VANCOUVER — Telus announced today its new Telus Home Assistant skill for Amazon Alexa, which allows customers to control and monitor their Telus SmartHome Security and entertainment systems hands-free by using voice commands.
The Telus Home Assistant skill “is the first to integrate multiple products including SmartHome Security and Optik TV, and is now available to all Telus SmartHome Security customers at no additional cost,” says a Telus press release.
With the new skill, customers can use voice commands to set SmartHome Security functions including arming their panel, locking and unlocking doors, setting the thermostat, and turning lights on and off.
“As…
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OTTAWA — Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne and Minister of Seniors Deb Schulte today announced the second phase of the Connecting Families program, which they say will help hundreds of thousands of low-income seniors and families access affordable high-speed home Internet in 2022.
The so-called Connecting Families 2.0 program marks the first time low-income seniors will be included in the program. It also introduces faster speeds and increases the data usage amount available in Internet plans being offered by participating Internet service providers, which include Access Communications, Bell Canada, Cogeco, CSUR, Hay Communications, Mornington, Novus, Rogers, SaskTel,…
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Telus to connect over 2,000 households
OTTAWA – The Canadian federal government and the Province of British Columbia announced last Friday over $17.3 million in funding to bring high-speed Internet to over 2,000 households in rural BC.
The funding will cover four projects, and will provide service to households “in Cariboo regional district and in Indigenous communities of the Thompson-Nicola district in rural British Columbia,” according to a press release.
A spokesperson from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) confirmed via email to Cartt.ca the federal government is contributing just over $8.7 million, which is a little over half of…
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GATINEAU – The Competition Bureau announced today it has obtained court orders to compel Xplornet, Bell, Telus and Quebecor to produce documents relevant to its review of the proposed acquisition of Shaw by Rogers.
The Competition Bureau filed its request for the documents with the Federal Court of Canada on July 22 and the orders were granted on July 26 and August 1. They require the four telecoms “to produce records and written information related to mobile wireless services that are relevant to the Bureau’s investigation,” according to a press release.
The Bureau is currently investigating the proposed…
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VANCOUVER – Telus Agriculture and Persephone Brewing Company announced yesterday the release of the Pollinator Pilsner, a sustainable brew made by Persephone and powered by Telus Agriculture.
“We worked with Persephone’s farming partners to apply technology and production cultivation strategies like precision insights from weather stations, satellite imaging, soil analysis, and traceability software,” said Remi Schmaltz director of business development for North America at Telus Agriculture, in a press release.
“This allows the farmers to get the most from their land with the least environmental impact while also ensuring that the barley used in the Pollinator Pilsner was sustainably produced from…
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Includes $20.5 million from CRTC Broadband Fund and $41 million from UBF and CTI program; plus more construction announced for SWIFT projects
GATINEAU, OTTAWA, MANITOBA and SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO — The CRTC and the federal and Ontario governments all made separate announcements today about government-funded projects to improve Internet access or mobile wireless services in rural communities across the country.
The CRTC announced 10 projects will receive up to $20.5 million in funding from the Commission’s Broadband Fund, which will potentially benefit 3,625 households in 46 communities, including 16 Indigenous communities, in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and…
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RICHMOND HILL, Ont. — Staples Canada announced today it has introduced wireless services at 15 stores in southern Ontario in partnership with mobile carriers Rogers and Telus.
The new wireless services, operating under the name Staples Wireless, provide customers with access to the latest smartphones and accessories as well as customized group and individual plans from Rogers and its flanker brands Fido and Chatr, and Telus and its discount brands Koodo and Public Mobile.
“Small and medium businesses will benefit from this tailored approach, as Staples Wireless can help match communication and wireless needs to the right solutions and services, balancing…
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BONAVENTURE, Que. — Telus announced today it has expanded its 5G network to Bonaventure, New Richmond and Paspébiac as part of the company’s $5 million investment in infrastructure in Quebec’s Gaspésie region this year.
Using technology from multiple vendors, including Samsung, Ericsson and Nokia, Telus will continue to expand its 5G network to other communities in Gaspésie, including Percé, Maria, Port-Daniel and Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, says a Telus press release.
“The significant investments we are making in our world-leading network to rapidly expand our 5G footprint is enabling us to connect the citizens of the Gaspésie region to the people, resources and critical…
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TORONTO — Nav Saini (above), formerly head of content acquisition at Bell Canada, has been hired by Amazon as head of Prime Video content for Canada, effective this month.
Prior to spending over four years leading Bell’s content acquisition strategy, Saini was director of content acquisition at Telus from 2012 to 2017, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Before joining Telus, Saini had worked as an associate director at Bell Canada, in the areas of content acquisition and content packaging/pricing strategy, starting in 2007.
Photo borrowed from Nav Saini’s LinkedIn profile.
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VANCOUVER – Telus announced its second quarter results today, which includes a 9.5% increase in adjusted EBITDA over the same period in 2020, to $1.5 billion.
The company further reported consolidated operating revenues and other income increased to $4.1 billion – a 10% increase from the same period last year, according to a news release. Telus had 223,000 customer net additions, which is up 82,000 over last year, and 89,000 mobile phone net additions, representing an increase of 28,000 over last year.
“We’re obviously very proud of the quarter,” said Jim Senko, president of mobility solutions at Telus, in an…
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