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CRTC must hold public hearings for interim exemption orders in Online News Act
The House of Commons Heritage committee passed an amendment to the Government’s Online News Act Tuesday that would limit the CRTC’s ability to grant interim exemption orders to digital news intermediaries (DNIs) to a single year, as well as requiring the regulator to hold public hearings into the exemption orders. This content is available to …
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Tories slow down C-18 clause-by-clause consideration with amendments
The House of Commons’ Heritage Committee’s clause-by-clause review of the Online News Act on Tuesday picked up where it left off last week, bogged down with a stack of virtually identical Conservative amendments and accusations the Tories were filibustering the bill. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …
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Arguments begin in NHL site-blocking case before Federal Court
Arguments began Thursday in a Federal Court case that would see pirated signals of NHL hockey games blocked. Associate Chief Justice Jocelyne Gagné presided over the more than three hour proceeding, which repeatedly went in camera to protect confidential information. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …
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July outage, Shaw financing costs, to blame for Rogers profit drop
Rogers Communications Inc.’s profit fell 24 per cent for the three months ending Sept. 30, compared to last year, with customer credits and the Shaw Communications Inc. transaction to blame for the shortfall. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …
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Heritage Committee hears final witnesses on Online News Act
Canada’s Online News Act could serve as a template for countries around the world who are seeking to protect legacy media from the overwhelming power of Google Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. This was part of the testimony at the House of Commons Committee on Canadian Heritage as it heard its final witnesses on Bill …
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Facebook denounces Online News Act as it finally appears at committee
Meta Platforms Inc., parent company of Facebook, came out swinging against Bill C-18, the Online News Act, on Friday. The firm finally appeared before the House of Commons Committee on Canadian Heritage after lobbying for an invitation. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …
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Facebook threatens to leave Canada, MP wants it to testify on C-18
OTTAWA–Meta Platforms Inc., parent company of Facebook, is so upset that it has not been called to testify about the Online News Act that it is considering halting the sharing of news content in Canada. In a statement from the company, Marc Dinsdale, Head of Media Partnerships for Meta Canada, said the firm does not …
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CRTC will take over 2 years to determine scope of Bill C-11: ex-Vice Chairperson
The former Vice Chairperson of the CRTC and a media company president clashed over who should define user generated content in their depositions on Bill C-11 to the Senate Committee on Transport and Communications Wednesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …
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Wholesale HSA service not needed in Far North; LEOs will do: Northwestel
There’s no need for BCE Inc.’s Northwestel to introduce wholesale high-speed access (HSA) services in Canada’s Far North because the imminent entry and competitive threat of multiple low earth orbit (LEO) satellite services, most notably Space Exploration Technologies Corp.’s Starlink, is enough to transform the competitive landscape of broadband in the country’s most remote areas, …
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Pandemic has altered cybersecurity landscape: CIRA survey
Just over half of IT security professionals feel their organization in more susceptible to cyber attack because of pandemic-era work from home arrangements, and three out of 10 IT professionals report that their organization has experienced some breach of employee or customer data last year – sharply up from the 18 per cent who said …
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Senator claims privilege over Digital First lobbying letter
An Alberta Senator is claiming his privileges as a parliamentarian were breached when two members of the House of Commons sent a letter to the commissioner of lobbying about a Senate witness. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …
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Cabinet should not intervene in non-mandated service: Rogers
Rogers Communication Inc. is asking the federal government to reject City Wide Inc.’s request to force Bragg Communication Inc.’s Eastlink to relocate its third-party internet access (TPIA) point of interconnection (POI) to a more central location in Halifax, N.S, arguing that it would run contrary to established industry practices and it is not for the …
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Bell will fold EBox into Distributel: Bell CFO
BCE Inc. is planning to maintain recently acquired Distributel Ltd. as a standalone company, but will incorporate it with its other fresh acquisition, EBox Inc., and will treat them both as part of the incumbent’s “value segment.” This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …
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CNOC takes issue with Shaw’s proposed costs for new 1.5 gigabit service
The Competitive Network Operators of Canada is taking issue with a costing study Shaw Communications Inc. presented to the CRTC to justify the prices it wants to charge its wholesale customers for two newly offered gigabit speeds. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …
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CNOC displeased with Rogers’ secrecy in outage
The Competitive Network Operators of Canada (CNOC) is calling on the CRTC to force Rogers Communications Inc. to release more information on the incumbent’s massive July 8 outage, endorsing a call last week from the Public Interest Advocacy Centre. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
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Rogers disclosure on outage, CRTC process not good enough: PIAC
Again dissatisfied with the redactions in Rogers Communications Inc.‘s public filings to the CRTC regarding the company’s massive July 8 outage, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre has again asked the CRTC to mandate greater disclosure from the incumbent telecom company. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …
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Rogers answers CRTC request for information on July outage
Rogers Communications Inc. filed a second response to a confidential Aug. 5 letter from the CRTC, requesting more information on the July network outage. The heavily redacted response was received Monday and posted to the commission website this week. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
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CRTC investigating Northwestel outage in Nunavut
The CRTC is once again dealing with a service outage from a major carrier, in this case BCE Inc. property Northwestel. According to an Aug. 17 letter to the incumbent telecom, there were service disruptions on Aug. 3 and 4. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …
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Britain and Australia provide example for internet ads, PIAC says
Canada should look to Britain and Australia for lessons on how to regulate internet advertising, a new study by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre maintains. The consumer group surveyed regulators, industry and stakeholder groups as well as looking at foreign markets when assessing the state of the advertising market in this country. The study, Selling …
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Bell revenues up, profits down as company releases Q2 numbers
BCE Inc. announced revenues of $5.86 billion for the second quarter of 2022 Thursday, a jump of 2.9 per cent over the figures for a year ago. Net earnings declined 10.9 per cent over the same period, to $654 million. Bell attributed the fall to higher expenses, higher depreciation and amortization and higher severance, acquisition …
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Bell, Rogers and TV creators triumph over pirates
A consortium of broadcasters and rights-holders have won an opening salvo of a fight against a television pirate in the Federal Court. BCE Inc. and Rogers Communications Inc. were joined in the court action by Columbia Pictures Industries Inc., Disney Enterprises Inc., Paramount Pictures Corp., Universal City Studios LLC, Universal City Studios Productions LLLP and …
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City Wide is the victim of competition, not anti-competitive practice: Eastlink
City Wide Communications Inc.‘s lack of growth in Nova Scotia is due to the presence of other third-party internet access (TPIA) competitors in the province, rather than anything having to do with the location of Bragg Communications Inc.‘s points-of-interconnection (POIs), according to Bragg. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …
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Quebecor’s acquisition of VMedia exciting for competition says co-founder, CNOC
VMedia Inc. can expand its national footprint with resources from Quebecor Inc., as part of the Quebec-based company’s national expansion, according to VMedia co-founder George Burger. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take …
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Gov. announced 11 projects, with $2.4M funding, to combat disinformation
The ministers of Canadian Heritage and Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, announced more than $2.4 million in funding for projects to help Canadians “determine for themselves what is fact and what is fiction online.” This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …
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INDU to hold hearings into Rogers outage, CIRA backs full public hearing at CRTC
The House of Commons Industry committee will launch hearings into the Friday, July 8 Rogers Communications Inc. outage, the committee voted Friday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or …
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City Wide appeals Eastlink POI decision at CRTC
City Wide Communications Inc. is appealing the CRTC’s decision not to force Bragg Communications Inc. to move its third-party internet access to downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take …
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Feds, Quebec, announce funding for rural high-speed internet
The federal government and Quebec announced $8.2 million in joint funding to bring high-speed internet to 25 communities in rural areas of the province. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free …
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ISED launches Phase 2 of Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy
Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne announced the launch of the second phase of the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy in a Wednesday press 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. …
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Rogers, Telus, want CRTC to deny TekSavvy TPIA tariff changes
Rogers Communications Inc. and Telus Corp. are asking the CRTC to deny a request by TekSavvy Solutions Inc. to speed up the regulatory process by which new speed tiers are introduced and become available to wholesale-based internet service providers (ISPs). This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …
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Intent of C-11 is to exclude digital creators: CRTC chair
CRTC chair Ian Scott told the House of Commons Heritage Committee Tuesday that Bill C-11, the Online Streaming Act, is needed to modernize Canada’s broadcast sector. The Broadcasting Act from 1991 did a lot of good but stands out as a product of its time, he said. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already …
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Tim Hortons app violated privacy laws: privacy watchdogs
Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons violated national privacy law because users of its app had “their movements tracked and recorded every few minutes of every day, even when their app was not open,” according to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) and several provincial privacy authorities. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already …
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Site-blocking can be used for online harms legislation: Rogers
Rogers Communications Inc. believes that the site-blocking remedy the company – along with BCE Inc. and Quebecor Inc. – won through the federal courts in recent months can be used in the future application of the government’s planned legislation aimed at combating online harms. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign …
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Comp. laws are too focused on price: Lawson Hunter
Canada’s competition laws have become too sensitive to price, particularly in mergers, and should instead focus more on the role of innovation and change, according to a Canadian competition and regulatory lawyer. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …
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Freedom of expression regulation concerns on C-11 are “silly”: CRTC’s Scott
CRTC chair Ian Scott told conference attendees that his agency has the knowledge base to be able to regulate the streaming giants, after concern was raised that it would be too much for the commission to handle. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …
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Tories put forward motion to kill Bill C-18, send “subject matter” to committee
Conservative MP John Nater wants the Liberal government to withdraw its Online News Act and instead send the “subject matter” to the House of Commons Heritage Committee, claiming that there are many questions the bill does not address. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …
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Tories denounce Bill C-11 while Bloc defends it
Debate continued in the House of Commons Thursday on the Online Streaming Act, known as Bill C-11. Conservative and Bloc Québécois MPs were the speakers.They took opposite approaches to the bill. The Tories worry about censorship and government overreach while the Bloquistes stressed the need for cultural autonomy. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers …
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TekSavvy calls for TPIA tariff changes to stop delayed access to new offerings
TekSavvy Solutions Inc. is asking the CRTC to speed up the regulatory process by which new speed tiers are introduced and become available to wholesale-based internet service providers like the Chatham-Kent, Ont.-based company. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …
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Hydro Ottawa reenters telecom market with Hiboo Networks
Hydro Ottawa is returning to the telecom market with the launch of Hiboo Networks, a telecom that will offer service to businesses and eventually residents of the national capital.The company is expecting to roll out service as of next January. Hiboo will be controlled by Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc. This content is available to wirereport.ca …
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Facebook lied in Security Committee: Rodriguez
Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez has said the Government is not backing down from its legislative effort to get companies like Meta Platforms Inc.‘s Facebook and Twitter Inc. to compensate news outlets for their content, in the wake of comments from a Facebook official to the House of Commons Security committee that the company was not …
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Government announces more internet connectivity projects funded in Ontario
Friday, the governments of Canada and Ontario announced which projects will be allocated a combined total of more than $163 million in funding to bring high-speed internet to the province. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …
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Rogers boss won’t confirm Xplornet ‘rumours’
Rogers Communications Inc. CEO Tony Staffieri declined to comment on what he called “rumours” that the company – alongside Shaw Communication Inc. – have presented a plan to the federal government that would see Xplornet Communications Inc. take over Shaw’s Freedom Mobile wireless brand as part of regulatory approval of the Shaw acquisition. This content …
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SaskTel announces $337M investment in province
Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. is investing approximately $337 million of capital in Saskatchewan over the course of the next 12 months and more than $1.5 billion over the next five years. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital …
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Little support for CRTC forbearance policy review following Part 1 application
The Forum for Research and Policy in Communications (FRPC) is the only intervener in a CRTC proceeding that supports a Toronto-based attorney’s request to consider whether the CRTC’s general policy of forbearance remains applicable. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …
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CRTC approves aggregated and disaggregated Giga service from Quebecor
Tuesday Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron was granted approval by the CRTC for reintroduction of aggregated and disaggregated Giga service and introduction of aggregated and disaggregated 1.5 Giga service. Last November the telecom applied to reintroduce third-party internet access (TPIA) of services with download speeds of 501-1000 megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds of 0-100 Mbps …
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Xplornet buys internet business of Full Throttle Networks
Xplornet Communications Inc. purchased the high-speed internet business of Full Throttle Networks Inc. of Winnipeg, the company 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 need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The …
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Feds rollout $20 a month internet for low-income families and seniors
The federal government is providing low-income families and seniors with broadband services at reduced rates. On Monday it unveiled the second leg of its Connecting Families Initiative. The first part of the initiative was launched in 2018. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …
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Hate groups need legislative stops on fundraising, security committee hears
Extremist groups are able to propagate their message and raise funds because Canada does not have legislation that prevents it, the House Committee on Public Safety and National Security was told on Thursday. Further hindering lawmakers is that many of the fundraising platforms are located in the United States and are not subject to Canadian …
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Panelists tell government to reform the CRTC
GATINEAU, Que.–The CRTC came in for a drubbing at two panels Wednesday at the annual conference of the Canadian Association of Wireless Internet Service Providers (CanWISP). Many questioned the current mandate of the regulator and others criticized it for being slow and unresponsive to small competitors, such as the members of CanWISP itself. This content …
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Distributel seeks revised interim rates for disagg regime
Distributel Ltd. is asking the CRTC to revise the interim rates for disaggregated wholesale high-speed access (“HSA”) services to help jumpstart the lagging disaggregated wholesale regime. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take …
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CRTC won’t order Bragg to relocate its TPIA point of interconnection
The commission denied an application by City Wide Communications Inc. requesting it order Bragg Communications Inc.’s Eastlink to move its Nova Scotia third-party Internet access (TPIA) point of interconnection to downtown Halifax, N.S. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …
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Bell subsidiary given 5 months to implement local competition plan in Upton, Que.
The CRTC approved a BCE Inc. subsidiary’s request to implement its plan for local competition in the low-density market of Upton, Que. within five months, despite pushback from Quebec-based telecom company CoopTel which argued it should be done sooner. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
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ISED approves spectrum licence transfer in Northern Ontario
Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) has approved a transfer of spectrum licences in the fixed wireless access band from a Sudbury, ON, telecommunications company to a municipally-owned telecommunication company in Thunder Bay, ON. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …
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Canadian, BC governments invest $830M in high-speed internet
The federal government has partnered with the government of British Columbia on the rollout of high-speed internet in rural, remote and Indigenous communities. The announcement was made Tuesday in Mission, British Columbia by Gudie Hutchings, federal Minister of Rural Economic Development and Lisa Beare, the provincial Minister of Citizens’ Services. This content is available to …
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