TORONTO – Canadians may soon be able to pay for their groceries or gas up using only their mobile phones and a wireless payment sticker.
The Zoompass Tag, the next step in the evolution of the mobile payment system Zoompass, is a wireless payment device designed in the form of a sticker that can be attached to a mobile phone. It lets consumers simply tap their phones at checkout to make real-time purchases at retail stores such as Tim Hortons, McDonalds, Petro Canada and Loblaws.
By tapping a mobile phone with the Zoompass Tag on a contactless reader at the point-of-sale,…
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TORONTO – Following Telus’ lead, Rogers is offering DRM-free (digital rights management) song downloads through its music service.
Visitors to Rogers’ full-track over-the-air music downloads store urMusic can now purchase and download DRM-free (also known as MP3) music tracks to their wireless device or computer, and then transfer them to their other digital music-capable electronic devices, free of charge. Rogers is also offering customers the ability to pre-order albums in advance of their release date.
DRM-free music tracks are priced at $0.69, $0.99 and up to $1.29 per track. Full album purchases generally cost less than $10, plus applicable download…
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TORONTO – Canadian mobile phone users will soon be able to make video calls across competing mobile networks after Rogers, Bell and Telus announced the completion of two-way mobile video calling trials.
Mobile video calling is currently available through several carriers in Canada, but both callers must be on the same carrier’s network using compatible handsets. When inter-carrier mobile video calling is launched video calling will be possible across multiple carrier networks and will create North America’s largest two-way mobile video calling community, say the companies.
"We are proud to be part of the first inter-carrier partnership in North America to…
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OTTAWA – CRTC chair Konrad von Finckenstein said Friday the regulator had “made a mistake” in eliminating Canadian content spending requirements for over-the-air broadcasters back in 1999.
Speaking in conversation with broadcast veteran Trina McQueen during the CFTPA Prime Time in Ottawa conference, von Finckenstein added, “It doesn’t make sense.”
However, the chair noted that the system “can’t turn back.” While failing to confirm expenditures would be revived in upcoming regulation, it looks like the CRTC is heading that way.
McQueen noted that the CRTC should not want “to make the same mistake over again” (by not changing the rules).
Can’t the amount…
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OTTAWA – Comments filed on the CRTC’s reconsideration of speed matching strike a familiar refrain: Would-be competitors say Canadians will suffer if the CRTC doesn’t mandate speed matching and access to higher-speed local access facilities for them, while incumbent telcos tell the Commission that doing so will threaten future network investments.
Telcos were already required under CRTC regulations to provide speed matching (also referred to as service parity) to competitors over both legacy copper facilities as well as their faster fibre, or next-generation networks (NGNs). But the implementation of the rule was put on hold following appeals to the…
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VANCOUVER – The economy plus investments in its network infrastructure combined to cut fourth quarter profits at Telus by 45%.
Canada’s second largest telecom reported net income of $156 million for the quarter, down from $285 million a year ago. Revenue of $2.44 billion decreased by $11 million over the same period last year, which the company said reflected continued declines in traditional voice services, which offset growth in data and wireless revenues.
Consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) decreased by 16% from the fourth quarter of 2008, primarily due to higher restructuring costs from on-going operating…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has denied a request from wireless industry stakeholders that it conduct separate reviews of the mobile data services framework and its applicability under the recently established Internet traffic management practices (ITMP) framework.
Bell Aliant, Bell Canada, NorthernTel, Télébec société en commandite and SaskTel supported the requests made by Telus and Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association, while the Public Interest Advocacy Centre and the Canadian Film and Television Production Association opposed the requests.
In its decision, the Commission said that it “is not persuaded that the scope of NoC 2010-43 should be modified as requested”, and…
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TORONTO – Telus has become the first wireless carrier in Canada to offer over-the-air DRM-free (digital rights management) music tracks to Canadians.
DRM-free music means that customers can now play back or transfer music purchased from the Telus Music shop on any of their digital music capable devices including cell phones, smart phones or PCs.
"Telus is the first carrier in Canada offering true freedom of choice to all music lovers in Canada," said David Neale, chief futurist and SVP of strategic content services at Telus, in the announcement. "The availability of DRM-free music from Telus means our clients can now…
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OTTAWA – Wireless industry stakeholders are calling on the CRTC to initiate a separate review of the mobile data services framework and its applicability under the recently established Internet traffic management practices (ITMP) framework, rather than include the matter in a broader consultation on certain legacy telecom obligations.
They say the matter is largely administrative in nature and can be best handled separately.
“It would be a lot simpler in my mind to have dealt with that in a very small paper proceeding,” Michael Hennessy, Telus’ senior VP of regulatory and government affairs said in an interview.
“I suspect…
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OTTAWA – Three of Canada’s largest telecommunications service providers agree that it’s time to review the nearly 10-year-old contribution regime and make changes to the local subsidy that better reflect the reality of today’s telephony landscape.
Their comments come after the CRTC issued a consultation on the contribution regime and other related matters last week (Telecom Notice of Consultation 2010-43).
The current contribution regime, established back in 2000 (Telecom Decision 2000-745), requires all TSPs with revenues greater than $10 million to provide a portion of their earnings to a national pool that would be made available to telecom…
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