Adds Competition Act is outdated
By Ahmad Hathout
TORONTO – Investment company Globalive Capital said yesterday that its offer to purchase Freedom Mobile from a combined Rogers-Shaw entity is still open, as it blasted the prospect of Quebecor’s Videotron acquiring Shaw’s wireless company at a discount.
“Globalive’s bid to purchase Freedom Mobile at a $900 million premium over Videotron remains open, and is a reminder that Canada has choices,” said the statement, which came on the day that the Competition Tribunal wrapped up its hearing on the evidence in Rogers’s pursuit of buying Shaw Communications. Globalive sent a letter to Innovation Canada, the competition commissioner, and…
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Wireless issues top the list with largest share of complaints
By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – A watchdog that fields telecommunications complaints said in a report released today that Canadian complaints about their services have dropped 25% compared to the same period last year, with wireless taking the top spot for issues and with some trending issues that one advocate said are “disturbing.”
All telecommunications services recorded by the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-Television Services reported declines in complaints for the 2021-2022 year compared to the previous 2020-2021 period. The CCTS said it resolved 88% of complaints, often within 30 days.
Wireless topped issues…
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By Brad Danks, CEO of OUTtv Media Global Inc. (OMG) (pictured above); Monika Ille, CEO APTN; and Luc Perreault, strategic advisor of Stingray Group
The Senate Transport Committee is starting its clause-by-clause review of Bill C-11, an Act to amend the Broadcasting Act. Hours of Committee time have been spent on the scope of the Bill and how it would apply to digital first creators and social media platforms. This is understandable and appropriate.
Far less time has been spent on a weakness in the Bill that will have a much more profound impact on the Canadian broadcasting system and the content Canadians can access….
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By Ahmad Hathout
VANCOUVER — Telus Corp. has filed a trademark this month for a program intended to aid newcomers in obtaining services including telecommunications, healthcare and job opportunities, according to a filing on November 3.
The trademark is for the name “Brightstart,” a program that supposedly includes as its services “providing information to newcomers relating to telecommunications and services” and “educational services namely providing resources to newcomers relating to job and career opportunities and resume preparation services.”
According to the filing, a pre-assessment letter was sent to Telus informing it that the goods or services were not acceptable….
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It’s the first residual auction in four years
OTTAWA – Canada’s largest telecoms have applied to be in a sealed-bid auction held by Innovation Canada for left-over spectrum licenses.
Innovation Canada posted on its website Friday the applicants for the residual spectrum in the 600 MHz, 2500 MHz, and 3500 MHz bands, mid-band spectrum that was auctioned in the summer of last year and is used for 5G services. The slices of spectrum went unsold in previous auctions or were returned to the department.
The auction will be in a sealed bid format, meaning telecoms will submit their bids…
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By Ahmad Hathout
TORONTO – The CRTC should look into the existing agreements and structures in place that deal with network reliability issues before it does anything hasty, according to panelists at the Canadian Telecom Summit, after the chairman said yesterday the commission plans to hold proceedings on the matter.
During his keynote speech on the first day of the conference yesterday, CRTC Chairman Ian Scott said the regulator will be planning proceedings that could examine issues related to reporting of major network outages, including enhancing network resiliency, access to emergency services, consumer communication and compensation, and penalties on providers.
But…
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VANCOUVER and MUSQUEAM, SQUAMISH and TSLEIL-WAUTUTH TERRITORIES — Telus today released its 2022 Indigenous Reconciliation and Connectivity Report, which details how the telecom “embeds Reconciliation within its business” and includes stories of how connectivity and technology have enabled “transformative outcomes for Indigenous businesses and communities,” says a press release.
“Connecting Indigenous communities is so much more than building cell towers and laying fibre-optic cables, it also means developing meaningful relationships built on openness, trust and reciprocity, and harnessing the limitless possibilities enabled by our world-leading networks to create better health, education, economic and…
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OTTAWA – Documents newly made public today at the Competition Tribunal’s hearing into the Competition Bureau’s application to block the proposed merger of Rogers Communications and Shaw Communications reveals Telus’ strategy to stop and delay the deal.
The document, prepared for Telus’ board on the company’s second quarter of 2022, says Telus continued to execute its “top-of-house strategy” where its executive leadership team met “with political leaders to kill, shape and slow the deal.”
Additionally, the document notes that during the quarter, “NDP leader, Jagmeet Singh, repeatedly asked PM Trudeau during Question Period to block the merger, using TELUS talking points”…
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TORONTO — Organizers of the Canadian Telecom Summit (CTS) announced today details of the regulatory blockbuster panel (above), taking place at the annual conference on Nov. 22 at 4:15 p.m.
Ed Antecol, vice-president of professional services with COMsolve will moderate the panel. Panel participants include:
Stephen Schmidt, vice-president telecom policy and chief regulatory legal counsel, Telus
Samer Bishay, CEO of Iristel and Ice Wireless
Geoff White, executive director and general counsel, with the Competitive Network Operators of Canada
Rob Malcolmson, chief legal and regulatory officer, BCE and Bell Canada
Paul Beaudry, vice-president, regulatory affairs, Cogeco
Ted Woodhead, chief regulatory officer…
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OTTAWA – The Competition Tribunal hearing on the Competition Bureau’s application to block the merger of Rogers Communications and Shaw Communications continued today, although mostly in camera.
The tribunal heard from Blaik Kirby, group president, consumer and small and medium business at BCE, who also appeared yesterday. He spoke about the competitive environment and Bell’s response to the launch of Shaw Mobile.
“If there is a divestiture the resulting environment is actually going to better for Bell Mobility than the current environment,” Kirby told the tribunal panel, speaking about the divestiture of Shaw’s wireless assets.
“When we look at Shaw today, the…
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