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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VANCOUVER – Telus TV customers in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton can now have Microsoft Mediaroom power their IPTV service.
The telco launched the service Tuesday to the majority of its customers in British Columbia and Alberta, and said that the roll out will be “expanded over time”. Existing TV customers can upgrade to the new software platform in the next few months.
“With so many great shows and events airing at the same time, it can be a challenge to decide what to watch, what to record to watch later, and what to miss”, said CTO Ibrahim Gedeon, in the announcement. “TELUS TV‘s HD PVR…
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TORONTO – It was a big fake switch connected to nothing, but with the help of five of the world’s most beautiful lingerie models (dressed by Canadian designers interpreting some smart phones in their designs) Virgin Mobile Canada symbolically activated its new network (the HSPA+ net built by its parent Bell Canada and Telus).
Sir Richard Branson, chairman of the Virgin Group visited by pre-recorded phone call (and was pictured in his space suit). "Since our launch, Virgin Mobile has consistently challenged itself to be the leader in delivering a brilliant customer experience and today is the start of a…
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MONTREAL; WINNIPEG and OTTAWA-GATINEAU – Both Bell and MTS Allstream debuted their enhanced wireless 911 services Monday, squeaking in just under the CRTC-imposed deadline.
Wireless E911 is now available to Bell Mobility and Solo Mobile clients with compatible handsets wherever wireline 911 service exists in Canada, while MTS Allstream introduced the service across its CDMA cellular network in Manitoba. Telus launched its upgraded emergency service last week.
The enhanced 911 (E911) phase II capability is the result of a year-long effort involving Canada’s wireless carriers, local telephone companies and 911 call centres across the country. The CRTC set February…
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VANCOUVER – Telus announced today it can better identify the location of wireless 911 calls with the launch of new Global Positioning System (GPS) and triangulation technologies.
Telus has now implemented phase II enhanced wireless 911 (e911) services across its three wireless networks, which are based on HSPA, CDMA, and iDEN (Mike) technologies. Telus has been working with individual 911 operations centres across the country to test and bring phase II e911 technology online for many months, the company said today.
“Through our partnership with 911 and emergency services operations centres across Canada, this new enhanced 911 service will make…
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OTTAWA – You can’t sell what isn’t yours.
That, in a nutshell, is what some of the interveners into Mediadenovo’s application for a broadcast license have said about the company’s plans to sell the local availability advertising time on American specialty services to national Canadian advertisers. The concept will face the commissioners in a non-appearing hearing on February 22. Comments closed Wednesday. (A prior version of this story suggested this would be a traditional public hearing. At this time, that is not the plan.)
In 2009 Mediadenovo, a re-branded Only Imagine (which had a similar submission shot down by the CRTC in…
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TORONTO – The primary headline will be the $40 million raised by Canada’s broadcasters via a pair of telethons on Friday (one in Toronto and another in French in Montreal), but there are a lot of other stories out there of companies from our industry rallying their employees or their customers to the cause.
Canada For Haiti, Friday’s one-hour, commercial-free special produced collaboratively between CBC Television, CTV and Global Television and also aired on Citytv, has raised more than $13.5 million to date for relief efforts in Haiti, it was confirmed today. (Citytv also aired its own “Help for Haiti”…
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ARLINGTON, Va. – Telus has been named the top philanthropic corporation for 2010 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
Telus is the first Canadian company to ever receive this global honor, the group announced today.
The AFP will honor Telus with the 2010 Freeman Philanthropic Services Award for Outstanding Corporation at its Awards for Philanthropy event in Baltimore, Md. on April 13.
“A lot of companies talk the talk about philanthropy, but Telus really makes giving and volunteering a priority,” said Paulette V. Maehara, CFRE, CAE, president and CEO of AFP, in a press release. “Their approach to philanthropy and their demonstrated…
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VANCOUVER – Telus says that it will allow shareholders to have a say on its executive’s pay.
The board of directors unanimously approved the adoption of a non-binding advisory vote by shareholders on executive compensation. This vote, to be held at the annual general meetings in May of 2011, will allow shareholders to give direct feedback to the board on the company’s approach to executive compensation.
The move complements Telus’ ‘pay for performance’ culture. On average, more than 70% of a Telus executive’s 2008 compensation was based on corporate and personal performance measured by a set of transparent, publicly-stated objectives, the company said.
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