OTTAWA – This morning at 9 a.m., new wireless carrier Globalive will present to the CRTC its new corporate structure, governance, shareholder rights and financing arrangements.
After a two-day hearing last week into the company’s ownership and control, which was spurred on by the incumbent operators’ complaints, Globalive (which does business on the wired side under the Yak brand) has heeded the Commission’s stated fears and believes the alterations will soothe those concerns, allowing its to launch its wireless services under the Wind brand name before Christmas.
“We are confident that these changes will satisfy the CRTC,” said…
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RICHMOND HILL, ON – WireIE Holdings International has named George Kaichis to its team as director of radio network services.
Kaichis will be focusing on managing RF design, network extensions, and network transformations in Canada and the Caribbean. He brings over 20 years of telecom experience at Canadian wireless operators, most recently at Telus as director of contract management.
www.wireie.com
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PRINCE RUPERT, BC – CityWest will shut down its analog cellular system in Prince Rupert on November 2nd due to low use and the high cost of maintenance.
According to CityWest, most cell phone users in the area already have a digital or dual-mode phone and will therefore not need to replace them. The company is offering a $100 trade-in credit for customers with analog-only phones to be put towards the cost of a new phone.
Bell and Telus shut down their analog systems in the area in 2008.
www.citywest.ca
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OTTAWA – The Supreme Court of Canada has told the CRTC is can do what it pleases with the $650 million in deferral account money.
That means the Commission’s plan of giving some back to urban telecom customers who overpaid – while rural areas with little broadband will be able to draw on a few hundred million for more access, will go ahead.
The Court dismissed appeals from the major telcos and consumer groups that wanted the money to be doled out differently.
“While distinct questions arise in each of the appeals before us, the common problem is whether the CRTC, in…
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TORONTO – Canadian wireless operators will likely see a three percent decline in their service ARPU for 2009, with data accounting for 20% of wireless service revenue – and all of the growth, says a new report from Toronto’s Convergence Consulting.
Over the last year Canadian wireless voice revenue growth has moved into negative territory, while data growth continues to be robust, thanks to the growing adoption of smartphones/data devices, which the report estimates will reach 23% by year-end 2009 (and break 50% in 2014).
Based on what Convergence projects in terms of new entrants pricing (Wind, Dave, Public Mobile), and…
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TORONTO – Telus is co-starring with Cineplex Entertainment on discounted movie nights at theatres across the country.
‘Telus Tuesdays’ will feature half price movie tickets plus discounts on popcorn and soft drinks.
The telco has also launched a contest for its customers which will run from September 18 to November 12, 2009. Telus movie goers can enter the contest once per day via text message or an online form to be eligible to win a grand prize valued at $1,500.
www.telus.com/tuesdayswww.cineplex.com
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TORONTO – Last week we published a story touting how new wireless company Globalive (to be branded as Wind) wants its primary Canadian banker to remain not only secret, but super-secret, if and when it meets the CRTC.
They would like to bring a representative from the bank in to its September 23rd hearing to tell the Commission how challenging it is for such a start-up to raise the money needed to launch in a competitive wireless marketplace dominated by three huge players, among other financial matters.
(The Regulator, due to concerns voiced by a number of people and companies,…
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OTTAWA – An Internet based initiative launched today called ‘Campaign for Competitive Broadband’ is hoping to overturn a CRTC decision that campaign organizers say will stifle competition in broadband Internet, Ethernet and other next generation communications services in Canada.
Spearheaded by MTS Allstream, the campaign’s goal is “to ensure that network facilities built with the benefit of a historic monopoly and guaranteed rate of return, are accessible to a wide range of competitors who want to offer choice in services to businesses and consumers,” the press release reads.
Bell and Telus, which control these networks in most parts of the…
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VANCOUVER – Telus has bought imaging and digital retailer Black’s in order to help push its products and services across Canada.
The 79-year old retailer will add Telus’ wireless devices to its 113 locations, bumping up the number of Telus-owned retail outlets to over 1,000. Black’s has a particular strength in the Ontario marketplace with 81 stores.
"Black’s premium locations provide an established network across Canada for the distribution of Telus’ wireless products, which nicely complements our extensive network of dealers and stores,” said Joe Natale, president of consumer solutions, in a statement. “In anticipation of our clients’ evolving needs and…
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VANCOUVER and CALGARY – Western cable giant Shaw Communications has shot back in the skirmish between it and tiny Novus Entertainment.
Shaw president Peter Bissonnette confirmed to Cartt.ca that his company has filed a defamation suit against the independent Vancouver-based distributor for “defaming us and for interfering with our relations with our customers”.
“As well, we’ve filed suit against their pseudo third party marketing group, which I think is called 3G and which I believe is really a group of their employees, who are essentially attending to a blog that provides misinterpreted information”, Bissonnette said. “It’s having a negative impact within…
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