A NEW REPORT FROM BMO Capital Markets, which dives deep into what will affect investment in the telecom and media space in Canada in 2013, takes a good look at the possibilities and assumptions heading into the auction of the 700 MHz spectrum everyone assumes will take place mid-year.
The report, by analyst Tim Casey, says what most believe – that the big winners in the auction, which will be expensive. will be the big three of Rogers, Telus and Bell, but that the latter two have an advantage over Rogers since Bell and Telus share the operation of their…
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AS CANADIANS CHOOSE to carry their worlds in their pockets – loaded onto their much loved and much used Androids, iPhones, BlackBerrys and so on, they are demanding service that’s always excellent and bills that are always affordable.
When things go wrong with the little device in our hands, when we get dinged for charges we didn’t expect, when it doesn’t work as fast as advertised, when it breaks, it’s a mini-disaster. It’s not like tearing a hole in your pants or getting a flat tire. Those things can be dealt with and are relatively easy to fix. When it…
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OTTAWA – On Thursday, the Supreme Court of Canada will release its ruling on whether or not the CRTC has the jurisdiction to let conventional, over-the-air local broadcasters pursue a fee for the carriage of their signals by subscription television providers. The appeal was heard back in April, as Cartt.ca reported.
The ability for local broadcasters to charge a cable, satellite or telco TV provider a wholesale fee (and by extension of course, Canadian subscribers) has been something TV station owners have pursued off and on for decades. The CBC asked for the ability to pursue…
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GATINEAU – While most agree that Canada definitely needs a national, mandatory code of conduct for wireless providers to adhere to when dealing with their customers, agreement on what this code will actually say is another matter entirely.
Submissions were due into the CRTC last week on the Commission’s proceeding to establish a mandatory code for mobile wireless services. A public hearing will start February 11th – after the Regulator itself releases a draft code for discussion next month and conducts three more days of public, online consultations.
Bell Canada says it’s been listening to what the CRTC Continue Reading
TORONTO – The past year has been a strong one for Canada’s big three telcos (see Figure 1 below), but new wireless pricing plans will cut into Average revenue per user (ARPU). In particular, a new Rogers Wireless price plan (see Figure 2) launched on November 7 and matched immediately by Telus and Bell, along with a maturing smartphone market and looming threat from Wi-Fi could combine to slow future growth. This according to research from analysts Dvai Ghose and Sanford Lee in Canaccord Genuity’s latest Daily Letter to investors.
“On the surface, one could conclude…
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CALGARY – Telus is adding Movie Central and HBO Canada content to its Optik on the go service, offering the latest seasons of HBO Canada and Movie Central programming to customers who subscribe to Movie Central. First launched in 2011, Optik on the go allows customers to view a selection of TV On Demand shows and movies on their mobile devices, tablets and laptops, at home and on the move.
With the addition of Movie Central and HBO Canada programming, Optik will now offer subscribers new seasons of popular HBO original series such as Game of…
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TORONTO – While rating the industry as “outperform”, a BMO Capital Markets report published Monday says the Canadian media and telecom business will generate $62 billion in revenue in 2012 and see an overall growth rate of about 3%, as compared to last year. Of that revenue, about 75% comes from our big four of BCE, Rogers Communications, Telus and Shaw Communications.
While wireless, wireline broadband and specialty television will continue to be the revenue drivers, overall growth will be partially offset by declines in legacy data, voice and print media, says the report. Look for the overall share of…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC says it will begin regulating Northwestel’s backbone connectivity V-Connect IP VPN service, and has ordered it to file a revised pricing model for what it charges competing internet service providers, along with a cost study justifying that price by year’s end.
The CRTC first directed Northwestel to file competitive rates nearly a year ago, but the company appealed the decision. The regulator this week responded by rejecting all of the carrier’s arguments in its decision.
“Commission concludes that Northwestel has market power in its operating territory with respect…
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TORONTO – Sixteen Candles, one of the most popular teen movies from famed 1980s movie director the late John Hughes, will be the first movie shown on Rewind, Channel Zero’s latest specialty channel brand, when it launches Saturday.
Replacing Movieola in channel lineups (the short film channel moves to its new online home) Rewind will feature flicks such as The Godfather, Blues Brothers, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Moonstruck, Edward Scissorhands and many others – all targeted towards Generation Xers who came of age in the 70s, 80s and 1990s. In fact, the whole first weekend is being dubbed “High School…
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IRVING, TEXAS – eRecyclingCorps (eRC), has appointed Patrick Button as vice president and general manager for Canada. Based out of Waterloo, Ontario, Button will lead eRC's Canadian operations and expansion strategy, including management of the company's existing device trade-in programs with Telus and other leading wireless operators and retailers throughout the country.
"eRecyclingCorps is the clear leader in this rapidly growing and important industry, putting money back in consumers' pockets and improving operators' bottom lines," said Button. "Having spent the vast majority of my career with some of world's largest device manufacturers, I've seen e-waste…
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