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TAGGED AS COVID-19
Commish ‘frustrated for Canadian citizens’ as privacy laws lag
The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened privacy concerns around activities like videoconferencing, ehealth and elearning that have become more prevalent in our lives, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner said in its annual report Thursday. 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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Rogers still too vague about its use of ITMPs: TekSavvy
In an ongoing dispute between Rogers Communications Inc. and some of its third party internet access (TPIA) wholesale customers over COVID-19-related internet traffic management practices (ITMPs), TekSavvy Solutions Inc. says Rogers is being too vague about its use of ITMPs, and should put the practice on hold until the CRTC reviews it. This content is …
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Videotron launches physical distancing wristband
Quebecor Inc. has launched a wristband that lights up and vibrates when individuals come too close to each other, marketing it as a solution for businesses operating during the 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 …
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Throne speech reiterates rural broadband, web giant promises
In Wednesday’s throne speech kicking off Parliament’s return, the Liberal government repeated previous commitments to introduce new rules for large foreign digital companies and accelerate rural broadband builds. 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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Back to Parliament: your (pandemic) preview
Given the precarious situation around the now-escalating COVID-19 pandemic, what will actually be included in Wednesday’s speech from the throne, and in the government’s priorities in the following weeks, is more uncertain than ever. With a day to go, even the details of exactly what a hybrid and virtual sitting will look like are still …
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STIR/SHAKEN implementation date delayed 9 months
The CRTC has extended its deadline for telecom providers to implement an anti-call-spoofing protocol known as STIR/SHAKEN by nine months, until June 30, 2021. 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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CRA withholding wage subsidy from Iristel: court filing
Iristel Inc.‘s ongoing fight with the Canada Revenue Agency has become yet more complicated, as the company filed a new application for judicial review Friday, alleging that the CRA improperly withheld some $600,000 Iristel was owed under the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) program. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign …
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$263M in deferred spectrum fees due Tuesday: ISED
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada won’t give any more extensions on the payment of spectrum fees, which are due Sept. 1, the department said. 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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Broadcasters asked CRTC for emergency COVID-19 relief in July
The Canadian Association of Broadcasters asked the CRTC not to enforce conditions of licence and regulations relating to broadcasters’ expenditures for this broadcast year, citing the exceptional circumstances of the 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 …
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Committee studies, reports on hold as Parliament prorogued
With Tuesday’s prorogation of Parliament, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has put the brakes on a number of telecom-related studies underway in various House of Commons committees. 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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CRTC stepped back to allow telecoms to handle COVID-19
The CRTC largely played a hands-off role during the COVID-19 pandemic in a bid to allow Canadian telecoms to “do what needed to be done,” chairman Ian Scott said in an interview. 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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ISED says department has ‘done well’ with working from home
Innovation, Science, and Economic Development says it is moving toward establishing a hybrid work-from-home model that will see increasing numbers of employees return to office work in a series of phases. 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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eHealth raises data, privacy, and clinical questions: experts
eHealth technologies have been widely billed as bridging divides between patients and clinicians, and were recently touted by Alberta premier Jason Kenney as “simply a 21st-century version of calling up the doctor.” 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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UPDATED: OPC now says it supports COVID-19 tracing app
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner has cleared up uncertainty about whether it had approved the federal government launching its contact-tracing COVID-19 app Friday, issuing a statement saying it supports the use of the app. “The federal and Ontario regulators reviewed the app and provided recommendations to their respective governments based on key privacy principles …
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Half of spectrum licencees opted to use ISED’s COVID flexibility
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada allowed companies to defer about $263 million in spectrum and radio licence fees and made other changes to its spectrum licence procedures in response to the 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, …
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Blockbuster Disney production lobbying over COVID-19 protocols
The production company creating a remake of 1940s noir film Nightmare Alley has registered three consultant lobbyists to petition the government about “travel and quarantine requirements on Canadian film sets” as it seeks to resume filming in coming months. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
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Alberta tracing app review could ‘inspire confidence’: privacy expert
In its long-awaited privacy review of ABTraceTogether, Alberta’s COVID-19 contact tracing app, the provincial privacy watchdog has recommended that Alberta Health update its description of the app in online stores, further encrypt “data at rest” in the app, and consult with provincial privacy authorities around the decommissioning of the app. This content is available to …
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Broadcaster pushes for new multilingual channel as COVID lobbying continues
An Ontario-based ethnic broadcaster lobbying the government for funding to create a multilingual news channel to help Canadians access health information says it’s too early to reveal further details about its potential creation. 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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Shaw’s subscriber additions dampened by COVID lockdowns
Shaw Communications Inc. president Paul McAleese said that while there has not been a big shift in customer behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic, the company is still nervous about the months ahead, given the economic impact of the pandemic. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
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Phase 2 of Heritage emergency support fund to fill in ‘gaps’
The federal government has announced further details of how the $500-million fund it announced in May will be spent, and confirmed the second phase of the COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage and Sport Organizations will include organizations that were left out of the first phase. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already …
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Pandemic has increased need for privacy rights, OPC told Guilbealt
COVID-19 has made privacy rights even more important, the federal privacy commissioner’s office told Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault in May. 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 …
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Q3 ‘very tough’ for Corus as ad revenues plummet
The financial impacts of COVID-19 induced lockdowns led to a “very tough quarter” for Corus Entertainment Inc. as advertising revenue dropped dramatically, CEO Doug Murphy told analysts on Friday, with total revenues dropping 24 per cent on the year before to $348.9 million, compared to $458.4 million in 2019. This content is available to wirereport.ca …
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Assess privacy before launching contact tracing apps, advocacy groups say
Contact tracing apps aimed at assisting public health authorities in tracking the spread of COVID-19 shouldn’t be launched before privacy commissioners across the country have performed their assessments, a coalition of civil liberties and open internet advocates have argued in a Wednesday letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers …
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Privacy commissioner hasn’t approved new gov’t contact tracing app
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that in developing the federal government’s new voluntary app to trace exposure to the COVID-19 virus, it consulted the Office of The Privacy Commissioner, but a statement from the OPC indicated the office has not approved the app Trudeau announced Thursday. “The privacy commissioner has been worked with on …
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TekSavvy argues Rogers unfairly applying ITMP
TekSavvy Solutions Inc. has asked the CRTC to force Rogers Communications Inc. to stop applying an internet traffic management practice (ITMP) the reseller says disproportionately affects TekSavvy’s users, and contravenes regulatory requirements. 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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Monsef tight-lipped on rural broadband funding announcement
Rural Economic Development Minister Maryam Monsef says “precise timelines” for announcing steps to speed up rural broadband funding are still being worked out, five weeks after saying she would “soon” announce them in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …
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ISED delays 3500 MHz auction by six months
The 3500 MHz spectrum auction, originally scheduled for December of this year, will now take place in June 2021, the federal government said Friday. 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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Competition Bureau, telecoms MVNO stance unchanged by COVID-19
The Competition Bureau says its advocacy for a temporary hybrid mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) model has been unchanged by COVID-19, as telecoms and stakeholders say the global pandemic has only strengthened their positions. 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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Outdated privacy laws may hamper COVID-19 tracing: Therrien
The outdated state of Canadian privacy laws may harm efforts to launch a contact tracing app intended to combat the spread of COVID-19, as privacy concerns might make Canadians hesitant to use the apps, the country’s top privacy watchdog told the House industry committee on Friday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a …
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SaskTel to resume charging overage fees on June 9
Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. will become the second Canadian telecom to resume charging overage fees to home internet customers who go over their data caps, with the company announcing it will end the COVID-19 relief measure on June 8. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
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Network performance supports light regulatory touch: Bibic
The performance of networks in other countries during the COVID-19 crisis is evidence that the Liberal government and the CRTC should tread lightly when it comes to regulating the telecom sector, BCE Inc. CEO Mirko Bibic said Wednesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …
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Advertising market in ‘modest recovery’: Corus
Canada’s television advertising market has moved to a stage of “modest recovery” after chapters of COVID-19 pandemic induced “shock and awe,” followed by a stabilisation period, Corus Entertainment Inc. CEO Doug Murphy told Wednesday’s TD Securities Telecom and Media Conference. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …
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Google exec outlines privacy measures in new contact-tracing API
Colin McKay, head of public policy and government relations for Canada for Alphabet Inc.’s Google, told the House industry committee that Google and Apple Inc. have designed their new application programming interface (API) for tracing exposure to COVID-19 to avoid compromising user privacy. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …
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Incumbents ask court for delay of wholesale rate appeal
Incumbent cable companies have asked a Federal Court of Appeal judge to delay their appeal of the CRTC’s wholesale rates decision until the proceeding can be conducted in person. 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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Fraudsters cashing in on pandemic, committee told
The Canadian Anti Fraud Centre has received almost 1000 complaints about fraud attempts related to COVID-19 since the beginning of March, the RCMP’s assistant commissioner of federal policing criminal operations Eric Slinn told a Parliamentary committee Wednesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …
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Telus to share aggregate location data with government researchers
Telus Corp. said it will begin providing de-identified, aggregate location data to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to help combat 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 …
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2025 offered as connectivity target as pressure to fast track rises
Universal connectivity at the CRTC’s universal service objective speeds could be achieved by 2025 if funds were administered in the right way, according to Ryerson University research fellow Reza Rajibiun, a time frame labelled “realistic” by Federation of Canadian Municipalities rural director Ray Orb. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign …
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Spectrum funds could achieve broadband targets before 2030: telecoms
An NDP plan for the federal government to add money raised from past and upcoming spectrum auctions to existing broadband funding could achieve universal connectivity well before the government’s 2030 target if executed correctly, four telecommunications service providers told the House industry committee. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …
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Rovi’s STB suit against Quebecor will proceed via Zoom
A Federal Court proceeding between Quebecor Inc.‘s Videotron and Rovi Guides Inc. that was halted in early March as the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns began, will resume via Zoom, over the objections of Videotron, a judge has ruled. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …
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CRTC rejects request to hold contact-tracing inquiry
The CRTC has rejected a Public Interest Advocacy Centre request that it look into the involvement of Canadian telecoms in developing applications to track the spread of 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 …
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COVID-19 accelerating rural/urban connectivity divide: CIRA
Rural home internet speeds during the first full month where Canadians shifted to working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic were almost 12 times slower than the median speed for urban Canadians, according to speed test analysis conducted by the Canadian Internet Registration Authority. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? …
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Canadians broadly supportive of COVID-19 tracing apps: survey
Some eight in 10 Canadians support the use of wireless data to track the spread of COVID-19, and 65 per cent of Canadians think it should be mandatory, according to a survey released by three federal senators. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …
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Guilbeault details $500M relief for arts and culture
Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault Friday released more details on how a previously-announced $500-million aid package to support the cultural sector will work. 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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Telus withdraws guidance, records 19 per cent net income reduction
Telus Corp.’s net income for the first quarter of 2020 dropped 19 per cent to $353 million and the company joined the other major incumbents in withdrawing financial guidance for the year due to uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
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Bell calls for delayed payments in 3.5 GHz spectrum auction
While BCE Inc.‘s first quarter results showed a decline in profits and essentially flat revenue — and the expected withdrawal of fiscal year 2020 guidance — the company will continue to pay out dividends to shareholders, CEO Mirko Bibic told analysts on a first quarterly earnings call Thursday morning. This content is available to wirereport.ca …
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5G monitoring same as for all wireless tech: Health Canada
Health Canada has responded to an MPs’ query about what steps it is taking to monitor potential health effects of 5G networks, indicating it is treating 5G no differently than previous generations of wireless technology. 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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Conservatives and NDP united for enforcement of wholesale rates
Opposition parties that normally hold differing views on any given issue are finding themselves agreeing on some telecom-adjacent files in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with both the Conservatives and NDP calling for the government to support lower wholesale internet rates and speed up rural broadband rollouts. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers …
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PIAC calls for providers to detail COVID-19 tracing involvement
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre is asking for all Canadian telecommunication service providers to disclose any steps they’ve taken to trace the spread of COVID-19 and for the CRTC to inquire into all activities. 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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Shaw to lay off about 100 British Columbia field technicians
Shaw Communications Inc. plans to permanently lay off about 100 field technicians in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland, stating the COVID-19 pandemic had “only accelerated” the company’s two-year pivot towards a self-connect service model. 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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Provinces also looking at speeding up rural broadband rollouts
As the federal government and individual companies work on accelerating funding for and deployments of rural broadband in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of provinces are trying to do the same with their own programs. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …
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Cogeco to bring back overage fees as of May 1
Cogeco Inc. will again start charging overage fees to its home internet customers who exceed their data limits as of Friday, with the company instead focusing on other measures it considers to “be more essential” to its customers. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …
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Federal government to accelerate rural broadband funds: Monsef
The federal government will speed up its rural broadband funding in response to COVID-19, with details to be announced shortly, according to Maryam Monsef, minister for women and gender equality and rural economic development. Monsef told The Wire Report in an interview Wednesday that she has been hearing from rural municipalities about “how we can …
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CRTC to review wholesale rate setting approach
The CRTC has launched a public consultation into whether the approach it uses to set wholesale rates should be changed, stating it’s seeking to establish a “more transparent and efficient process” while ensuring rates remain just and reasonable. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …
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Rogers revenue drops 5%, withdraws guidance due to COVID-19
Rogers Communications Inc. recorded a five per cent drop in revenue in the first quarter of 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic affected wireless and media revenues in the final few weeks of the quarter. 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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Telecoms, broadcasters lobbying on COVID-19 effects
Telecom and media companies, including Quebecor Inc. and Corus Entertainment Inc., have begun adding COVID-19-related registrations to their lobby files in recent weeks. 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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Lockdown extending to July could put $2.5B of production work at risk: report
A COVID-19 induced lockdown of the country will put $2.5 billion of film and television production work at risk of disruption or permanent loss if it lasts until the end of June, a new report prepared for the Canadian Media Producers Association shows. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …
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2020 a ‘lost year’ for telecom growth: analyst
The telecommunications sector will have an “irrelevant” first quarter and will “write off” the second quarter, according to a preview note published Monday by RBC Capital Markets analyst Drew McReynolds. 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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Quebecor hits out at Bell’s ‘unfounded’ IBW extension request
Quebecor Inc. has urged the CRTC to deny a BCE Inc. request to indefinitely postpone its consultation on access to fibre in-building wire in multi-dwelling units, labelling Bell’s arguments “unfounded” and “obviously exaggerated.” 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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Gov’t in ‘early stages’ of using cellphone data for COVID-19 tracking: Bains
The federal government is looking at what other jurisdictions are doing when it comes to using cellphone data to track the spread of COVID-19, Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains said. 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 donating 1.5 million masks to provinces, federal gov’t
BCE Inc. announced Friday that it has acquired 1.5 million N95 and KN95 masks, which the company said it is donating to provincial, territorial, and federal governments to distribute across the country. 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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Bell calls for new in-building wire tariff to be put on ice
A process to create a tariff for access to in-building wire in multi-dwelling units should be put on hold until after the COVID-19 pandemic has ended, or until BCE Inc. has been given sufficient time to check every existing connection, Bell has argued in a Part 1 application lodged with the CRTC. This content is …
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Wholesale appeal is on shaky legal footing, TekSavvy argues
The ongoing appeal by incumbent telecoms of the CRTC’s wholesale internet rates decision from August should be dismissed because the appeal argues that the regulator made errors in fact, rather than errors in law and jurisdiction, according to a Tuesday filing from TekSavvy Solutions Inc. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? …
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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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Pump the brakes on COVID data tracking, advocacy groups warn
Despite the extraordinary desire to stop the spread of COVID-19, there is still no justification for mass unwarranted surveillance of identifiable people, according to a joint statement of principles released Wednesday by five different Canadian civil liberties and advocacy organizations. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …
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Shaw lays off ten per cent of workforce due to COVID-19
Shaw Communications Inc. will temporarily lay off about ten per cent of its workforce due to the “extraordinary and unpredictable conditions created by the COVID-19 pandemic,” the company announced in a press release on Tuesday. 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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38% of Canadians say COVID-19 slowed internet service: CIRA survey
Almost four in ten Canadians say their home internet speeds are slower than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a survey conducted for the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA). 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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Provinces collaborating on cellphone tracking: Tam
Canadian authorities are “pulling together a group amongst the provinces and territories to gauge interest” in using cellphone data to track the spread of COVID-19, Canada’s chief public health officer, Theresa Tam, said Friday. 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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Incumbents using COVID-19 to tamper with procedures, CNOC, TekSavvy claim
The Canadian Network Operators Consortium (CNOC) and TekSavvy Solutions Inc. are alleging that the incumbent telecoms from whom they purchase wholesale high-speed internet access are making changes to their installation and repair procedures in the wake of the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign …
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CRTC delays launch of new proceedings due to COVID-19
The CRTC has delayed the launch of new proceedings due to COVID-19, stating it’s aware the telecommunications industry’s primary focus is on delivering services to Canadians. 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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Rempel Garner calls on Bains, CRTC to enforce wholesale rates
Conservative industry critic Michelle Rempel Garner has called on Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains and the CRTC to issue an emergency directive forcing the big telecom companies to abide by the terms of the regulator’s August 2019 decision on wholesale rates. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …
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COVID-19 delays next-gen 911 network roll-out
The CRTC has pushed back a series of deadlines around the implementation of next-generation 911 (NG911) services, due to the 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 a free trial or …
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Cogeco pre-COVID Q2 revs steady, adjusts share buyback
Amid the financial uncertainty and upheaval of the COVID-19 global pandemic, Cogeco Inc. will adjust its share repurchasing program, the company’s executives told analysts on a Wednesday morning second quarter earnings call. 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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Bains says he’s in ‘constant contact’ with telecoms over network capacity
Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains says the strength of Canada’s telecommunications networks has been on “full display” during the COVID-19 pandemic, as they have coped with large increases in residential internet consumption. 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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CNOC calls for gov’t funding to keep Canadians connected
The federal government should guarantee internet service providers payments for “basic residential connectivity needs” so Canadians can remain connected during the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian Network Operators Consortium (CNOC) president Matt Stein 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 …
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Quebec City police used location data to track infected individual
In March, Quebec City police used cellphone location data to track and then arrest a woman infected with COVID-19 who refused to self-isolate. 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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Watchdog Friends calls for emergency media fund
Friends of Canadian Broadcasting has urged the federal government to help prominent media outlets facing “imminent failure” due to falling revenues driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, pointing to a survey that shows a majority of Canadians somewhat support treating media collapses as an emergency and funding struggling outlets. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers …
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TVA news staff to return to Sherbrooke following positive COVID-19 tests
Quebecor Inc.’s TVA news team in Sherbrooke, Que. will return to the station on Friday after receiving the all clear from Quebec Public Health, the company 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 need. …
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Canadian authorities in talks about COVID-19 tracking apps
Several of Canada’s cities and provinces, as well as the federal government, are in discussions about launching apps that would use location data to track exposure to COVID-19, researchers behind two projects say. Various teams around the world have been working on developing apps to trace the potential spread of the virus — from the …
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Telus Health ‘scaling up’ as COVID-19 spreads
Telus Corp.’s years-long investment in e-health and telemedicine has found itself rapidly expanding as the COVID-19 pandemic forces Canadians to seek medical help without physically visiting doctor’s offices, with downloads of its Babylon Telehealth app increasing six to ten times since the pandemic began, and the company bringing on “hundreds” of new hires. This content …
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Quebecor, Cogeco lay off staff due to COVID-19
Quebecor Inc. and Cogeco Inc. have both announced staff layoffs due to the 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 a free trial or subscribe to The Wire Report now. FREE …
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Netflix lowers Canadian bit rate for next 30 days
Netflix Inc. has announced it will lower its bit rate in Canada by 25 per cent for the next 30 days, just days after three telecommunications associations publicly urged the streaming giant to lower rates to lessen network congestion during the COVID-19 pandemic. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …
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Teksavvy lays off staff, increases internet bills
Teksavvy Solutions Inc. has laid off 130 staff and will implement a flat $5 bill increase for its residential internet customers as of May, saying a legal challenge against last year’s wholesale rate reduction, combined with the COVID-19 pandemic, left the company with no option. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? …
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Networks coping, but future traffic impossible to predict
Experts say Canada’s telecommunications networks are currently handling a spike in residential data consumption caused by the working from home surge, but a lack of certainty around how the COVID-19 pandemic will develop means it’s almost impossible to project whether usage will continue to grow. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? …
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Feds, 4 provinces not looking at COVID-19 phone tracking
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday the federal government isn’t currently considering using location data from Canadians’ cellphones to track the spread of COVID-19, while representatives from the Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Nunavut governments also told The Wire Report they don’t have such measures in the works. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already …
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