OTTAWA – The CRTC called for a TV policy review because of the dramatically shifting nature of the broadcast and distribution industry. But, says Telus, it is this uncertainty created by the ongoing shifts that means conventional broadcasters’ requests for a wholesale fee for carriage should be carved out of the review for consideration separately.
Canadian broadcasters have long lusted after the type of wholesale subscriber fees that grow the bank accounts of Canadian specialty services. The over-the-air broadcasters been consistently refused since they already make hundreds of millions off of advertising, the conventional channels are must-carries…
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SIGNIFICANT. MARKET. POWER.
Those three words appear all through the Telecom Policy Review Report, which Cartt.ca has covered at length. According to my search of that document, the three words appear together 62 times, and a further 65 as its SMP acronym.
When reading that huge report, it’s easy to see how SMP was and is a very big deal to its authors. The Telecom Policy Review Panel was very conscious of the concept and how the companies with SMP might still have to be watched. It’s a key concept of the report.
But you wouldn’t know it from…
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VANCOUVER – Telus made three new pledges to its customers Wednesday.
Saying it "is reinforcing its commitment to bringing the wireless industry’s best experience to clients, the western telco announced its Future Friendly Promises. "Built on three pledges – a dependable network, fast client service, and cool new phones – Telus’ Future Friendly Promises are set to raise the bar for client service in the wireless industry," says the press release.
“Telus, as the top-ranked wireless carrier in Canada, has a long track-record of leading the industry in client satisfaction. We are committed to maintaining this reputation and backing…
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VANCOUVER – Bruce Bell is no longer the president of the Telecommunications Workers Union, says a statement on its web site.
Bell was the point man for the union during last year’s strike and negotiated the settlement. The rank and file were said to be unhappy with the new contract (which was ratified) and "several weeks ago numerous TWU delegates brought forth and laid charges against President Bruce Bell. Following the process as set out in the TWU Constitution a Trial Board was then struck, and a hearing was held," says the web site’s statement.
"After deliberations the Trial…
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TORONTO – After its launch on Verizon, Cingular and Sprint in the States, The Fight Network’s Fight Mobile service has been added to the Telus Mobility product line.
Found under the heading of world sports, Fight Mobile provides breaking news, editorials, interviews and live round-by-round updates from all major fight events, that make up the world of combatant sports; such as boxing, pro wrestling and mixed martial arts – all the same topics found on the TV channel – a category two digital specialty service.
Streaming/downloadable video and a range of personalization products rounds out the content offerings of…
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VANCOUVER – Canadians will have another wireless choice next year.
Telus will offer Amp’d Mobile – which bills itself as an interactive and customizable information and entertainment wireless company – next year, the two companies announced today. Amp’d also offers plain ol’ voice, and other traditional wireless applications, too.
The exclusive Amp’d Mobile Canadian partnership "breaks new technological ground, making it possible for Canadian subscribers to easily access personalized wireless content on their mobile handsets," says the Telus press release.
It’s more than an MVNO, which is what Virgin Mobile has going on the Bell Mobility network, for example….
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VANCOUVER – Thanks to continuing strong wireless and high speed Internet subscriber growth, Telus reported a 6% increase in revenues to $2.1 billion in the second quarter, as compared to the same period a year ago.
EBITDA increased 4% to $897.1 million and operating income jumped 10.5% to $515 million.
"Our national wireless and data growth strategy continues to generate strong consolidated top and bottom line growth for Telus despite the challenging wireline environment," said company CEO Darren Entwistle.
"Wireless revenue, which is now 44% of consolidated revenue, was up 18% in the second quarter. However, Telus’ wireless operations…
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TORONTO – Western telco Telus has hired Toronto’s Bimm Communications to handle all of the direct response business for Telus landline, high speed internet and television. Already the agency of record for the wireless business, Bimm is now the official direct response AOR for all of Telus Consumer Solutions. “Bimm has consistently delivered innovative direct response creative that is tightly integrated with the Telus brand,” said Bernard Szederkenyi, director of direct response and experiential marketing for Telus. “We recognize the strong contribution Bimm has made to our customer acquisition results over the past year on the wireless business, and…
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MONTREAL – The man behind most of the Clearnet and then Telus marketing of the past decade – including its signature "future friendly" animal and nature-based ads – Wade Oosterman, has been hired by Bell Canada as president of Bell Mobility and Bell Distribution Inc., as well as chief brand officer of Bell Canada.
Oosterman follows another former Telus exec, George Cope, who was hired by Bell in October of 2005 as president and COO. Ironically, Cope’s departure to Bell caused an executive shuffle at Telus which left Oosterman without a role at the western telco.
It’s…
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OTTAWA – With several video distributors now asking to add the satellite radio channels from XM Canada or Sirius Canada to their respective channel lineups, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters has asked the CRTC to take a close look at the applications.
Responding to a request made by Bell Canada earlier this year to add the satellite radio signals to its terrestrial TV channel lineups, the CAB said "the application focuses attention on one of the fundamental principles of the Canadian broadcasting system, i.e. the requirement for a predominance of Canadian services, and that therefore a number of matters…
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