to preserve industry competition.
Rogers tied its support of the deal to Bell’s continued opposition to the issue of value-for-signal (a.k.a. fee-for-carriage). Bell, Rogers, Cogeco, Shaw and Telus at one point banded together to challenge the CRTC before the Federal Court of Appeal arguing that the Commission lacks the power…
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TORONTO – Despite assertions to the contrary, Shaw may not roll out its new wireless service this year. As the Calgary-based company prepares for its annual general meeting on Thursday, at least one industry analyst is predicting that a “widespread wireless launch in 2011 seems unlikely”.
“Building a wireless asset may be more challenging and take longer than some may think”, wrote Dvai Ghose, the managing director and head of Canadian research for Canaccord Genuity, in a note to investors on Monday. “Shaw has publicly stated that it aims to launch wireless in 2011. However, it had also planned to…
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WE JOURNALISTS JUST love our year-end lists, don’t we? They are everywhere. However, we don’t do predictions here. They only thing I have found to be certain when trying to predict the future is that nearly all the time, the predictions are wrong.
So instead, here’s our list of 10 open questions heading into 2011.
1. How much market share will the Telus and Bell Canada IPTV services take from incumbent cable companies? The user experience of the Microsoft Mediaroom-driven Optik TV and Fibe TV is just so darn good and so darn integrated (I’d switch just for the whole-home PVR…
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VANCOUVER – Telus is offering free taxi rides and phone calls this week to last minute shoppers or holiday party-goers in major cities across the country.
From December 18 to December 25, Telus-branded taxis will cruise the downtown cores of Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon and Toronto between 11 am and 11 pm providing free rides. En route, passengers will also be offered a free holiday call anywhere in North America.
"The last week before the Holidays is hectic, holiday shoppers have their hands full between social commitments and picking out that perfect gift for their loved ones. We want to…
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OTTAWA – Not only is the NDP taking the credit for Rogers’ decision to begin unlocking its customer’s mobile phones, it’s now calling on Bell and Telus to keep up with both its competitor “and the rest of the world”.
NDP MP Bruce Hyer (Thunder Bay-Superior North) called Rogers’ decision a “major reversal of policy” and credited the move to public pressure created from his private member’s bill known as the Cellphone Freedom Act introduced in June. The bill calls for telecom companies to ‘unlock’ fully purchased phones free of charge at a customer’s request, and unlock subsidized phones…
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VANCOUVER – Telus is banking on wireless to power its 2011 financial results.
The telco said this week that it expects its wireless division to see revenues rise 3.5 to 6.5% to between $5.2 billion and $5.35 billion, while its wireline revenues, which includes local and long distance services, will see relatively flat growth between $4.73 billion to $4.88 billion. Overall, consolidated revenue is expected between $9.93 billion and $10.23 billion.
"We plan our 2011 performance to build on the progress achieved in 2010," said EVP and CFO Robert McFarlane, in a statement. "Next year’s results are expected to benefit from…
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TORONTO – The first ever 3D broadcast of CBC’s Hockey Night In Canada is coming to TV screens across the country.
Viewers with a 3D-ready television, along with the associated pair of glasses, will be able to watch the Toronto Maple Leafs take on the Montreal Canadiens at 7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT on December 11. The broadcast will be available free to Bell TV subscribers on channel 1933 (satellite TV) and 1208 (Fibe TV); Shaw Direct subscribers on channel 233/333 (Classic/Advanced); Telus Optik TV subscribers on channel 656 and Telus satellite TV subscribers on channel 1933; and to Vidéotron…
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