CRTC denies new Ottawa-Gatineau radio station

The Ottawa-Gatineau radio market can’t sustain another station, the CRTC said in a Friday decision, and won’t consider an application for a new ethnic station in the area. 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 …

STB data measurement complex task, group says

Activity by a working group tasked with studying the implementation of an audience measurement system via set-top boxes is slow, but steady, TV providers told the CRTC, with user privacy coming to bear as a top concern for those involved. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …

Shaw, Quebecor ask CRTC to drop dual OMNI obligation

Shaw Communications Inc. is asking the CRTC to allow it to take OMNI’s over-the-air (OTA) station out of its basic service package once OMNI Regional begins broadcasting. 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 …

CRTC consulting on radio, TV broadcasting licences

The CRTC is asking for comment on renewals of licences held by 10 broadcasters. 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 TRIAL …

More groups petition Joly to reverse CRTC licence decision

More creative groups are stepping up formal efforts to get the CRTC to reverse its licence renewal decision, which they say will negatively affect the production of Canadian content. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news …

Peter Menzies leaving CRTC in July

The CRTC’s vice-chairman of telecom, Peter Menzies, is leaving the CRTC nearly a year before the end of his term. 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 …

Wawatay seeking appeal of Aboriginal radio licence decision

OTTAWA — Wawatay Native Communications Society will ask for an appeal of the CRTC’s recent decision on five licences for Aboriginal radio stations, calling the decision to award the two Ontario licences to First Peoples Radio Inc. (FPR) — a new radio arm of Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) — instead of to Wawatay “unfair.” …

Judith LaRocque named acting CRTC chair for 4-month term

Judith LaRocque has been appointed acting CRTC chairwoman for a four-month term, effective June 18, according to a press release from the department of Canadian Heritage. 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 …

Blais evokes praise, criticism as he leaves CRTC

Now that former chairman Jean-Pierre Blais has departed the CRTC after five years at the helm, he leaves behind hundreds of decisions that have shaped the direction of Canada’s telecom and media industries, and a mixed legacy that includes accolades for his focus on broadband and consumer issues and disapproval from the cultural sector. This …

Increase indigenous representation at CRTC, conference hears

OTTAWA — All of the country’s cultural institutions need a rethink when it comes to reflecting the reality of aboriginal people in Canada, an indigenous broadcasting conference heard Saturday, with ideas ranging from creating a dedicated office at the CRTC, to appointing an indigenous CRTC commissioner, to deregulating broadcasters that operate on treaty lands. This content …

CRTC unlocking decision could slightly increase churn: Desjardins

A move to ban device unlocking fees and mandate all new phones be sold unlocked by December could “slightly” increase churn rates, but the impact shouldn’t be material, Desjardins Capital analyst Maher Yaghi said in a research note Friday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …

Reconciliation to play role in new CRTC chair’s mandate: Joly

OTTAWA — The next chair of the CRTC will have a more explicit focus on furthering reconciliation with Canada’s indigenous people, Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly suggested Thursday, referencing the regulator’s decision handed down Wednesday that granted five licences for Aboriginal radio stations across the country. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here …

Extension request for Unlimited Music shutdown denied

The CRTC said Thursday it won’t give Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron extra time to shut down its Unlimited Music program. 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. …

CRTC eliminates locked phones in Canada by December

As part of a decision on its review of the Wireless Code, the CRTC has eliminated unlocking fees for smartphones and mandated that all newly purchased devices must be provided unlocked as of Dec. 1, 2017. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …

Aboriginal radio licence decision ‘major disappointment’: Wawatay

The CRTC has approved five urban radio licences in markets across the country to serve Aboriginal peoples, a decision one Ontario Aboriginal radio station said will result in fewer hours, and less diversity, of Aboriginal-language content in Ottawa and Toronto than its application would have provided. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a …

Blais pans, prophesizes in end-of-term speech

CRTC Chairman Jean-Pierre Blais used what may prove to be his final address as head of the telecom regulator to issue recriminations for past practice and predictions for the future of the country’s cultural industries and the CRTC itself. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …

Blais confirms CRTC departure: report

CRTC Chairman Jean-Pierre Blais did not reapply for his job as CEO of the country’s telecom and broadcast regulator, according to a report by the Canadian Press. 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. …

CBC, CRTC still viewed as keepers of Canadian identity: study

Canadians rely heaviest on CBC/Radio-Canada and the CRTC to protect televised Canadian culture and identity, according to a new poll commissioned by the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting. 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. …

Joly notes creator ‘anxiety’ over CRTC licence renewal decision

Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly acknowledged the “anxiety” members of the creative community are experiencing following the CRTC’s licence renewal decision, but didn’t give any hints as to if she might ease that discomfort during a Friday afternoon live-streamed interview with Huffington Post Canada. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …

ISED suspends CASL lawsuit rules

The federal government is suspending rules in Canada’s anti-spam legislation (CASL) that would make it possible to for lawsuits to be filed against individuals and organizations for breaking the rules. 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 …

Incumbents defend wireless prices after Bains criticism

TORONTO — Representatives from the big three were on the defense a day after the innovation minister publicly took issue with wireless prices, pointing to investments they’ve made in their networks and the quality of service that’s available to Canadians. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …

Bloc MPs push heritage minister on CRTC licence decision

Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly is facing more calls to order the CRTC to review its licence renewal decision, this time from the Bloc Québécois. 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 …

Videotron ‘author’ of own misfortune: consumer advocates

Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron made its bed and now it has to lie in it, according to consumer and digital rights advocates who opposed the company’s request for a delay in complying with the CRTC’s decision rendering its Unlimited Music service was offside. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here …

Bains tells CRTC to reconsider MVNO rules

TORONTO — Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains is directing the CRTC to reconsider a March decision in which it set rules for regulated wholesale roaming by wireless providers in a move that could change the landscape around mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) in Canada. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here …

Shoan files for appeal of second dismissal

Twice-fired CRTC commissioner Raj Shoan has filed his application for judicial review, appealing his second removal from his post as the regional representative for Ontario. 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 …

Bell can’t limit TV customers to one custom package: CRTC

Allowing customers to only select TV channels à la carte after they’ve taken advantage of one 10-channel small package doesn’t comply with the CRTC’s pick-and-pay rules, BCE Inc. was told. 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 …

CRTC calls for renewal of broadcasting licences for TV services

The CRTC has called for those holding TV service broadcasting licences that expire at the end of August 2018 to apply for their renewal. 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 …

CRTC demands NG911 network upgrade by 2020

The CRTC has started the clock on next-generation 911 (NG911) services, directing the country’s telcos to ready their networks to fully support sending emergency information via text, photo or video messages by the end of 2020. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …

CRTC calls for radio, BDU licence renewal applications

The CRTC is asking for holders of both radio and cable and IPTV broadcast distribution undertaking (BDU) licences that expire on Aug. 31, 2018 to apply to renew their licences. 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 …

VOIS misses deadline to rejoin CCTS

VOIS Inc. customers are left holding the bag after the Alberta-based company has failed to rejoin the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS), the ombudsman announced 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 …

Connect to Innovate yields $4.4B ask

OTTAWA — Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada is currently sifting through nearly 900 applications to the Connect to Innovate program requesting more than $4.4 billion in funding, a House of Commons committee heard Tuesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …

Joly ‘studying’ CRTC licence decision after criticism

Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly told a parliamentary committee Tuesday that she hasn’t yet decided whether to take any action regarding the CRTC’s May 15 licence renewal decision, following calls for the government to send it back to the commission. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …

Few policy details from new CPC leader

Conservatives elected Saskatchewan MP Andrew Scheer as party and official Opposition leader over the weekend, but those interested in his stance on telecom and media issues won’t have much to chew on. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …

Big three take aim at Videotron customers

BCE Inc., Rogers Communications Inc. and Telus Corp. are trying to lure customers of Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron with targeted promotions, following a similar offer from Videotron. 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 …

Telecoms pooh-pooh affordability fund

Establishing a dedicated fund to tackle service affordability for low-income Canadians as part of the CRTC’s basic telecom services objective is not the right way to handle the issue, according to the majority of service providers who responded to an application to review and vary the regulator’s December decision. This content is available to wirereport.ca …

Videotron asks for extension on Unlimited Music finale

Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron is asking the CRTC for more time to comply with the decision killing its Unlimited Music service last month, when it was found to be out of step with the concurrent decision on differential pricing practices that essentially banned zero-rating. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …

Cable no substitute in wholesale service gap areas: CNOC

The presence of cable infrastructure in locations where there is no telco option for wholesale Internet service is not a sufficient alternative, small Internet service providers (ISPS) are arguing in a proceeding in front of the CRTC. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …

Radio will fend of challengers with local content: Simpson

Radio will continue to thrive in a competitive environment because it remains a trusted source of local content, CRTC commissioner Stephen Simpson said in a speech to British Columbia broadcasters 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 …

CRTC to review pick-and-pay rollout in Oct.

The CRTC will hold a hearing on a number of broadcast distribution undertakings’ [BDUs] licence renewal applications starting on Oct. 16, which will include looking at how those providers put their pick-and-pay rules in place. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …

Licence decision could devastate Canadian production: WGC

A day after the CRTC released its decision on broadcast licence renewals for large ownership groups, three organizations representing the country’s production sector said they are concerned the new expenditure minimums could harm production of Canadian content. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …

Alt TV managed service, doesn’t violate CRTC rules: Cope

MONTREAL — BCE Inc. has launched a new TV product hoping to appeal to a segment of the market that’s less likely to subscribe to traditional TV, which independent consultant Peter Miller says could face regulatory challenges over tied selling and its classification as an IPTV service. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …

Rogers’ OMNI gets temporary mandatory distribution

Rogers Communications Inc. will get a three-year window to run its new national ethnic channel before having to compete with other proposals for its mandatory carriage, the CRTC announced Monday. 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 …

Price most critical factor when choosing telecom services: report

Telecom service subscribers who consider switching providers but ultimately don’t follow through are generally waylaid by it being too much of a hassle, suggests public opinion research commissioned by the CRTC.

CCSA heads to the Hill to talk Wholesale Code, rural broadband

OTTAWA — The Canadian Cable Systems Alliance (CCSA) is hoping to build on what it calls a successful round of lobbying the federal government a year ago to have its concerns and ideas integrated into the rural broadband program.

CRTC headquarters closed due to flooding

The CRTC’s offices in Gatineau, Que., remained shut down for a second day Tuesday due to flooding in the area, according to the commission’s website.

Bell touts good relationship with PMO: Barclays

BCE Inc. believes the company currently has a “good working relationship” with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), according to a note from Barclays Capital analyst Phillip Huang, written following meetings last week between CEO George Cope and head of investor relations Thane Fotopoulos in New York.

CRTC grants two new radio licences

The CRTC has approved two applications for new radio broadcasting licences, for a community FM station in Kingston, Ont., and a commercial ethnic FM station in Toronto.

It granted an application for the Toronto station to a numbered company held by Leonard Lobardi and Theresa Lombardi, which already holds a licence for the ethnic AM radio station CHIN Toronto.

Cable sufficient alternative in wholesale service area gaps: incumbents

There is little evidence to suggest there is a lack of competition in so-called wholesale wireline service area gaps, given that cable facilities already exist in those areas, incumbents argued in comments to the CRTC.

Shoan vows court challenge of second dismissal from CRTC

Raj Shoan, the CRTC’s regional commissioner for Ontario who was fired again just four days after a return to his post, said he will be heading back to court to challenge the second order-in-council removing him from the regulatory body.

Net neutrality issues will re-emerge with IoT: MEI

The growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) will force a new perspective on net neutrality and zero-rating, a report from the Montreal Economic Institute argues.

“The development of the Internet of Things will bring to the fore a whole new set of situations in which it may be necessary to treat customers, devices, applications or platforms differently,” the report, released Wednesday, said.

Shoan back to work following CRTC reinstatement

Raj Shoan, the once-former CRTC commissioner, returned to work Monday, following a 10-month gap in his role as the regional representative for Ontario.

As Shoan put it in a statement issued over the weekend, his tenure was “unexpectedly interrupted” when an order-in-council removed him from his post June 24, 2016.

Shoan wins appeal of CRTC dismissal; judge sends decision for reconsideration

Raj Shoan was denied procedural fairness when he was fired from his job as the CRTC’s regional commissioner for Ontario last summer, three years into a five-year term, a Federal Court justice has found, sending the decision back to the governor-in-council for reconsideration.

CRTC issues first non-telemarketing fine to telecom

A $15,000 fine imposed on VOIS Inc. Thursday marks the first time the CRTC has fined a telecom under the Telecommunications Act for not complying with a regulatory requirement “not related to telemarketing,” the commission said in a press release.

Quality of service regime needed for wholesale Internet: CNOC

Small Internet service providers (ISPs) and advocacy groups are asking the CRTC to put in place protections regarding the quality of service they and their customers receive when buying wholesale Internet service from bigger providers, while those large telecoms are arguing such measures aren’t necessary.

CRTC to launch women-in-production talks

The CRTC will explore the topic of generating more participation of women in media production, according to Chairman Jean-Pierre Blais.

Sirius privatization plan gets final OK from CRTC

Sirius XM Canada Holdings Inc. received the final nod required in its bid to privatize, with the CRTC granting its approval Wednesday for the transaction it said was worth $479 million.

The deal is in the public interest, the CRTC said in its decision, as Sirius provides service to about 2.7 million Canadian subscribers and distributes about 140,000 hours of Canadian programming every year.

CRTC consulting on broadband funding regime

The CRTC is asking for input on the $750-million fund for improving broadband service it first announced in December as part of its basic service decision.

Sirius ordered to make up $300K CanCon contribution shortfall

Sirius XM Canada Holdings Inc. has to pony up more than $300,000 to make up a deficit in its Canadian content development contributions, the CRTC said.

Telecoms to compete on service after zero-rating decision: analysts

The CRTC’s decision Thursday to ban most forms of zero-rating means telecoms will have to rely on service in order to stand out from the competition, analysts said.

CRTC effectively bans most zero-rating in differential pricing decision

As the CRTC banned most forms of differential pricing practices Thursday — including declaring that telecoms can’t pick and chose Internet content to zero-rate and ordering Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron to stop offering its Unlimited Music service — Chairman Jean-Pierre Blais suggested the move levels the playing field between small and large telecoms and content providers and their customers.

Gatineau says it can’t reach access agreement with telecoms

The city of Gatineau, Que., is turning to the CRTC to approve its municipal access agreement after BCE Inc., Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron, Rogers Communications Inc., Telus Corp., and Cogeco Inc. refused to accept some clauses of the document.

Sandvine warns about zero-rating ‘fraud’

A new report from broadband equipment maker Sandvine Corp. says that some Internet users are avoiding data charges by disguising Internet traffic to look like zero-rated content.

“Enticed by the potential of receiving unlimited data for minimal (or no) cost, subscribers have a strong incentive to engage in circumventing behaviour,” the company said in its Global Internet Phenomena Spotlight report, released Wednesday. Sandvine sells services that allow telecoms to identify such circumvention, it said in the report and in a press release.

Telecoms shouldn’t be gatekeepers, Blais says ahead of differential pricing decision

The CRTC may very well complete the record on net neutrality policy in Canada when it releases its decision Thursday afternoon on differential pricing practices, chairman Jean-Pierre Blais told a Harvard University audience Tuesday.

Bell asks CRTC for clarity on stolen-device tariff clause

BCE Inc. is asking the CRTC to reinsert a phrase into its terms and conditions removed in last month’s decision on mobile wholesale mobile wireless roaming service tariffs that the company proposed to address stolen devices using its network.

Digital media finances on CRTC’s three-year plan

The CRTC will begin measuring the books of digital media operations in the country, with the aim of eventually publishing data on their finances, the regulator said in its new three-year plan.

Published on its website Thursday, the 2017-2020 plan includes a new item on its to-do list to “undertake research to deepen its understanding of the financial state of digital media in Canada, including a targeted survey of broadcasters’ digital media activities.”

Bell says retroactive regulation can’t be basis for simsub ban

The CRTC can’t retroactively apply regulations established almost a year after the fact to justify its prohibition simultaneous substitution during the broadcast of the National Football League’s (NFL) Super Bowl, BCE Inc. argued in court documents filed in its joint appeal of the decision.

Rogers must make 4K channel available to Telus: CRTC

The CRTC has resolved a dispute between Rogers Communications Inc. and Telus Corp. over 4K content, telling the companies in an April 5 letter that Rogers has to provide its 4K content to Telus immediately.

Wireless emergency alerts to be mandatory by April 2018

The CRTC has ordered wireless service providers to implement a system for the sending of emergency alerts over LTE networks that will be operational in a year’s time.

Consumer advocates request basic services rejig for affordability fund

A trio of consumer advocacy groups are asking the CRTC to revise December’s basic telecom services decision, stating in a review-and-vary application filed Wednesday that the regulator should have included a tool by which to fund making telecom services affordable for low-income households.

Toronto city council adopts motion on unlimited data

Toronto city council voted last week to ask the CRTC to force wireless providers to offer unlimited data plans.

The motion, brought forward by councillor Michelle Holland, directs the city manager to convey a request to the CRTC  “that major telecommunications providers across Canada be required, as part of their licensing arrangements, to provide consumers with options for reasonably priced unlimited data packages that would be part of the cellular packages they offer.”

CRTC considers future of Aboriginal radio in Ont., Alta. and B.C.

A typically competitive process, disseminating new applications for radio licences seemed to take on a more culturally significant connotation for the CRTC as it navigated a three-day public hearing for urban Aboriginal radio stations in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia.

CNOC asks for CRTC action on growing wholesale wireline ‘service gaps’

As large Internet Service Providers (ISPs) push on with the build of fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) networks, small providers say they are encountering an increasing number of areas where they have no access to wholesale Internet service from telcos.

Such service gaps are “becoming increasingly large and prevalent,” the Canadian Network Operators Consortium (CNOC) said in a Part 1 application dated Thursday, in which it asked the regulator to provide expedited wholesale access to fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) facilities.

Are provinces filling the federal broadband strategy gap?

Nova Scotia may not be formulating its provincial broadband plan as a direct response to federal inaction, but that doesn’t mean the provincial government isn’t acting out of a need to fill a void affecting its residents.

“It’s like a lot of things in that the provincial government is closer to the people than the federal government is, in certain respects,” David MacNeil, senior advisor in the Nova Scotia department of business, said in a phone interview.

Iristel asks CRTC to deny Northwestel’s review-and-vary

The arguments made by BCE Inc. subsidiary Northwestel in its request to the CRTC to review and vary a decision setting rates for Northwestel’s Wholesale Connect service have already been put to the commission in the past and rejected, according to Iristel Inc.

Bell, Hamilton dispute over municipal access agreement continues

The CRTC is asking for comment on an aspect of the municipal access agreement between BCE Inc. and Hamilton, Ont., following a five-year disagreement between the two parties.

Channels from India, Michigan approved for distribution

A pair of channels originating from India and the United States have been approved for distribution in Canada, the CRTC said Friday.

CPC leadership contenders outline views on media, telecom issues

On May 27, members of the Conservative Party of Canada will select who will succeed former prime minister Stephen Harper as permanent leader of the party, relieving interim Opposition leader Rona Ambrose of her caretaker duties.

Proposal would give Bell ‘significant and asymmetric powers’: small ISPs

The CRTC should deny a proposal by BCE Inc. for a new regime governing traffic pumping that would allow telecoms to unilaterally put in place penalties that “inflict substantial harm” on other telecom providers, the Canadian Network Operators’ Consortium (CNOC) said.

Blais defends SimSub decision

Canada has one of the “world’s most open cultural markets” and the CRTC’s decision to ban simultaneous substitution during BCE Inc.’s broadcast of the National Football League’s championship game doesn’t raise trade issues, chairman Jean-Pierre Blais told a pair of Canadian politicians who petitioned the CRTC reverse its decision.

Bell can’t drop French-language music channels from legacy package: CRTC

BCE Inc.’s proposed repackaging of Groupe V Media Inc.’s French-language music channels partially violates the Wholesale Code, the CRTC said Friday.

In a decision posted to its website, the regulator said Bell’s plan to remove MusiquePlus and MusiMax from legacy packages available in Quebec went against the code’s provision that channels “be offered in at least one package in addition to being offered on a stand-alone basis.”

Telecoms bond over stirring proposals to shake up call spoofing

Technologies identified by the CRTC as potential tools to combat spoofed and nuisance calls have promise, but barriers to their deployment mean they’re not likely to be put in place any time soon, companies told the regulator.

Carriers made $37.7M from phone unlocking last year: CRTC

The CRTC has released aggregate data that shows wireless service providers earned $37.7 million in revenue by unlocking phones last year.

That’s up from $28.5 million in 2015 and $21.6 million in 2014, the commission said in a March 1 letter issued as part of its review of the Wireless Code.

The number of devices they unlocked also grew to 943,363 in 2016 from 922,931 the previous year and 734,595 in 2014.

Attorney general defends investigation that led to Shoan dismissal

The Attorney General of Canada is arguing in a memorandum of fact and law that the CRTC investigation that led to the dismissal of former CRTC commissioner Raj Shoan was “procedurally fair” with adequate evidence.

CRTC rules against Sugar Mobile in roaming dispute with Rogers

Rogers Communications Inc. doesn’t have to provide roaming services to Iristel Inc.’s mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) Sugar Mobile, the CRTC said Wednesday in a move that closes the door on mandating access by MVNOs to wireless carriers’ networks.

Randy Lennox to head Bell Media as Mary Ann Turcke leaves for NFL

Randy Lennox has been named the new president of BCE Inc.’s media division following the departure of Mary Ann Turcke, the company announced Monday.

In a press release, Bell Media said Turcke, who has been in the role since April 2015 and with the company for a dozen years overall, has accepted a new job with the National Football League as president of digital media and the NFL Network. Turcke will be based in Los Angeles, the release said.

85% say account holder should approve wireless overages: survey

Nearly 85 per cent of Canadians believe approval for additional costs in family phone plans should be made by those who pay the bills, not those who use the phone, according to a survey commissioned by the Forum for Research and Policy in Communications (FRPC).

Results from the survey, conducted by Access Research, were released Friday and highlights answers to areas of concern with the Wireless Code, established in 2013, and the focus of a recent CRTC review.

CRTC consulting on broadcasting regulation changes

The CRTC is seeking feedback on proposed changes to the broadcasting distribution and television broadcasting regulations that would, among other things, remove daily Canadian content requirements for over-the-air (OTA) TV stations.

Northwestel ‘gaming’ regulatory system with Part 1: SSi Micro

SSi Micro Ltd. is claiming a BCE Inc. subsidiary is engaging in delay tactics with its recent request for the CRTC to revise a decision setting rates for its Wholesale Connect service, while Northwestel is arguing the CRTC’s decision last fall was based on faulty information.

In a Wednesday press release, SSi said it asked the CRTC “to end Northwestel’s ongoing attempts to delay complying with Commission orders” and that “these delays thwart competition and cause consumers harm.”