5G key to future wireless profitability, Ericsson’s CTO says

TORONTO — With customers’ usage of data increasing exponentially, and carriers limited in how much they can charge for that data, telecoms will have to turn to 5G networks, Ericsson Canada’s Dragan Nerandzic said at the Canadian Telecom Summit Monday.

Pick-and-pay drives customer satisfaction: J.D. Power

A new J.D. Power survey has found customers who have a skinny-basic TV package with a pick-and-pay option are more satisfied than TV customers with other types of subscriptions.

Satisfaction among skinny-basic customers was 761 on a 1,000-point scale, as compared to 738 among customers with premium service, 708 among those with “a pre-set expanded basic package” and 700 among those with basic cable, J.D. Power said in a press release Thursday.

Canadian publishers adopt new Google platform

Three Canadian media outlets will be able to display their pages faster on smartphones while using less data after adopting a new platform developed by Alphabet Inc.’s Google, according news articles by Corus Entertainment Inc.’s Global News, the Toronto Star and Postmedia Network Inc.

The three companies reported separately that they are adopting Google’s Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) platform in recent days.

MTS considered SaskTel merger, Telus and Rogers declined to bid

An information package for Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. shareholders sheds some light on the genesis of the proposed $3.9-billion acquisition of the company by BCE Inc., announced May 2.

According to the 192-page document outlining various terms of the agreement in which shareholders could receive $40 cash per MTS share, it was a week-and-a-half-long process from offer to public announcement.

76% of anglophones multitask while watching TV: MTM

According to a new report, 76 per cent of anglophones used the Internet at the same time as they watched television in 2015.

“While multitasking has grown immensely over time, incidence has slowed over the past year,” MTM, a project of CBC/Radio-Canada said. Only 12 per cent of anglophones reported multitasking in 2001, a number that rose to 66 per cent in 2013 and 74 per cent in 2014.

Remove foreign ownership rules: OECD

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is recommending giving Canada’s economy a boost by removing foreign ownership rules for telecommunications and broadcasting.

Canada a ‘laggard’ in ICT investment, growth, forum hears

OTTAWA — Canada needs to “come to grips” with its lagging productivity and mobile broadband penetration if it wants to compete on the global stage, panellists said Wednesday during the annual Canadian Internet Registration Authority’s (CIRA) Canadian Internet Forum.

MTS shareholders to vote on Bell deal

Shareholders in Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. will have their say in the proposed merger with BCE Inc. later this month.

VMedia sets sights on incumbents as it expands outside Ont.

Ontario Internet service and television provider VMedia Inc. will expand to Quebec, British Columbia, Manitoba and Alberta in the next two weeks — a move the company says will see its services become available to about 75 per cent of Canadian households as it aims to compete with Canada’s largest telecom companies.

“It’s a very substantial effort for us, because … we’re still largely a start-up company in many respects,” VMedia co-founder George Burger said in a phone interview Wednesday.

TheScore launches Facebook Messaging bot for sports updates

TheScore Inc. launched its chatbot for Facebook Inc.’s Messenger on Wednesday, making it one of the first sports media companies to build a messaging bot to update users on sports developments.

The bot allows Facebook Messenger users to receive automated and up-to-date information on teams they follow, the company said in a press release.

IoT device connections to surpass mobile phones by 2018: report

The majority of the 28 billion devices connected to the Internet of Things (IoT) by 2021 won’t be mobile phones, according to the latest edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report.

IoT devices are expected to grow 23 per cent every year between 2015 and 2021, and will have passed mobile phones by 2018 as the most connected device, with a total of 16 billion, the report said.  

61% of Manitobans disapprove of Bell-MTS deal: Angus-Reid

The sale of Manitoba’s largest telecommunications company is not sitting well with Manitobans, with 61 per cent stating they don’t approve of the deal, while only 21 per cent said it would be good or very good for the province, according to a new Angus Reid poll.

The survey, released Wednesday, also found that disapproval is highest among those who are paying the closest attention to the story.

Tax all digital services or none, committee hears

OTTAWA — Witnesses in the latest round of hearings in the House of Commons’ Canadian Heritage committee’s study of the media and local communities asked parliamentarians to level the playing field when it comes to taxes on digital services.

SOCAN launches APIs for music royalty apps

The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) has launched an application programming interface (API) portal to help foster new music rights management apps.

It said the API portal will enable “a marketplace of new innovative apps that will revolutionize how music creators and music publishers work with SOCAN to get paid when their music is played.”

An API sets out standards, instructions and tools for programmers developing software.

Tech companies should ensure Internet access: study

A new study suggests that the majority of Canadians agree that having Internet access is right up there with having electricity and that it’s up to tech leaders to make sure that access is available.

Voltage asks court to force Rogers to I.D. file-sharing John Doe

Voltage Pictures LLC is asking federal court to order Rogers Communications Inc. to disclose the identity of an individual who infringed its copyright of five movies.

In a motion of disclosure filed in court Wednesday, Voltage said the notice-and-notice provisions of the Copyright Act include “a mechanism for identifying anonymous copyright infringers, such as John Doe no. 1,” and asked the court to compel Rogers to disclose his identity.

Bell-MTS deal raised in Manitoba legislature

The proposed $3.9-billion acquisition of Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. by BCE Inc. dominated question period in the Manitoba legislature this week, with the opposition NDP peppering the governing Conservatives with questions about their support of the merger for three straight days.

Quebec online gambling law would have ‘huge’ costs for ISPs: CWTA

New Quebec legislation forcing Internet service providers (ISPs) to block certain online gambling websites from being accessed in the province could put smaller ISPs out of business, industry reps said.

Last week, Quebec’s national assembly adopted Bill 74, which put into force several measures introduced in the province’s 2015 budget. Among these were changes to the Consumer Protection Act, making it illegal for ISPs to “give access to an online gambling site whose operation is not authorized under Quebec law.”

Quebec developing digital strategy

The Quebec government will invest $200 million in a digital economy strategy over the next five years, it said in a French press release Friday.

The province will begin consultations with citizens, businesses and various organizations in June, a process that will last until spring 2017, it said.

Four telecoms singled out for skinny-basic hearing

The CRTC said Tuesday it will hold a hearing on the implementation of skinny basic TV packages, though it only asked four companies — BCE Inc., Rogers Communications Inc., Shaw Communications Inc., and Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron — to appear at the Sept. 7 proceeding.

Since they became available in March, 100,000 Canadians have signed up for the new packages, the commission said in a press release.

Zero rating good economics, in the public interest: report

Zero-rated services are in the public interest and “unlikely” to stand in the way of an open Internet, according to a new report from an American think tank, which recommends that U.S. regulators back non-exclusive zero-rated programs.

Shoan launches second challenge to Blais’ power to name panels

CRTC commissioner Raj Shoan has filed another court challenge regarding the ability of CRTC chairman Jean-Pierre Blais to assign commissioners to panels that make decisions on issues before the regulator.

Arctic Fibre sold to American partner

Arctic Fibre Inc., a Canadian company deploying fibre-optic cable in the North, has been purchased by its Alaskan affiliate.

CRTC launches review of zero-rating, sponsored data

Net neutrality advocates welcomed the CRTC’s launch of a new consultation on “differential pricing practices” for both wireline and wireless data plans Wednesday, a process that will see a public hearing kick off on Oct. 31.

Tamir Israel, a lawyer with the Samuel-Gloshko Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic, said in a phone interview that having “this broader review that’s going to put in place a more-principled framework and look beyond ad-hoc scenarios that have come up so far is a good step.”

British government signals broadband BSO

By way of introduction via the Queen, the British government unveiled its plans Wednesday for a universal service objective for broadband in the United Kingdom.

“Measures will be brought forward to create the right for every household to access high speed broadband,” the Queen said, according to a transcript of her remarks, highlighting the government’s proposed digital economy bill.

Cogeco launches public WiFi in St. Catharines, Niagara Falls

Cogeco Inc. has launched a free public WiFi network with more than 360 hotspots in St. Catharines and Niagara Falls, Ont., the company said Wednesday.

Access to the network is free for Cogeco Connexion high-speed Internet customers and non-customers can log in as guests for a free trial, the company said in a press release.

Link Canada Child Benefit to low-income Internet plans: Telus

Telus Corp. is suggesting that subsidized Internet service be made available to families that already collect the Child Canada Benefit.

Spokeswoman Luiza Staniec said in an email Tuesday that the company has “been speaking to the government about how we might launch” a program that would provide “very low-cost, subsidized Internet service to Canadian children living in poverty.”

Liberal MPs, staff create ‘think tank’ for digital issues

OTTAWA — It wasn’t a hard sell for David Graham to recruit Liberal colleagues for a new Parliament Hill research body.

“[I said] ‘I want to talk about digital issues. Who’s with me?’” Graham, Liberal MP for Laurentides-Labelle, recalled during an interview. “There’s an immense interest, so it wasn’t difficult at all to get started.”

SaskTel announces capital investment plan

Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. said Monday it was making a more-than-$1.4-billion capital investment over the next five years to upgrade its systems and networks.

Of that investment, $331 million is allotted for the 2016-2017 fiscal year (ending March 31, 2017), the company said in a press release.

IoT growth poses challenges for regulators

OTTAWA — As the number of devices connected to the Internet of Things (IoT) increases, so, too, do the regulatory challenges to keep users safe, according to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s chief digital officer.

Privacy commish looking into consent

The office of the privacy commissioner is asking for input on “how Canadians can meaningfully exercise their right to consent to the collection, use and disclosure of their personal information.”

A Wednesday press release said interested parties can weigh in until July 13.

MTS Q1 revenues down on landline, wireless voice

Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. reported a two-per-cent loss in revenues, earning $250.7 million in the three months ended March 31, compared to $255.9 million in the same period a year earlier.

Mobile service gives Quebecor Q1 revenue boost

Quebecor Inc. reported a five-per-cent increase to revenue in the first quarter of 2016, bringing in $975.4 million compared to $929 million the same period a year earlier.

According to quarterly earnings released Thursday, the company also turned a profit of $354.7 million, which according to adjusted figures was up 4.6 per cent in the three months ending March 31, compared to the same period a year earlier.

Small ISPs laud government denial of Bell’s FTTH appeal

Independent Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and advocacy groups said Wednesday they’re encouraged by the federal government’s rejection of BCE Inc.’s appeal of the CRTC decision mandating wholesale access to fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) networks, which could be the first glimpse into the new Liberal government’s telecom policy.

Small telecoms lobby for access to federal broadband funding

OTTAWA — Representatives from smaller telecommunications companies descended on Parliament Hill Tuesday, pushing for lawmakers to consult with them in the design of the new federal rural broadband program.

“We found in the past, although our members have been able to access some funds, very often there’s a great deal of red tape involved,” Alyson Townsend, Canadian Cable Systems Alliance (CCSA) president and CEO, said at a morning press conference.

Amazon launches ‘self-service program’ for video creators

Amazon.com Inc. has launched Amazon Video Direct, a new “self-service program” that will allow video creators to distribute their content to Amazon customers.

The company said in a press release Tuesday that it can make content available to all Amazon customers on an ad-supported basis, offer it as a one-time rental or purchase or as an add-on subscription through the Streaming Partners program. Creators can also add their content to the Amazon Prime streaming service at no extra charge.

Cogeco Connexion expanding FTTH network in Quebec

Cogeco Inc. said Friday it is investing about $250,000 to expand its fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) network to residents in Quebec’s Orford Township.

The expansion will serve “several homes in the residential area surrounding the 13e Rang road” in the Eastern Townships municipality, located about 90 minutes east of Montreal, the company said in a press release.

Network-issue calls down after online tool launch: Rogers

In the three months since it launched a beta version of its online network-monitoring tool, Rogers Communications Inc. said it has experienced a decline in service calls about network issues.

Charter-Time Warner deal gets FCC approval

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted its approval to the merger of Charter Communications Inc., Time Warner Cable Inc. and Bright House Networks LLC, the regulator said in a press release Friday.

Shaw offering credit to Fort McMurray evacuees

Shaw Communications Inc. customers in Fort McMurray and other wildfire-affected areas in the region are getting a one-month service credit, the company announced in a Saturday press release.

The credit, retroactive to the city’s mandatory evacuation date of May 3, will ensure all affected customers continue to have access to Shaw Go WiFi, FreeRange TV” and their Shaw domain email accounts, “without needing to worry about their account’s status,” the release said.

Effect of zero-rating on competition under debate

OTTAWA — A panel discussion on net neutrality Friday dug into whether zero-rating can help or harm market competition, with Ted Woodhead, senior vice-president of regulatory affairs at Telus Corp. taking issue with the argument that innovation could be harmed if rules prohibiting such content are eliminated.

SaskTel embarking on review in wake of Bell-MTS deal

Faced with the prospect of becoming “an island in Western Canada” at the conclusion of the proposed Manitoba Telcom Services Inc. sale, Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. is launching a review, according to media reports.

Heritage’s CanCon review could take a decade to play out, panel hears

OTTAWA — The results of the sweeping review of Canadian content in a digital age announced by Heritage Canada last week could take 10 years to materialize, University of Ottawa law professor Jeremy deBeer said Thursday during a panel discussion at the New Developments in Communications Law and Policy conference.

Don’t ‘rubber-stamp’ Bell-MTS deal: NDP

NDP MPs pushed the innovation minister to closely scrutinize BCE Inc.’s proposed $3.9-billion acquisition of Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. in the House of Commons Wednesday.

Telus revenues up, profits shrink in Q1

Telus Corp. revenues increased by 2.6 per cent in the first quarter of 2016, rising to $3.1 billion compared to $3.03 billion during the same period a year earlier, the company said Thursday.

In a press release outlining earnings for the three months ended March 31, the company attributed the increase to continued growth in its wireless and wireline operations, which saw revenues grow by 2.5 per cent and 3.7 per cent, respectively.

Bell Media reps face grilling on MTS at House committee

OTTAWA — Parliamentarians hoping for answers to outstanding questions about Monday’s news that BCE Inc. had struck a deal to acquire Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. were left disappointed when representatives from Bell’s media division appeared on Parliament Hill Tuesday morning.

Tony Tomae new Birch CEO

Birch Communications Inc. has named Tony Tomae as its new president and CEO, the company said in a press release Tuesday.

"In the short term, we will continue to expand our Metro-Fiber footprint, working with our business customers with operations across the U.S.-Canada border to consolidate services to a single provider, and we will deepen our feature set within our [cloud] portfolio to supply the enterprise-class features our customers need," Tomae said in the press release.

Experts say approval of Bell’s MTS acquisition likely

BCE Inc. announced Monday morning that it will purchase Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. in a $3.9 billion transaction that, if approved, will see the number of players in Manitoba’s telecom market fall from four to three.

Canadian businesses split on IoT adoption: survey

Canadian businesses are divided when it comes to the adoption of Internet of Things (IoT), according to a new study commissioned by Telus Corp.

The study, released Thursday, found that 52 per cent of Canadian businesses are “considering, planning, piloting or deploying” an IoT service, while 48 per cent “indicated they have no plans at all to adopt the technology,” a press release said.

Keep broadband funding status quo: Quebecor

GATINEAU, Que. — When it comes to funding broadband improvements, don’t “reinvent the wheel,” representatives from Quebecor Inc. told CRTC commissioners Thursday.

“In our opinion, nothing would be more effective than a recommendation from the commission to the federal government to use additional funds for an immediate relaunch of Connecting Canadians,” Videotron president and CEO Manon Brouillette said, referring to the $500 million rural broadband spending announced in last month’s federal budget.

Bell revenues, profits up in Q1

BCE Inc. reported a 0.6 per cent increase in revenues, rising to $5.27 billion in its first quarter of 2016 compared to the same three-month period a year earlier.

The company said in a press release Thursday that reflected a 1.3 per cent “year-over-year increase in total service revenues driven by solid wireless, wireline residential and media growth.”

Voltage launches class-action piracy lawsuit

Voltage Pictures LLC is seeking certification in Federal Court for a class-action lawsuit against respondents who illegally file-shared its content.

Internet speeds faster in Central, Eastern Canada than West: CIRA

A new study from the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) says the average download Internet speed in Canada is 18.64 Mbps, while the average upload speed is 7.25 Mbps.

Eastern and Central provinces performed better than those in the West.

Nova Scotia had an average download speed of 21.73 Mbps and Ontario an average of 21.76 Mbps, while New Brunswick was at 26.98 Mbps.

Alberta’s speeds averaged out at 13.46 Mbps, British Columbia’s at 16.65 Mbps and Manitoba’s at 12.62 Mbps.

Copyright infringement notices being used for advertising, ISPs say

In recent weeks,  BCE Inc.  and HBO have begun using copyright infringement notices to steer recipients toward legal sources of TV content — but some of the Internet service providers (ISPs) that are required to forward the letters to customers are crying foul, saying the practice amounts to advertising.

Commission hears data cap debate

CRTC commissioners presiding over the basic services hearing continued to hear conflicting opinions over the effectiveness and necessity of including data caps in Internet packages Wednesday.

The idea of enshrining a minimum usage limit into a basic service objective should be approached with caution, representatives from Bragg Communications Inc.’s Eastlink said on the penultimate day of a three-week proceeding.

CRTC asks about ‘skinny Internet,’ undue disadvantage rules

The CRTC sent a letter to participants in its review of basic telecom services asking for comment on whether undue disadvantage rules should apply to the speeds a company makes available to customers.

It asked about cases where carriers offer 5 Mpbs download and 1 Mbps upload speeds in some, but not all, of their operating territory, directing respondents to “explain why this does not amount to unjust discrimination or undue disadvantage pursuant to subsection 27(2)” of the Telecom Act.

Shaw recommends industry contribution to rural broadband

Shaw Communications Inc. broke rank with most of its industry colleagues Tuesday, stating its support for an industry-funded subsidy to help enhance broadband transport.

DHX launches multi-platform network subsidiary

DHX Media Ltd. has launched a new subsidiary, Wild Brain Family International Ltd., which “operates a Multi-Platform Kids Network dedicated to connecting content owners with advertisers on platforms such as YouTube, Dailymotion and others,” the company said in a press release.

Charter-Time Warner merger moves ahead, with conditions

The U.S. Department of Justice has given its approval for a pair of Charter Communications Inc. acquisitions, which, according to a Monday press release, would create the second-largest cable company in the country.

Federal funding for First Nations broadband project

The federal government has announced more funding for a British Columbia-based project to connect First Nations communities to high-speed Internet.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada said in a Tuesday press release that $2.2 million has been committed to Pathways to Technology through the Building Canada Fund.

The funding will benefit eight communities throughout the province.

Sweeping government review to include CRTC, Broadcast Act, CanCon

Industry insiders and observers are calling Canadian Heritage’s impending study of Canadian content in the digital age — which could potentially affect CBC/Radio-Canada, legislation like the broadcasting, telecom and CRTC acts, and Canadian content rules for TV and radio — long overdue.

SaskTel upgrades networks in northeast

Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. said in a press release Monday it plans to complete, by the end of June, a three-year, $30-million project to rebuild the backhaul network in the northeastern part of the province.

Smart homes on the rise: studies

Households with connected devices are increasing, according to a pair of studies studying smart home adoption.

The number of broadband-connected Canadian homes with smart home devices more than doubled, rising to 11 per cent, or 1.4 million households, in the first quarter of 2016 from five per cent in the same period a year earlier, suggested Parks Associates research released Wednesday.

Joly cites net neutrality regarding Que. Internet-blocking bill

In response to a question about the federal government’s position on a Quebec bill that would lead to the blocking of gambling websites, Heritage Minister Melanie Joly said “we believe in net neutrality.”

“We will be having ongoing discussions with our counterparts in Quebec regarding that question,” she added, according to a transcript of question period from April 20.

U.S. mobile ad revenue up 66% last year: IAB

In the United States, mobile advertising revenues were up 66 per cent in 2015 compared to the previous financial year, totalling $20.7 billion US in 2015, according to a new report from the Interactive Advertising Bureau.

Overall, Internet advertising revenues grew 20 per cent from 2014 to 2015, when they totalled $59.6 billion US in the American market.

Redirect voice subsidy to broadband, CRTC panel hears

GATINEAU, Que. — With the use of landlines declining across the country, the money collected for the provision of universal phone service should be reallocated to cover areas of the country underserved by broadband connectivity, CRTC commissioners heard Thursday.

On the ninth day of a three-week basic services hearing, the five-member panel was encouraged to stay away from the idea of creating new subsidies to fund the gaps in Internet service.

Competition Bureau ends Google probe

The Competition Bureau announced Tuesday it is closing its investigation into Google Inc.’s advertising practices after finding evidence that it "used anti‑competitive clauses in certain types of contracts that negatively affected advertisers, with the intent to exclude its competitors."

In ‘unusual’ move, Blais calls for national digital strategy

GATINEAU, Que. — The ongoing basic services hearing may be the “last, best chance” for the CRTC and the stakeholders appearing before its five-person panel to formulate some sort of national broadband strategy, commission chair Jean-Pierre Blais said Monday.

Blais, taking the unusual step of making a formal statement partway through a public hearing that outlined “preliminary conclusions,” said he spent the weekend reflecting on what the panel heard during the first week of the three-week proceeding.

Rogers selling gigabit Internet plans for small businesses

Rogers Communications Inc. will offer a plan with 1 GB speeds and no data cap to small businesses in Ontario for $199.99 a month.

The company said in a press release the Ignite For Business Gigabit plan “is available to select areas in downtown Toronto and the GTA, as well as areas in Brampton, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Newmarket, Markham, Pickering, Ajax, and Whitby,” as of Monday. 

Shaw posts 3% revenue rise in Q2

Shaw Communications Inc. reported Thursday a three-per-cent rise in revenue to $1.15 billion in its second quarter, up from $1.12 billion in the same period a year earlier.

Advocacy groups ask CRTC for subsidies, to ‘champion’ Internet access

GATINEAU, Que. — CRTC commissioners drilled into what should constitute a need versus a want when it comes to access to broadband Internet Thursday, during the fourth day of a three-week hearing into basic telecom services.

The majority of Thursday’s session was consumed by members of the Affordable Access Coalition as they faced questions from the five-person panel.

Cogeco revenue up 8.2% on growth in U.S.

Cogeco Communications Inc. reported a $42.1 million, or 8.3 per cent, increase in revenue in its second quarter, which totaled $551.5 million in the three-month period ending Feb.29.

New satellites to improve Internet access in North, companies say

As-yet-unlaunched satellites will make more Internet capacity available at a lower cost in rural and remote areas, satellite providers told the CRTC Wednesday, on the third day of its three-week hearing into what basic telecom services should be available to all Canadians.