New Northwestel rates could ‘finally’ lead to competition: SSi

Media companies looking to MCNs to reach younger audiences

Multi-channel networks (MCNs) have carved out a space in the online video ecosystem in recent years, leading traditional broadcasters to move into MCNs as a relatively low-risk way to reach younger demographics — though there is some question about the ability to monetize such investments.

CRTC calls for radio licence applications for Hamilton-Niagara

Two communities in Ontario’s Hamilton-Niagara region can handle “at least” one radio station, the CRTC said as it issued a call for applications Thursday.

The announcement follows a January application filed by Dufferin Communications Inc. to serve Grimsby and Beamsville, Ont., with a commercial radio station.

Bell Media launches new online ad targeting tools

BCE Inc.’s Bell Media has made available to its online advertisers two new services that it says will enable ”expanded and more accurate targeting against Bell Media audiences.”

Advertisers will be able to use Bell’s “first-ever proprietary behavioural targeting product” to choose audiences based on their interests, such as adventure travel or sports, or have “have customized profiles created that are unique to their customers.”

Telus launches 4K Netflix set-top viewing

Telus Corp. announced Monday that is making Netflix Inc.’s app available on its Optik 4K set-top box, allowing subscribers to stream Netflix in 4K resolution.

“4K is the ultimate way to immerse yourself in your favourite TV shows and introducing hundreds of hours of top-tier 4K Netflix programming is a huge step forward in the evolution of Optik TV,” Blair Miller, Telus’ vice-president of content, said in Monday’s press release.

MTS looking for savings as it awaits Bell takeover

Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. will cut about 80 jobs to save about $7 million following a voluntary workforce reduction program “for certain employees who are not in customer-facing roles,” the company announced as it reported its third quarter results Wednesday.

Bell announces 1M+ Crave TV subs, Fibe on Apple TV

BCE Inc. reported Thursday that its over-the-top (OTT) product Crave TV has surpassed one million subscribers, as it announced its Internet protocol TV (IPTV) service Fibe TV is getting distribution through Apple Inc.’s TV service.

Super Bowl appeal to go ahead, but court says no stay

Federal Court has granted BCE Inc. leave to appeal the CRTC’s decision not to allow simultaneous substitution for the Super Bowl, though it declined to delay the implementation of the decision until the court process wrapped up.

Zero-rating regime should be similar to ITMP framework: CNOC

GATINEAU — On the first day of the CRTC’s hearing on differential pricing practices, a consortium representing small telecoms asked the CRTC to allow but regulate the practice of zero-rating, though CRTC chairman Jean-Pierre Blais questioned how zero-rated categories would be determined under such a regime.

CRTC approves CincoMas for distribution

A BCE Inc. application to sponsor a Spanish-language channel has been approved, the CRTC said Friday.

In a notice posted to its website, the CRTC said CincoMas, described as a 24-hour general interest service, received the OK to be added to the list of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution. The channel “originates from Spain and its target audience will be anyone who has a connection to or interest in Spain,” the CRTC said.

Groupe V Media launches complaint about music shuffle

Groupe V Media Inc. has filed a complaint with the CRTC over BCE Inc.’s removal of Groupe V Media’s French-language music channels from its cheapest pre-assembled cable TV packages.

According to the Part 1 application posted to the commission’s website Wednesday, Bell informed Groupe V that its MusiMax and MusiquePlus were moving from Bon to Meilleur packages in Quebec and that they were being removed from the legacy package’s En Famille theme pack and would be offered a la carte in Ontario in Quebec.

Telcos unlikely to fully deploy FTTH: Desjardins

High fibre costs and advancements in technology are among the reasons Canadian telcos are unlikely to expand their fibre-to-the-home [FTTH] footprint beyond 60 per cent coverage, according to Desjardins Capital Markets. 

Blais can name panels: Federal Court of Appeal

TORONTO — A panel of Federal Court of Appeal justices dismissed an application from former CRTC commissioner Raj Shoan challenging the authority of chairman Jean-Pierre Blais to name commissioners to panels.

AT&T, Time Warner deal shows VI trending in opposite directions: analyst

A potential merger between AT&T Inc. and Time Warner Cable Inc. highlights a move by United States-based companies toward vertical integration, just as developments in Canada suggest the opposite is happening north of the border, according to an analyst.

“While the U.S. is becoming more vertically integrated, Canada is moving in the other direction,” Jeff Fan, an analyst at Scotiabank, said in a note Monday.

Wind’s reduced Ont. focus message to government: Huang

Shaw Communications Inc. is putting less emphasis on growing subscribers for Wind in Ontario in favour of boosting its wireless network in Western Canada, according to Barclays analyst Phillip Huang.

Bell moves Showtime to OTT platform

BCE Inc.’s over-the-top (OTT) service CraveTV will be the new launching pad for Showtime programming in Canada, the company announced Monday.

In a press release, Crave said new and returning shows will debut on the OTT platform the same time as they air on television in the U.S., beginning with The Affair on Nov. 20, so that “subscribers can look forward to new SHOWTIME programming on the service every single week.”

Federal appeal court to reconsider Bell prepaid lawsuit

The Ontario Court of Appeal has been ordered to reconsider a class-action lawsuit against BCE Inc. involving the expiration of prepaid account contracts.

The Supreme Court of Canada said Thursday the lower court must revisit the case in light of its decision in contracts case Ledcor Construction Ltd. v. Northbridge Indemnity Insurance Co., which came after the appeal court denied the Bell Mobility suit.

CIPF criticism ‘misleading,’ Blais tells committee

OTTAWA — CRTC chairman Jean-Pierre Blais defended the rationale and timing of the regulator’s controversial decision to change the eligibility requirements to access certified independent production funds (CIPFs) in face of pointed questions from members of Parliament Thursday morning.

VMedia pulls CTV from OTT service as ‘sign of good faith’

VMedia Inc. said in a court document it has removed BCE Inc.’s CTV channels from its over-the-top (OTT) skinny basic service pending the resolution of a legal dispute between the two companies, as a “sign of good faith.”

SuperBowl simsub ban shouldn’t be delayed, AG says

BCE Inc. hasn’t demonstrated enough evidence that a court should postpone the implementation of the CRTC’s decision to eliminate simultaneous substitution for the National Football League's (NFL) Super Bowl, and the evidence it has provided is “limited to bald and speculative assertions,” the attorney general is arguing.

Some Corus talk radio stations streaming on Apple Music

Corus Entertainment Inc. is making seven of its news talk radio stations available for free internationally on Apple Inc.’s Apple Music streaming service.

The company said in a Tuesday press release that it is “the first Canadian commercial radio company” available on Apple Music. 

Trump consulting with Eisenach on telecom policy: reports

United States presidential candidate Donald Trump is looking to consultant Jeffrey Eisenach for advice on telecom policy, according to media reports.

Politico reported last week, citing anonymous sources, that Eisenach is a new aide for the Trump campaign. It described him as a “crusader against regulation” who argued for a hands-off approach from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Wholesale rate decision could lead to focus on flanker brands, analysts say

In the days after the CRTC issued a decision that lowered wholesale wireline Internet rates proposed by large Internet Service Providers (ISPs), financial analysts said the large telecoms could respond to increased pressure through flanker brands, and some pointed to the possibility of decreased infrastructure investment.

iHeartRadio launches in Canada

iHeartMedia Inc.'s free digital radio and music streaming service is now available in Canada, according to a press release from BCE Inc.’s media division.

The free app, iHeartRadio, is available on a preview basis ahead of its official launch on Oct. 10.

CRTC’s lowering of HSA rates means small ISPs ‘free to innovate’: CNOC

The CRTC has set revised interim wholesale rates for high-speed access (HSA) services, criticizing large Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for proposing “unreasonable” rates that were too high, in a move small ISPs say leaves them “free to innovate.”

Court says Cogeco can’t claim ‘best Internet’

An Ontario Superior Court judge has granted an injunction requested by BCE Inc. forbidding Cogeco Inc. from claiming that it has the “best Internet experience in your neighbourhood.”

In a Sept. 26 ruling, judge Wendy Matheson said Cogeco could no longer use the phrase, which it had used on its website. The injunction applies in Ontario.

Bell asks for injunction against VMedia OTT service

BCE Inc. is asking the Ontario Superior Court to grant an interim and permanent injunction to stop VMedia Inc. from delivering Bell's CTV channels on its over-the-top (OTT) service.

VMedia fighting to keep CTV, CTV2 on OTT service

VMedia Inc. is asking an Ontario court to step in and declare that its recently launched over-the-top (OTT) streaming television service is not infringing copyright, as claimed by BCE Inc., which wants the provider to remove its CTV and CTV Two networks from its service.

In an application filed Monday with the Ontario Superior Court, the Toronto-based independent provider argued that its live-TV streaming service for customers with Roku Inc. devices is permitted under the Copyright Act.

CraveTV profitability still uncertain after Shomi exit: Desjardins

While CraveTV should have an easier time competing in the over-the-top (OTT) space now that Shomi will cease operation, Netflix Inc.’s offering still leaves doubt about the profitability of BCE Inc.’s service, says a Desjardins analyst.

Shomi had 900,000 subs, company says

As Shomi shuts down, experts point to strong competition in OTT

Shomi, the joint Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc. over-the-top (OTT) video service, will shut down on Nov. 30, the service announced Monday afternoon, in a move some industry experts said wasn’t completely out of the blue.

Telecoms among least-trusted Canadian companies: report

In a University of Victoria study ranking Canadians’ trust of various brands, all the telecom providers included were at the bottom of the list.

The Gustavson Brand Trust Index, released Thursday, measured opinions regarding 276 brands among 6,384 Canadian consumers.

Differing opinions on how to guide differential pricing, interventions show

Even among those who support differential pricing practices such as zero rating and sponsoring data, there isn’t a consensus as to how they should be regulated by CRTC, according to additional comments filed with the commission in its proceeding on the issue.

Supplemental interventions were published on the CRTC’s website on Thursday, ahead of the five-day public hearing, which begins Oct. 31 in Gatineau, Que. During the week-long hearing, the CRTC panel will hear from 31 groups, companies and individuals.

Class action targets automatic service price adjustment

Lawyers are asking a Quebec court to allow a class action lawsuit against companies that they allege are violating the province’s consumer protection laws by requiring customers to take the initiative to cancel services after fixed promotional periods.

Quebecor in ‘no rush’ to get rid of 700MHz spectrum: Pruneau

Quebecor Inc.’s chief financial officer Jean-François Pruneau said Thursday the company is content to wait to sell the 700 MHz spectrum it picked up in 2014 and never deployed, given its value continues to grow with time.

Bell asks for stay of Super Bowl simsub decision in new appeal

BCE Inc. has filed a new motion petitioning the Federal Court of Appeal to hear its case against the CRTC decision banning simultaneous substitution during the Super Bowl.

In a notice of motion filed in Toronto on Monday, Bell repeated its argument that the CRTC went outside of its jurisdiction and that it doesn’t have the authority to  “make orders that have retrospective effect or interfere with vested contractual rights.”

Data consumption, competitive pressures headline investor conference

Canada’s biggest telcos told investors Wednesday that they are seeing growth in wireless data usage on the first of a two-day conference hosted by CIBC World Markets.

Low skinny basic take-up result of content-hungry consumers: Cope

Adoption of skinny-basic television has been low because consumers demand more content, BCE Inc. president and CEO George Cope told an investors’ conference on Tuesday.

“Subscriptions for [skinny basic] have probably met our expectations. It’s been fairly low, but that’s because of the desire of the consumer for [enormous amounts] of content now, so it’s really what’s in it,” Cope told Goldman analyst Jiorden Sanchez at the investment bank’s annual Communacopia Conference.

Emmy win a knock on CRTC rules: critics

Critics of the CRTC’s recent changes to the certified independent production fund (CIPF) policy pointed to Canadian actress Tatiana Maslany’s victory at the Emmy Awards Sunday night as evidence changes were the wrong move.

Eastlink launches TV Everywhere app

Bragg Communications Inc.’s Eastlink unveiled its new TV Everywhere offering Thursday, Eastlink Stream, offering a one-stop-shop for television subscribers to access content from multiple networks and over-the-top (OTT) services through one application.

Developed with Cisco Systems Inc.’s Infinite Video platform, the free app is now available for Eastlink’s TV customers in all of its service areas. 

Extra data promos to drive upgrades: Barclays

Promotions offering customers extra data as part of back-to-school promotions by Canada’s largest three wireless carriers will help drive upgrades by customers, according to a research note by Barclays Capital analyst Phillip Huang.

CRTC skinny basic hearing ‘premature,’ telecoms say

As the CRTC is set to look into the implementation of its skinny basic TV package rules by industry, telecoms are arguing the proceeding is largely premature, given that the commission’s skinny basic regime still hasn’t been fully implemented.

Court dismisses Super Bowl simsub appeal, Bell to re-file

The Federal Court of Appeal has dismissed BCE Inc.’s appeal of the CRTC’s move to ban simultaneous substitution for the Super Bowl, deciding that the case, which was launched before the ban became official policy, was premature.

The company plans to file another appeal, Bell Media spokesman Scott Henderson said in an email Tuesday.

Bell has fastest wireless network again: report

BCE Inc. owns the country’s fastest mobile speeds for a second consecutive year, helped by partnerships agreements with other companies, according to a report released Wednesday by PCMag.com.

With an average of 59.72 Mbps, Bell’s mobile speeds dwarf those of its American counterparts like Verizon Communications Inc., which won PCMag’s fastest mobile network in the U.S. with an average of 27.8 Mbps. This is the fourth year PCMag has done this survey.

CRTC consulting on MTS licence transfer to Bell

The CRTC said Tuesday that it wants input on Manitoba Telecom Services Inc.’s application to transfer its broadcast distribution licences to BCE Inc. as part of the proposed acquisition of MTS by Bell.

Bell, MTS announce post-merger plans for Churchill, Man.

Gigabit-speed Internet will be introduced to Northern Manitoba under a BCE Inc.-owned Manitoba Telecom Services Inc., the companies announced Monday.

The improvement in Churchill, Man., would be part of the $1-billion-over-five-years investment Bell pledged to make as part of the acquisition proposal for MTS, said a press release.

Northwestel can pull grandfathered Internet plans, CRTC says

BCE Inc. subsidiary Northwestel Inc. can stop offering “destandardized” wireline Internet packages, the CRTC has ruled.

In a decision posted Monday, the regulator approved Northwestel’s application to withdraw eight grandfathered residential and business plans and move customers over to comparable modern packages.

Bell releases ultra high-def PVR

BCE Inc. customers can now take advantage of the “world’s first fully wireless [Internet protocol TV] service,” the company said Monday.

In a press release, Bell said a wireless 4K Whole Home PVR was now available for Fibe TV customers, offering “up to 150 hours of 4K recording capacity and Bluetooth remote that enables out-of-sight positioning of the PVR.”

Bell’s Wholesale Code appeal, conditions of licence ask face stiff opposition

BCE Inc. has “unclean hands” in its effort to have the Wholesale Code overturned by the federal Appeal Court while simultaneously applying to have removed certain conditions of licence imposed on vertically integrated entities in 2013 by the CRTC during the ongoing licence renewal process, lawyers argued in court documents responding to Bell’s appeal.

Parliamentary secretary sorry for CRTC letter: report

A parliamentary secretary has apologized after sending a letter of support for BCE Inc.’s licence renewal application, the Canadian Press reported Thursday.

Kate Young, Liberal representative for a London, Ont. riding and parliamentary secretary to Transport Minister Marc Garneau, told CP that she “did not take into consideration the implications” of her role as a public office holder and that she “sincerely apologize[s] for any inappropriate actions” on her part.

G.fast tech to give Canadian telcos’ Internet speeds a boost

A new technology that allows telecoms to get speeds of hundreds of gigabits through existing copper loops is making headway in Canada, where companies are testing it out and deployment is likely to begin later this year.

Large and small Internet service providers (ISPs) say they’re looking at g.fast technology, which gives telcos a leg up in the competition with cablecos by allowing them to offer faster speeds without installing new fibre-to-the-home (FFTH) infrastructure.

Small-player competition helps boost Internet speeds: Speedtest

Emerging boutique fibre companies are forcing the incumbents to boost speeds to match competition as fixed and mobile speeds increased significantly over the year, according to a report by Speedtest, a product of Ookla, an American broadband testing and web diagnostics company.

Cable providers readying for full pick-and-pay with theme packs

Some companies are adding more selection to their cable TV packages by going the theme-pack route in preparation for the mandatory full pick-and-pay rules coming into effect this winter. 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 …

Rio Olympics draws 32M viewers: CBC

The 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were the most-watched Summer Games in Canadian history, CBC/Radio-Canada said Tuesday of the two-week event that wrapped up Sunday night.

In a press release, the public broadcaster said that between Aug. 5 and Aug. 21, 32.1 million people tuned into Olympic coverage.

Jennifer Hollett joins Twitter Canada

Twitter Inc.’s Canadian division announced Monday it had hired Jennifer Hollett as the company’s new head of news and government.

10% confused over definition of OTT: MTM

Confusion over what qualifies as watching TV online has led Media Technology Monitor to revise some previously reported data about over-the-top (OTT) services.

In a Thursday report, the CBC/Radio-Canada research project said about 10 per cent of English-speaking Canadians, especially those over the age of 50, “still stated they don’t watch online TV during our survey, even after being prompted that OTT services are a form of online television.”

CRTC makes Super Bowl simsub ban official