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CRTC approves Bell’s ‘urgent’ Wangiri-blocking request
After BCE Inc. asked it to grant an “urgent” approval to block the one-ring phone scam calls known as Wangiri calls at the end of March, on account of the increased call volume associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, the CRTC today approved Bell’s request until June 1 of this year. This content is available to …
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OPC reprimanded Bell over repeated delays in 2018: doc
BCE Inc.’s delays and incomplete responses to multiple information access requests drew the ire of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner in 2018, according to a document obtained through Access to Information. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …
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ISPs using Bell’s in-building wire ordered to identify customers
All internet service providers who were accessing BCE Inc.’s in-building wire as of Dec. 16, 2019 must give Bell a list of all buildings in which they were accessing Bell’s wires to provide service to customers, the CRTC has ruled. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
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Canadian wireless sub adds down slightly from 2018
Canada’s publicly-traded wireless service providers added just under 1.29 million wireless subscribers in 2019, a year many executives described as one of the most intensely competitive in recent memory. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news …
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CRTC reviews processes after publishing confidential documents
The CRTC is reviewing its internal processes after it published confidential documents from BCE Inc.’s Northwestel and Télébec on its website and left them there for more than seven months before realising its error. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …
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ISED pushing Bell to show progress on CTI rollout: docs
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) will be pressuring BCE Inc. to show progress on the rural broadband projects for which it has received funding under the Connect to Innovate program, documents obtained under Access to Information indicate. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
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CRTC orders Bell to sign agreement with CloudWifi
The CRTC has ordered BCE Inc. to sign an agreement that would allow CloudWifi Inc. to progress its application to become a competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC), finding Bell’s continued refusal to do so is “unnecessarily hindering competition and consumer choice.” This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …
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Bell asks CRTC for ‘urgent’ approval to block Wangiri calls
BCE Inc. has filed an application with the CRTC asking it for “urgent expedited and ex parte approval” to block so-called Wangiri — one-ring phone scam — calls, saying doing so would allow the company to better address high call volumes caused by the country’s collective social distancing. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers …
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CRTC approves Northwestel’s waiving of overage fees
The CRTC has given interim approval to BCE Inc.’s Northwestel application for urgent relief that will allow to it waive data overage charges for its cable and fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) internet customers. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital …
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Financial analysts say telecoms ‘resilient’ to impact of COVID-19
Canada’s telecommunications sector is a “constructive place to hide” for financial investors as markets continue to feel the impact of COVID-19, RBC Capital Markets analyst Drew McReynolds says. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you …
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Federal prisons waiving inmate phone fees
The Correctional Service of Canada is temporarily making calls free of charge for prisoners in Canada’s federal corrections institutions in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take …
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Telecoms close stores, offer free channels in response to COVID-19
Telecommunication providers are closing retail stores, offering complimentary TV channels and continuing to waive overage fees on home internet plans as they respond to COVID-19. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a …
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Fraud, nuisance calls will ‘never go away’: CRTC chairman
OTTAWA — Calls are only a part of the problem of nuisance and fraudulent communications in Canada, CRTC chairman Ian Scott told a Parliamentary committee Tuesday, while industry representatives said tackling the issue will require a multi-pronged approach. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …
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Bell partners with on-the-go streaming service
BCE Inc. has joined forces with yet-to-launch mobile streaming service Quibi SA, signing a deal to be its exclusive Canadian news and sport provider. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free …
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Gov’t 25% price reduction to target big three flanker brands
The federal government will focus on 2 GB to 6 GB post-paid plans from Rogers Communications Inc., Telus Corp. and BCE Inc. in its efforts to lower Canadian wireless prices, and set-aside 50 MHz of 3500 MHz spectrum for smaller and regional players in most licence areas in the upcoming Dec. 15 auction. Innovation Minister …
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Government, non-VI companies defend standstill rule
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Court must consider Charter rights in site-blocking case: BCCLA
Court mandated website-blocking is an “extraordinary” remedy and should only be granted sparingly, according to a court filing from the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a …
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Teksavvy asks Competition Bureau to investigate Rogers, Bell
The Competition Bureau has been asked to investigate a “pattern of anti-competitive activities” in wholesale and retail internet markets by BCE Inc. and Rogers Communications, in a complaint filed by independent ISP Teksavvy Solutions Inc. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …
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MVNO decision arrives at a ‘tipping point’: Bell CEO
GATINEAU, Que. — How threatening the prospect of mandated MVNO access is to BCE Inc. was evident Wednesday as the company brought out its CEO to the CRTC’s ongoing wireless hearing, who told the regulator even the “least aggressive” MVNO proposal would harm investment. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign …
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Government’s wireless price drop promise should be altered: Bibic
GATINEAU, Que. — The Liberal government’s promise to lower mobile service bills by 25 per cent should be measured from 2018 or when “unlimited” plans were introduced, rather than, as the government is planning, from December 2019, BCE Inc. CEO Mirko Bibic said. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …
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Class action filed against Bell over prison phone contract
Attorneys representing an unnamed former inmate at several Ontario prisons have filed a class action lawsuit against BCE Inc., for what they say are the “unconscionable” telephone rates for prisoners in Bell’s contract with the Ontario prison system. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …
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Bell backs Quebecor on standstill rule — but not for TVA Sports
In the case that sparked a year of conflict between rivals BCE Inc. and Quebecor Inc., Bell has now told the Federal Court of Appeal it actually agrees with Quebecor on its arguments to eliminate the CRTC’s standstill rule. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
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Bell picks ‘first’ 5G vendor, says regulatory to affect buildout
BCE Inc. will start building out its 5G network with equipment supplied by Nokia Corp. as it waits for the federal government to decide if Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd gear can be used, the company told investors during its fourth quarterly earnings call Thursday morning. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign …
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Bell to add French-language content to Crave
Starting on Jan. 28, BCE Inc.’s Crave streaming service will launch some 6,000 hours of French-language content. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The Wire Report …
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Bell appeals CRTC decision in fight over undue preference
A months-long dispute between BCE Inc. and Quebecor Inc. entered yet another phase Friday, as Bell filed for judicial review of the CRTC’s Dec. 19 decision that found Bell gave undue preference to its own French-language sports channel over Quebecor’s own offering, TVA Sports. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign …
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Bell to reveal AI call-blocking methods to NDA-signing intervenors
The CRTC has approved BCE Inc.’s request to make available to interveners the previously redacted methods behind its plan to use artificial intelligence in a proposed 90-day call blocking test. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …
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Industry waiting on detail from gov’t on wireless price drop
If Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains wants to see a 25-per-cent reduction in wireless prices starting from December 2019 — as he clarified this week — the best way is to maintain a hands-off approach that has seen a reduction of 28 per cent in wireless prices since 2016, according to the industry’s main lobby. This …
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Incumbents, small telecoms pan Competition Bureau MVNO proposal
Telecom providers both big and small have unanimously rejected a Competition Bureau proposal to allow strictly-regulated mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) access to the Big Three’s networks for five years, but for vastly different reasons. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …
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Telecoms deadlocked ahead of 5G rollout: analyst
No major wireless provider stands out as most likely to benefit from Canada’s looming 5G network rollout, despite two players’ extensive combined wireline footline placing them on the “front foot”, RBC Capital Markets analyst Drew McReynolds says. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …
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CloudWifi says other small ISPs need access to in-building fibre
CloudWifi Inc. has gone to bat for other small internet service providers as it continues to fight with BCE Inc. over access to in-building fibre wiring, arguing companies should be allowed to access it in buildings where there is no other infrastructure. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here …
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Bell says CRTC used bad costing process in wholesale rate decision
In yet another appeal of the CRTC’s decision lowering wholesale internet rates, BCE Inc. filed a fresh review-and-vary application to the regulator the week before Christmas, arguing that that the CRTC relied on an “irrevocably broken” underlying costing process and framework. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …
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Delete wireless price commitment in Broadband Fund: Bell
BCE Inc. is asking the CRTC to remove some of the pricing stipulations on mobile wireless offerings in its November call for applications to the regulator’s $750-million Broadband Fund. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news …
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Bell did unduly disadvantage TVA Sports: CRTC
The CRTC has ruled on two applications in which rivals BCE Inc. and Quebecor Inc. accused each other of an undue preference when it came to the packaging of the other company’s TV content, concluding that Bell unduly disadvantaged Quebecor’s TVA Sports. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here …
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SCC simsub ban rejection a boon for Canadian performers: ACTRA
The nation’s highest court has quashed a 2016 decision by the CRTC to ban the substitution of Canadian advertising on American networks for the Super Bowl, which will mean more work opportunities for Canadian performers, a labour union says. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
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CloudWifi decision stands, but other ISPs must wait for access
In an ongoing dispute between BCE Inc. and CloudWifi Inc. over whether Internet service providers like CloudWifi should have access to Bell’s wiring in multi-dwelling units, the CRTC Monday upheld the principle of its decision from June, but acquiesced to part of Bell’s review-and-vary request and initiated a new tariff proceeding on ISP access to …
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Wireless revenues, ARPU up industry-wide, CRTC report says
The latest portion of the CRTC’s Communications Monitoring Report, focused on the mobile retail market and released Monday, shows that wireless industry revenues have gone up, and while smaller providers’ share of that revenue also increased, the Big Three continue to dominate more than 90 per cent of the market. This content is available to …
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Quebecor’s court appeal over Bell’s G7 gov’t contract dismissed
The Federal Court of Appeal has dismissed a case brought forward by Quebecor Inc. over the federal government granting BCE Inc. the contract to improve wireless coverage ahead of the 2018 G7 Summit held in La Malbaie, Que. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …
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V buy would give Bell too much market share: PIAC, Quebecor
BCE Inc.’s proposed acquisition of French-language Groupe V Media Inc.’s conventional TV network V would exacerbate a “crisis” in local television and especially local news programming, would negatively impact competition, and “raise serious concerns about Bell’s exercise of market power,” according to an intervention by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre. This content is available to …
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Telecoms find silver lining in unprecedented number of CCTS complaints
Despite improvements in customer service that have lowered customer defections, the country’s telecom complaints watchdog said it still accepted 35 per cent more issues from subscribers over the year — but the telecoms are pointing to improved figures. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …
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TekSavvy files appeal against site-blocking order
Internet service provider TekSavvy Solutions Inc. has appealed a Federal Court order requiring ISPs to block a pair of websites selling allegedly pirated content. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free …
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Cablecos, Telus join Bell in petition to government on wholesale rate cut
Wednesday saw a flurry of legal moves to overturn a CRTC decision that cut the rates wholesale internet resellers pay for bandwidth from the incumbents, as BCE Inc., Telus Corp. and the country’s major cable companies filed three separate petitions to the governor-in-council asking it to reverse the decision, and Telus doubled up by also filing …
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Cell data tracking company continues lobby push, despite tough reception
A company that says its privacy-focused software app can tell employers exactly how their employees are using their phones at work said it hasn’t received support for its product in the country it was born in. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …
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PKP accused gov’t of ‘flagrantly’ favouring Bell over G7 contracts
Quebecor Inc. CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau wrote a letter taking the Liberal government to task over the contract to upgrade wireless services for 2018 G7 summit, accusing it of favouritism toward Quebecor rival BCE Inc. and demanding the government make the new Bell infrastructure available to other providers for free. This content is available to …
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Bell to focus on declining mobile service prices in MVNO review
Ahead of the CRTC’s wireless review early next year, and on the heels of a report showing Canada is among the highest-priced jurisdictions in the world for data, BCE Inc. executives on Thursday focused on the declining cost of data to push the point that regulatory intervention is unnecessary for competition. This content is available …
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Mixed analyst response to Wednesday’s telecom stock sell-off
Following the release of the Rogers Communications Inc. quarterly results Wednesday that were accompanied by falling stock prices, Desjardins analyst Maher Yaghi asked in a research note if the impact of the shift toward no-data-overage wireless plans indicated a period of significant instability in the wireless sector. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already …
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Telus says Bell in no position to defend CRTC jurisdiction on standstill rule
The CRTC is within its jurisdiction to order companies to keep carrying each other’s TV signals even in the middle of a dispute, Telus Corp. told Federal Court, but the company also argued BCE Inc. isn’t the right entity to defend such an argument. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign …
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Two arrested in Bell data breach affecting 97k
The RCMP Tuesday announced the arrest and charge of two people in connection with a 2018 data breach exposing 97 thousand BCE Inc. customers. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or …
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Bell and Stingray partner on targeted ads for radio, audio streaming
BCE Inc. and Stingray Group Inc. have launched a targeted advertising platform that allows ads to be placed on their radio stations, audio streaming apps and podcasts. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. …
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Telecoms say oral hearing on wholesale rate not necessary
After an urgent plea by BCE Inc. requesting the Federal Court hold an oral hearing on the deadline of a CRTC order to implement new wholesale internet rates that it is protesting, Bell and other telecoms are saying such a process is not necessary to grant a stay of the decision. This content is available to …
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Distributel asks court for ability to challenge future site-blocking
In the event Federal Court allows a site-blocking application brought by three of the country’s largest broadcasters, Distributel Communications Ltd. wants to ensure internet service providers (ISPs) can challenge subsequent orders brought to their doorstep and be compensated for any legal action taken against them for complying. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already …
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CRTC tells Federal Court TVA info request akin to ‘fishing’
The CRTC is objecting to a document-collection request Quebecor Inc. is making in Federal Court as part of its appeal of a decision by the regulator to force the company to continue to allow BCE Inc. to broadcast its sports channel. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …
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Bell and Rogers execs say change to MVNO rules unlikely
Whatever the outcome of next month’s federal election, there will be no mandated access by mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) to incumbent wireless networks, BCE Inc.’s outgoing CEO George Cope predicted while speaking to investors Tuesday at the BMO Media and Telecom Conference in Toronto. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? …
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Federal Court of Appeal will review Bell’s CanCon concert spend case
BCE Inc. has formally filed its appeal arguments challenging a CRTC decision that said a quarter of its Canadian content contributions toward two concerts were not eligible. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. …
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CRTC says Bell cannot cut roaming service to Videotron customers
In the latest development in the months-long conflict between BCE Inc. and Quebecor Inc., the CRTC has decided that Bell cannot suspend its wholesale roaming service to Quebecor subsidiary Videotron, until the regulator decides on Bell’s Part 1 application. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
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Court pauses decision in Bell v CloudWifi until CRTC decision
The Federal Court of Appeal has decided that it will delay making a decision on whether or not to grant BCE Inc.’s leave to appeal a June CRTC decision giving CloudWifi Inc. access to Bell wiring inside multi-dwelling units. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …
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Bell asks court to put appeal on hold in CloudWifi case
BCE Inc. still wants the Federal Court of Appeal to grant it leave to appeal a June CRTC decision, but the company is content to wait until the CRTC concludes its own internal process, according to an August 19 court filing from the company. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign …
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Telecoms asking SCC to review Quebec bylaw case
The country’s biggest telecoms are asking the Supreme Court of Canada to review a decision by a lower court that determined the companies were not entitled to a reimbursement of fees they paid under municipal rights-of-way bylaws that were subsequently invalidated. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …
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Bell cuts rural broadband investment in response to new wholesale rates
BCE Inc. has responded to lower wholesale rates for internet service announced by the CRTC last week by reducing its fixed wireless rollout in rural areas by 20 per cent. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …
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CRTC commissioning report about market impact of online BDUs
The CRTC wants to know more about the potential for the Canadian broadcasting market to absorb virtual broadcasting distribution undertakings (vBDUs). This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe …
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Bell’s Walker moves from sports to esports
Alyson Walker, vice-president of brand partnerships and client strategy at BCE Inc.’s media division, is going into the esports world, it was announced earlier this month. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take …
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Telecoms must hand over more detailed info to Comp Bureau
The CRTC has directed telecom companies to disclose an additional set of information to the Competition Bureau ahead of the regulator’s review of Canada’s mobile wireless market next year. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you …
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CRTC reviewing 36-month device financing plans
The CRTC said Friday afternoon that it thinks the 36-month smartphone financing plans that have entered the market in recent weeks may be out of line with the wireless code. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news …
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Big providers get behind Bell in CloudWifi fight
The country’s largest telecoms are siding with BCE Inc. in its fight against a CRTC decision that ruled providers including CloudWifi Inc. can access only its fibre wires in multi-dwelling buildings. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital …
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Bell asking CRTC if it can test out AI for call blocking
BCE Inc. is asking the CRTC for permission to conduct a 90-day-trial using artificial intelligence and machine learning for call blocking “certain known, verified, fraudulent scam voice telephony calls” on its networks. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …
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Freedom plans could drive big three back to subsidies: analysts
The launch of new plans from Shaw Communications Inc.’s Freedom will drive more competition in the wireless market, analysts said after the new $0 phone plans were unveiled — warning the new offerings could lead incumbents to reconsider their new equipment financing plans. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …
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Freedom answers to ‘unlimited’, offers $0 phones on select plans
Shaw Communications Inc.’s Freedom is responding to the wireless industry’s recent moves toward removing data caps and offering $0 upfront financing plans by throwing-in select devices at absolutely no charge on certain plans. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …
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Bell turns to Federal Court of Appeal over CloudWiFi decision
BCE Inc. is asking for leave to appeal the CRTC’s June decision granting CloudWifi Inc. competitor access to Bell’s service wires in multi-dwelling units (MDUs). This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a …
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CRTC suspends post-CloudWiFi proceeding deadlines
The CRTC has suspended the deadlines it set for BCE Inc. to file tariffs on access to its fibre wire inside buildings and for other carriers to file interventions in a related proceeding. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …
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‘We would suffer irreparable harm’: Bell challenging CloudWifi decision
BCE Inc. is challenging the CRTC’s decision to allow internet service providers to access its fibre wires in multi-dwelling buildings, saying in a Part 1 application to the regulator that the regime governing copper access can’t simply be ported over to fibre because of technological differences. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a …
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Bell asking court to review CRTC decision on CanCon concert spend
BCE Inc.’s media division is asking the Federal Court of Appeal to look at a CRTC decision last month that made concert tickets the broadcaster distributed for promotional purposes ineligible as Canadian content contributions. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …
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CRTC denies Iristel complaint about Bell rate increases
Iristel Inc. hasn’t provided enough evidence in a dispute with BCE Inc. to compel the CRTC to re-regulate some transport services, the commission said Wednesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a …
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Emergency services affected by service outage, Rogers confirms
The wireless service outage that began on Sunday and affected the country’s four major carriers impacted 911 emergency services for nearly eight hours, Rogers Communications Inc. confirmed. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial …
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CRTC asks wireless providers to justify post-data cap throttling
The CRTC has asked several telecoms to explain how their throttling of wireless speeds once customers exceed their data allotments doesn’t violate the commission’s regulatory policy on internet traffic management practices (ITMPs). This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …
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Telus to keep no-overage plans — and subsidies
Telus Corp. is making its once promotional “no overage” wireless data plan options a permanent fixture and is allowing customers to finance any device for no cost upfront, though the new financing models still appear to include device subsidies, conditional on the phone being returned. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? …
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Broadcast news tax credit exclusion means cuts ‘inevitable’: CAB
The independence of the panel that will determine which print news organizations will get tax credits has been “compromised” because the government had already decided to exclude broadcasters from the handouts, according to a March letter sent to the government by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a …
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Bibic’s background an asset in CEO transition at Bell: observers
The imminent departure of BCE Inc. CEO George Cope, announced Friday morning, has left analysts with somewhat mixed feelings: both surprised by the earlier-than-expected leave date of January 2020, but also confident his successor Mirko Bibic, surrounded by top industry brass, will have no problem steering the ship. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers …
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Media groups vow to fight CRTC’s OMNI decision
Two media groups have filed formal petitions to the Governor in Council, asking the government to reverse a CRTC decision that gave Rogers Communications Inc. a second term to have its OMNI channel as required broadcasting on basic TV. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
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Rogers’ no-overage plan about data use, churn, 5G: analyst
Rogers Communications Inc.’s reasons for launching a no-overage-fee wireless plan last week — quickly copied across the industry — included driving up data use by its customers and improving its churn and average revenue per user in the future, according to National Bank analyst Adam Shine. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a …
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Court will hear Quebecor appeal in TVA Sports signal case
The Federal Court of Appeal has granted Quebecor Inc.’s application to challenge the CRTC’s ruling that it must continue to provide its TVA Sports signal to BCE Inc. customers following a tiff earlier this year. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …
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Bell-Videotron fight widens to permanent roaming
The conflict between BCE Inc. and Quebecor Inc. that has been simmering since April has again reached the CRTC, this time with the threat of Bell cutting off some Videotron wireless customers. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …
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Another MediaTube appeal request against Bell denied
The Federal Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal request by MediaTube Corp. to present new evidence in a six-year-old patent infringement case brought against BCE Inc. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. …
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Rogers’ new no-data-overage plan a ‘necessary’ development: analyst
Rogers Communications Inc.’s launch of a wireless plan that won’t charge customers for exceeding their data buckets is part of an inevitable move to more affordable telecom pricing in Canada, according to RBC Capital Markets analyst Drew McReynolds. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …
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Bell hardware malfunction causes Raptors fans to miss out
BCE Inc. confirmed today that several thousand of its Fibe TV and Alt TV IPTV customers lost access to the game during the crucial final 30 seconds of last night’s NBA Finals Game 5 between the Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here …
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No Super Bowl simsub reversal without USMCA: gov’t to Bell
The federal government isn’t interested in helping ensure BCE Inc. sees a reversal of the CRTC’s Super Bowl simultaneous substitution ban outside of the new free trade agreement with the United States and Mexico, internal documents indicate. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …
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