Brief
On Monday, the CRTC published a complaint from a group of media production companies including CBC/Radio-Canada outlining how, in their view, the BCE Inc.-supported Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund, or Bell Fund, falls short in the evaluation, allocation and governance of its Canadian media funding. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a …
Continue reading "Change Bell Fund rules, media companies ask"
The CRTC has issued a call for comments after correcting the data it used to determine wholesale rates during the regulator’s look at mandatory carriage renewals, according to a Friday letter. 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 …
Continue reading "New numbers emerge in mandatory carriage renewal consultation"
The FairPlay coalition has responded to the laundry list of criticism directed toward its proposal to implement a website-blocking regime to fight piracy, arguing, among other points, that the thousands of comments from individuals against the proposal aren’t representative of Canadians’ views. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here …
Continue reading "FairPlay hits back, claims piracy cost TV providers as much as $761M"
The CRTC won’t consider mandating occasional-use wireless plans until the regulator wraps up its proceeding on low-cost data-only plans, it told the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) in a May 10 letter. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …
Continue reading "CRTC puts PIAC occasional-use plans Part 1 on hold"
The CRTC has added a channel focused on “inviting and vicarious living programming” to its list of non-Canadian channels authorized for distribution Friday, following an application by Ethnic Channels Group Ltd. 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 …
Continue reading "CRTC OKs ‘vicarious living’ channel for distribution"
The Competition Bureau launched a market study into the broadband sector Thursday which will look at, among other questions, how regulators and policymakers could foster competition. 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 …
Continue reading "Competition Bureau studying broadband sector"
The Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) will be the final arbiter in the years-long Super Bowl simsub saga, as the highest court in the land will give BCE Inc. the opportunity to argue its case against the CRTC’s ban on simultaneous substitution for the Super Bowl. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a …
Continue reading "Supreme Court says it will hear Bell’s simsub appeal"
The House ethics committee said that if the CRTC rules in favour of a proposal to implement a website-blocking system to fight piracy, the federal government should consider overturning it. 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 …
Continue reading "Gov’t shouldn’t allow FairPlay regime: House committee"
The CRTC has issued broadcast licences for new FM radio stations in Regina, Sask. and the Sydney, Nova Scotia area, it said in a pair of decisions Tuesday. 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 …
Continue reading "CRTC approves two new Christian radio stations"
A report by the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI) challenging studies saying Canadian telecommunication prices are comparatively high against the rest of the world is being criticized by Nordicity as an unquantified analysis that misunderstood the scope of its work. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
Continue reading "Canadian telecom prices justified by speed, quality: MEI"
Scheduled tests of the new national emergency alert notification system failed on Monday, after an errant character caused a bug in the code sent to carriers in Quebec, while online reports indicated only some users received messages in Ontario. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
Continue reading "First wireless emergency alert tests marred by errors"
The CRTC has dismissed a complaint by Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron that claimed Rogers Communications Inc. was imposing minimum guarantees prohibited by the Wholesale Code on some sports channels. 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 …
Continue reading "CRTC rejects Quebecor complaint over minimum fee guarantee"
The CRTC said it approved an application brought by Ethnic Channels Group Ltd. to bring an American 24-hour conservative news channel for broadcast in Canada. 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 …
Continue reading "CRTC approves ‘pro-Trump’ news channel for distribution"
A new specialty channel focusing on Catholic programming won’t compete with ZoomerMedia Ltd.’s multi-faith channel VisionTV, the CRTC said Tuesday in approving Shalom World for distribution in Canada. 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 …
Continue reading "CRTC OKs Shalom World despite opposition from ZoomerMedia"
A dispute between two internet service providers (ISPs) over the interpretation of a wholesale internet tariff could have wider consequences for other small internet providers, according to the Canadian Network Operators Consortium (CNOC). This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …
Continue reading "Frontier-Eastlink tariff tiff could affect other ISPs, CNOC warns"
Canada’s big three wireless carriers have responded to the CRTC’s request to submit proposals on low-cost data-only mobile phone plans, though critics say the plans on offer won’t do much to address affordability. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …
Continue reading "Big three unveil low-cost, data only plans to criticism"
The CRTC will not do anything about a Part 1 application filed by CUPE’s Provincial Council for Communications (CPSC) asking it to drop its regulatory exemptions for digital services because the arguments made in its Part 1 are similar to ones the union has made in the past. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers …
Continue reading "CRTC rejects CUPE ask to pull digital media exemption"
Cogeco Inc. has reached a deal with RNC Media Inc. to acquire 10 of RNC’s radio stations. 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 …
Continue reading "Cogeco picking up 10 RNC radio stations for $18.5M"
Frontier Networks Inc. is turning to the CRTC in a disagreement over whether the small telecom can resell wholesale internet service from Bragg Communications Inc.’s Eastlink, according to a CRTC Part 1 application. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …
Continue reading "Dispute over reselling wholesale service to other ISPs in front of CRTC"
The federal government has a new job posting for a CRTC commissioner for British Columbia and Yukon to replace Stephen Simpson, whose term ends June 22. 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 …
Continue reading "Gov’t posts CRTC commissioner job for B.C./Yukon"
The CRTC has opted out of an in-person hearing as it reconsiders its May 2017 licence renewal decision, instead launching a second phase of written consultations. 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 …
Continue reading "CRTC says no hearing in license renewal consults"
Canada’s biggest telcos will be able to stop providing wholesale service for payphones, the CRTC has determined. 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 …
Continue reading "Wholesale payphone service no longer mandated: CRTC"
The CRTC has ordered four radio stations to a public hearing on June 18 in Gatineau, Que. to answer to commissioners for “repeated” non-compliance of its radio regulations, licence conditions and/or the regulator’s mandatory orders, according to a notice of hearing on Wednesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …
Continue reading "Non-compliant radio stations summoned by CRTC"
The CRTC wants Canadians to weigh in as it considers the candidates competing for a licence for a multi-ethnic channel with mandatory carriage on basic TV packages. 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. …
Continue reading "CRTC asks for public input on Canada’s next multi-ethnic channel licensee"
The rules governing quality of wholesale services provided by large telecoms to smaller providers will now apply to wireline internet service, the CRTC said in a decision 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 …
Continue reading "CRTC adds wholesale internet to quality of service regime"
The CRTC has turned down a complaint by Unifor against Rogers Communications Inc.’s media division for contracting out its Chinese-language newscasts to Fairchild Media Group Inc. instead of producing them in-house. 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 …
Continue reading "Rogers can outsource Chinese-language newscasts: CRTC"
A proposal to implement a website-blocking system to fight piracy has drawn opposition from academics and advocacy groups in Canada, as well as input from international players and unusually high engagement from the public. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …
Continue reading "FairPlay regime ineffective, counter to Telecom Act: opponents"
Wireless service providers are required to distribute wireless public emergency alert messages on LTE by April 6, the CRTC said in a Thursday release. 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 …
Continue reading "Deadline set for mandatory emergency alerts"
TNW Wireless Inc. is still hopeful the CRTC will rule in its favour in a Part 1 complaint to force BCE Inc. and Telus Corp. to negotiate roaming plans so it can implement its proposed national WiFi-based wireless service, according to company president Lawry Trevor-Deutsch. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …
Continue reading "TNW pushing ahead with Part 1 despite WiFi MVNO decision"
The CRTC has approved applications by Thema Canada, part of Vivendi SA’s Canal+ Group, to add TRT World and Studio Canal to its list of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …
Continue reading "Turkish, French channels approved for distribution"
The CRTC said Monday it is asking for input on next-generation 911 (NG911) network design efficiencies recommended by telcos. 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 …
Continue reading "CRTC consulting on NG911 network efficiency"
The CRTC decision Thursday not to mandate roaming for WiFi-first mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) brings predictability for large telecoms, financial analysts 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 free trial …
Continue reading "Analysts welcome regulatory certainty after WiFi MVNO decision"
Having facilities-based carriers offer low-cost data-only plans is a better way to fulfill the government’s goals of more affordable wireless options for consumers than mandating roaming access by WiFi-first mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), CRTC chairman Ian Scott said Thursday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …
Continue reading "Low-cost data plans ‘superior alternative’ to WiFi-first MVNOs: Scott"
The CRTC is accepting comments on the sale of the Historia and Séries+ specialty channels from Corus Entertainment Inc. to 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. Take a free trial or …
Continue reading "CRTC consulting on Historia, Séries+ sale"
The CRTC has denied a proposal by Sirius XM Canada Holdings Inc. to create a new fund for its discretionary tangible benefits, directing most of the money to existing funds and a smaller portion to the Broadcast Participation Fund (BPF). This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …
Continue reading "CRTC denies ‘self-serving’ Sirius XM fund proposal"
OTTAWA — Treating social media companies, such as Facebook Inc., as broadcasters could help keep them in line with election regulations and curb unwanted influences resulting from unbalanced perspectives, a law professor at the University of Ottawa argued Wednesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
Continue reading "Treat Facebook as broadcaster in 2019 election: professor"
Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron is working on deploying its new IPTV service as quickly as possible, Manon Brouillette, CEO of the company’s telecom division, told analysts in a conference call 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 …
Continue reading "Videotron ‘full speed’ ahead on IPTV: Brouillette"
The CRTC is asking telecoms to provide information about demand for high-speed internet as the next step toward implementing the disaggregated wholesale regime in regions outside Ontario and Quebec. 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 …
Continue reading "CRTC starts next steps on disaggregated regime expansion"
The CRTC has approved applications by Ethnic Channels Group Ltd. to add five new channels to the commission’s list of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution. 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 …
Continue reading "CRTC approves Jamaican, Portuguese channels for distribution"
The former chairman of the CRTC, Jean-Pierre Blais, is staying in the federal public service following his time at the head of the commission. 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 …
Continue reading "Jean-Pierre Blais new assistant deputy minister at PSPC"
In a decision on Thursday, the CRTC has said that while the launch of Canada’s upcoming wireless public alerting (WPA) system has yet to be announced, it intends for the start date to be the beginning of April. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …
Continue reading "CRTC still eyeing April start date for wireless alerts"
OTTAWA — Tools to better inform consumers of their rights when purchasing wireless services are under development at the University of Ottawa, which a professor involved in the project indicated will be especially relevant following a CBC/Radio-Canada investigation that found allegedly misleading sales practices from one telecom. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already …
Continue reading "UofO teases consumer tools for wireless services"
The CRTC said in a pair of decisions Wednesday that BCE Inc. and Telus Corp. have to keep offering billing and collection service (BCS) in their operating territories. 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 …
Continue reading "Billing and collection service to remain mandated: CRTC"
The CRTC is encouraging emergency operators to harden next generation 911 (NG911) services from cyber attacks like malware and ransomware, as it said Friday it supports the recommendations of a report warning that the new 911 system will be more vulnerable to threats. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …
Continue reading "NG911 operators should plan ahead for cyberattacks: CRTC"
The CRTC has told Telus Corp., Rogers Communications Inc. and TBayTel Inc. that they can have the extra time they requested in order to implement certain requirements of 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 …
Continue reading "CRTC grants telecoms Wireless Code extension"
BCE Inc. is allegedly encouraging its employees to submit comments to the CRTC supporting the anti-online piracy proposal Bell is backing as part of a bigger coalition, University of Ottawa professor Michael Geist wrote on his blog on Tuesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
Continue reading "Bell asking employees to support FairPlay at CRTC: report"
CUPE’s Provincial Council for Communications (CPSC) in Quebec is calling on the CRTC to drop the rules that exempt digital over-the-top (OTT) services from the same regulations as traditional broadcasters, in a news release on Friday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …
Continue reading "Get rid of digital media exemption, CUPE asks CRTC"
A group of municipalities is asking the CRTC to take a second look at a decision last year that determined how much data, including coordinates, was necessary for the city to know about a service provider’s underground facilities for the purpose of planning. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …
Continue reading "Municipalities argue new definitions, cost-sharing in MAA ‘unworkable’"
The CRTC has approved the purchase of four Ontario radio stations by BCE Inc.’s Bell Media from Larche Communications 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. Take a free trial or subscribe to …
Continue reading "Bell to pay $1M in tangible benefits for Larche stations"
The CRTC has told the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) that Canadians have other outlets for complaints about telecom sales practices in response to a request from the consumer group to open an investigation into the issue. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …
Continue reading "CRTC abdicating responsibility by declining sales practices inquiry: PIAC"
In a decision on Monday, the CRTC ruled that BCE Inc. did not subject independent telecom Ebox Inc. to an undue disadvantage during carriage negotiations. 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 …
Continue reading "Bell played fair in carriage dispute with Ebox: CRTC"
OTTAWA — Representatives from Canada’s biggest telecoms argued that flexibility in Canada’s net neutrality framework will be necessary with the advent of 5G, as they answered questions about a proposal to block websites hosting pirated content from parliamentarians Tuesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
Continue reading "Telecoms defend FairPlay to MPs, call for 5G net neutrality flexibility"
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) is asking the CRTC to declare that telecoms cannot expire balances left on customers’ prepaid accounts in cases where customers continue to top off their account. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …
Continue reading "PIAC asks CRTC to confirm prepaid balances must be retained"
The CRTC has approved VMedia Inc.’s application to bring to Canada a channel that helps viewers improve their English, according to a Thursday decision. 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 …
Continue reading "CRTC approves English Club TV for distribution"
OTTAWA — The idea of of explicitly making net neutrality part of Canada’s laws has been floated in recent days by federal politicians, with a Liberal MP planning to introduce a motion on the subject in the House of Commons and the question popping up at the House ethics committee. This content is available to …
Continue reading "Liberals signal interest in enshrining net neutrality in law"
OTTAWA — Following a wireless emergency alert in the United States that falsely warned of a ballistic missile attack, representatives from the CRTC and Pelmorex Corp. told a Senate committee that alert issuers will be responsible for such incidents once Canada’s alerting system gets started, at a date that is still up in the air. …
Continue reading "Start date for wireless emergency alert system still not set: CRTC"
BCE Inc. said it will unlock all devices that are restricted to its network, helping relieve concern among consumer groups who are currently asking the CRTC to clarify that policy in the new Wireless Code. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …
Continue reading "Bell to unlock all wireless devices on request"
As part of its government-ordered proceeding on future content distribution models, the CRTC is asking a number of companies — including Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Netflix Inc. — for information about their digital media broadcasting revenues, subscribers and viewing in Canada. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …
Continue reading "CRTC asks digital giants for info, promises confidentiality"
In a decision on Friday, the CRTC ruled that the Canadian Network Operators Consortium’s (CNOC) application for transitional access to fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) facilities belonging to large telecoms under the old aggregated wholesale regime should be denied. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …
Continue reading "CNOC denied ‘transitional’ access to FTTP under disaggregated regime"
The CRTC has officially launched the Part 1 process for an application asking the regulator to set up an anti-piracy website-blocking system. 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 …
Continue reading "Interventions due March 1 in website-blocking proceeding"
Creative groups are standing their ground on spending for programs of national interest (PNI), suggesting that a marginal increase in funding for those programs proposed by the large English-language broadcasters last month is not enough to support Canadian content. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
Continue reading "1% increase for PNI not enough, creative groups say"
Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains has released a statement on a call by a coalition of broadcasters, telecoms and creative groups to begin blocking websites hosting pirated content, in which he emphasized the efficacy of the current copyright protection system. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
Continue reading "Gov’t points to open internet for ‘legal content’ in FairPlay response"
A broad coalition made up of Canada’s largest telecoms and broadcasters, as well as groups representing content creators, is asking the CRTC to put in place a system to block 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 …
Continue reading "Cross-industry coalition calls for website-blocking"
The CRTC said Thursday that by March 31, 2019, it expects that telecoms in Canada will have a technical solution to authenticate caller IDs and an industry administrator to combat nuisance phone calls. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …
Continue reading "CRTC sets 2019 deadline for a system to stop caller ID spoofing"
The Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) has denied BCE Inc.’s request for a stay on the ban of simultaneous substitution of commercials during the 2018 Super Bowl, happening in just a weeks time. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …
Continue reading "Supreme Court denies Bell’s request for stay on simsub ban"
In a Thursday decision, the CRTC denied an effort by a collection of public advocacy groups that sought to have the regulatory body take a firmer stance on affordability of internet access. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …
Continue reading "CRTC declines review request on internet affordability"
The CRTC has given Quebecor Inc.’s TVA Sports fewer restrictions on when it can broadcast ads, saying that the channel can now “average the maximum amount of 12 minutes of advertising material offered in each clock hour over the broadcast day.” This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …
Continue reading "CRTC gives TVA Sports more flexibility on ad scheduling"
Weeks ahead of the 2018 Super Bowl, BCE Inc., along with the National Football League (NFL), is turning to the Supreme Court of Canada over the CRTC’s decision to ban simultaneous substitution for the annual football game. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …
Continue reading "Bell asks Supreme Court for stay, reversal of CRTC simsub decision"
Stingray Digital Group Inc. and Birch Hill Equity Partners ramped up their lobbying in December, with both submitting their first communications reports for the year in the last weeks of 2017. 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 …
Continue reading "End of 2017 saw Stingray, Birch Hill reinvigorate lobby efforts"
The CRTC has approved the acquisition of two Ontario radio stations by Byrnes Communications Inc. from Vista Radio Ltd. 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 …
Continue reading "CRTC OKs ownership change for two Ont. radio stations"
Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. will unlock FM chips in its newer smartphones, according to a press release issued Tuesday. 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 …
Continue reading "Samsung to unlock FM chip in new smartphones"
MONTREAL — Cogeco Inc. is feeling more optimistic about the possibility of entering the wireless market, potentially as a facilities-based operator, president and CEO Louis Audet said Thursday. 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 …
Continue reading "Citing gov’t signals, Cogeco CEO indicates renewed interest in wireless"
In a notice on Monday, the CRTC said that six telecom companies could potentially face fines for not participating in the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS), as it launched a proceeding asking them to show cause why they shouldn’t be found in violation of the Telecommunications Act. This content is available to wirereport.ca …
Continue reading "Six telecoms in CRTC crosshairs for CCTS violations"
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) has written to CRTC chairman Ian Scott asking him to launch an inquiry into telecom companies’ sales practices. 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 …
Continue reading "PIAC asks CRTC to investigate telecom sales practices"
Alphabet Inc.’s Sidewalk Labs kicked off the new year by registering to lobby the federal government, while telecom and broadcasting communications in November grew significantly from the month before. 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 …
Continue reading "Sidewalk Labs, civil liberties group register to lobby"
The CRTC launched a survey Thursday to find out why Canadians consume content the way they do, including why many still turn to traditional TV and radio while others go exclusively online. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …
Continue reading "CRTC digs into reasons behind Canadians’ content consumption choices"
The CRTC has denied an application by Ethnic Channels Group Ltd. (ECGL) to bring a Polish music channel to Canada after Blue Ant Media Inc. and Stingray Digital Group Inc. said it would interfere with their own services. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …
Continue reading "Music channel denied Canadian distribution"
In separate decisions on Wednesday, the CRTC ordered Iristel Inc. to cease the use of 867 area code numbers to connect callers to a Toronto-area radio station audio stream, but deemed BCE Inc.’s request for new regulations covering the practice of traffic stimulation unnecessary. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? …
Continue reading "CRTC calls out Iristel, but says no new regs in traffic stimulation case"
The CRTC has resumed a proceeding regarding municipal access by telecoms in the city of Calgary, even though an Alberta court is currently considering the validity of the city’s municipal rights-of-way bylaw. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …
Continue reading "Part 1 over Calgary access agreement reinstated"
BCE Inc. must have a point to which other internet service providers (ISPs) can connect outside of its central offices, the CRTC reaffirmed Wednesday as it denied a review-and-vary application by the company. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …
Continue reading "CRTC tells Bell it has to build outside meet-me points"
The Federal Court of Appeal dismissed a case brought forward by BCE Inc. challenging the CRTC’s rule forbidding simultaneous substitution for the Super Bowl on Monday, putting an end to a nearly three-year court challenge — though the company indicated Tuesday it is still hoping the regulator will rescind the decision. This content is available …
Continue reading "Court denies Bell Super Bowl SimSub appeal"
The CRTC has renewed the licence of Orangeville, Ont. top 40 radio station Z103.5 for a shorter licence term after it said the station had targeted audiences in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) instead of the town located outside the GTA boundary. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …
Continue reading "CRTC reprimands Orangeville radio station for targeting GTA market"
The CRTC is asking for comment on rules requiring resellers to register with the commission. 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 …
Continue reading "CRTC consulting on reseller registration obligations"
