MONTREAL – It’s hoped that today’s quarterly financial report is the final one Bell Canada Enterprises has to make public, as the giant telco has almost finished the work to become a private company.
But since that’s not done yet, the company released decent results for the first quarter of 2008, ended March 31st.
"During the quarter, we made good progress on the completion of the privatization transaction and delivered solid financial results, consistent with our plan for the year," said Michael Sabia, CEO. "With respect to the privatization transaction, the Québec Superior Court approved the plan of arrangement…
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IN A WIRELESS MARKET crowded with canines (Fido), assorted other creatures (the bugs, birds and lizards of Telus; Bell’s beavers) and the big red machine (Rogers), Koodo’s multicolored leg warmers and goofy re-creation of “The 20-Minute Workout” stand out.
Deliberately positioned as a low-cost, no-frills wireless brand, Koodo invites customers to trim fat like excess applications, features and contracts, from their wireless service plans – and therefore their monthly bills.
Launched just over a month ago, Koodo has been hard to ignore with its kooky name and weirdly funny ad campaign (seriously, where’s Olivia Newton-John and ‘Let’s get Physical’?)…
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TORONTO – With Rogers Communications saying this week it will release Apple’s iPhone into the Canadian market this year some time, just who will those buyers be?
According to research firm Solutions Research Group and its Fast Forward report, the buyers will be richer than average men.
SRG says 61% of the buyers will be male – with an average age of 29 and that 54% of them will live in Ontario. As well, look for some existing cell contracts to be torn up as over 30% of the iPhone’s buyers are said to be existing Bell and Telus…
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EDMONTON – The National Telecommunications Workers Union,TWU-STT Canada, has announced today the launching of their YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/twustt). The union’s YouTube channel is part of an overall membership outreach strategy that is intended to utilize new media technology to better communicate with members as the union mobilizes employees for many upcoming initiatives including preparing for Telus bargaining which will commence in 2009.
"It is essential that we, as communications workers, engage our members using all the technology available so that we remain informed, connected and relevant to those we represent. Our YouTube channel is an integral part of…
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BURLINGTON, ON – White Radio said Thursday it has filled three sales and support positions: Robert Burke as business development manager of the Atlantic Region, Pat George as product manager, wireless and John Mitchell as application engineer.
Burke has 13 years experience in technical sales and distribution, including at Telus and EMJ Data Systems. George has a lot of technical experience, and has previously supported companies such as Execulink and Total Network Services. Mitchell worked as in telecom technical customer service for White Radio before his promotion.
“Sales and support is the foundation of our value proposition,” stated Jack…
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GATINEAU – Allarco Entertainment Inc.’s pay-per-view Super Channel will finally be launching on Shaw Communications’ cable systems and on its direct-to-home satellite distributor Star Choice in late April and early May respectively, according to the broadcaster.
The news was revealed following Allarco’s appearance Wednesday at the CRTC’s three-week-long hearing into pay and specialty services and broadcast distribution undertakings – at which executives complained it was proving impossible to get carriage, even though Super Channel had been granted must-carry status by the regulator.
“It’s easy to get a licence, but very difficult to execute it,” said Allarco chair Chuck Allard….
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WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE highest profile issue CRTC commissioners will tackle beginning next week’s policy hearings on broadcast distribution undertakings and specialty services is fee-for-carriage. That is, paying a new subscription fee for over-the-air broadcast stations.
As the rules now stand the regulatory bargain is such that cable and satellite and telco TV must carry conventional local TV stations low in their channel lineups and must substitute Canadian signals over top of American ones when the programming is the same. We’ve come to know that part as simultaneous substitution. In return, distributors have not ever had to pay the…
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WE HAVE SOME questions for everyone. Feel free to answer, if you like, at editorial@cartt.ca. Answers will remain confidential – unless you’d like us to make them public… ************ 1. Quick, what’s a two-syllable word, ending in “o” that is a low-cost Canadian wireless brand? With the launch of a new name, Koodo, on the Telus network, we now have three answers to that question – counting Bell’s Solo and Rogers’ Fido. Can someone in marketing can explain to me the reasons why cheap Canadian wireless brand names apparently must end in o? Why is that such a…
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KELOWNA – The Canadian CommTech Trade Show is urging delegates to book soon to take advantage of registration savings. Delegates registering by March 14th can save $10 a day for the show and seminars in Kelowna on May 14-15th.
The show has increased its exhibitor forum by over 30% and will offer 25% more technical training sessions. The early bird rate of $80 per day includes a casual lunch, beverage breaks trade show and 26 training sessions to choose from.
Session topics range from GPON trial updates from Telus and Sasktel to outside plant line conditioning and deep fibre…
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TORONTO – Leave it to Ted Rogers to take a shot at his competition while complaining about regulation – in the same sentence.
During Friday’s conference call with financial analysts, the Rogers Communications founder bemoaned the new rules announced in November by Industry Minister Jim Prentice surrounding the wireless spectrum auction coming in May, but especially took shots at the conditions placed on him when it comes to mandated network roaming for newcomers.
While spectrum has been set aside for new wireless companies, the ministry also said that the incumbents must allow customers of these newbies to roam on…
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