Google launches Digital News Initiative in Europe

Google Inc. announced a new partnership with European news organizations on Tuesday called the Digital News Initiative.

The search and advertising giant said it will work with newspapers including the Financial Times, the Guardian, and Die Zeit, as well as the Global Editors Network and the European Journalism Centre, to establish a working group on the future of digital journalism.

Wireless health damage as certain as human-caused climate change: scientist

OTTAWA — A U.S. scientist who was part of a team that won a Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore in 2007 for their work on climate change told a Canadian parliamentary committee on Tuesday that evidence linking wireless radiation to various health ailments is at least as convincing as the evidence linking global warming to greenhouse gases.

YouTube to make feature films

Google Inc.'s YouTube said Tuesday that it will be partnering with a division of DreamWorks Animation LLC to make feature films in the coming years.

It said in a blog post that it will work with DreamWorks' AwesomenessTV to "release several feature length films over the next two years, all driven by YouTube stars and developed and produced by AwesomenessTV’s Brian Robbins."

Robbins is CEO of AwesomenessTV and has a vast portfolio of films and TV shows that he's directed or produced since the 1980s.

PIAC re-launches undue-preference complaint against Shomi

The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) has re-launched an undue-preference complaint against Rogers Communications Inc.'s and Shaw Communications Inc.’s Shomi streaming service, following uncertainty about how a recent CRTC decision would affect the service.

Nadir Mohamed to lead venture-capital fund

Former Rogers Communications Inc. CEO Nadir Mohamed will lead a new venture-capital fund created by the Ontario government, the office of Premier Kathleen Wynne said on Monday.

Mohamed will lead a council of about 30 business leaders and entrepreneurs tasked with managing Scale Up Ventures, a $50-million fund for startup companies that "have shown initial market success and that demonstrate strong growth potential," the premier's office said in a press release.

Sandra Mackechnie to head BBC Canadian digital ad sales

BBC Worldwide North America announced Monday that it has appointed Sandra Mackechnie to the position of vice-president for digital ad sales at BBC.com’s Canadian office in Toronto.

Mackechnie joins BBC from Postmedia Network Canada Corp., according to a press release, where she was head of digital strategy and vice-president of digital advertising since 2011. Prior to that, she was director of digital sales at Rogers Communications Inc. from 2006 to 2010.

Stingray files for IPO

Stingray Digital Group Inc. has filed for an initial public offering, according to documents filed Friday with Canadian securities regulatory authorities.

The Montreal-based company’s products include audio TV channels, as well as music- and video-streaming apps. Stingray said in the preliminary prospectus that it operates in 111 countries and reaches an estimated 110 million TV subscribers.  

The company’s revenue in fiscal 2015 was $71 million, the document said.

Coming cyber-security legislation to affect telecoms, but details scant

The government will introduce new legislation aimed at strengthening the security of “Canada’s essential cyber systems” that will impose new obligations on telecommunications companies, though exactly how or when the rules will change remains to be seen.

Comcast, Time Warner deal nixed

Comcast Corp. on Friday confirmed that it is walking away from its proposed $45-billion US buyout of Time Warner Cable Inc.

In a statement on Comcast's website, CEO Brian Roberts said: "Today, we move on. Of course, we would have liked to bring our great products to new cities, but we structured this deal so that if the government didn’t agree, we could walk away."

PIAC, seniors group denied costs in CRTC proceeding

The CRTC has denied an application by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) and the Council of Senior Citizens' Organizations of British Columbia for reimbursement of about $13,500 for their participation in a complaint against Rogers Communications Inc.'s NHL GamePlus web product.

Little growth in music streaming services: MTM

Media Technology Monitor (MTM), a project of CBC/Radio-Canada, said in report released Wednesday that the percentage of anglophones using "personalized" audio streaming services over the last year or so has been relatively flat.

MTM said 19 per cent of those surveyed last fall said they use personalized audio services, which is defined as a streaming service "available on the Internet which allows users to select from a number of possible streams and to customize playlists." This included pay services and free services that are ad-supported.

Google launches wireless service in U.S.

Google Inc. on Wednesday announced it has launched a wireless service in the United States, partnering with T-Mobile U.S. Inc. and Sprint Corp. for coverage on their networks.

A website for Google's new service, called Project Fi, showed it is available in most major markets across the U.S. Nick Fox, Google's vice-president of communications products, said in a blog post that text-and-talk service is available for $20 US a month, and data costs $10 US per GB. He said customers will get credit for unused data.

HBO notifying Canadian streamers using VPNs: report

HBO has been sending notices to users in countries outside of the U.S., including Canada, who have attempted to access its over-the-top (OTT) HBO Now service, the National Post reported.

The newspaper said in an article Tuesday that some users have received emails stating that it “has come to our attention that you may have signed up for and viewed video content on the HBO NOW streaming service from outside of the authorized service area (the United States, including D.C. and certain US territories).”

Comp watchdog seeking experts for Google case: report

The Competition Bureau is looking for experts in the fields of online search and advertising, and experts say it's likely related to its probe into Google Inc.'s advertising practices, the Financial Post reported.

Budget includes new money for networks, satellites

The federal budget, released Tuesday, includes new money for broadband and research networks, satellite communications, securing the government’s own online properties and a dedicated public safety network.

The government is promising to spend $1.33 billion over six years through the Canada Foundation for Innovation, beginning in 2017, to support “advanced research infrastructure” at public institutions including hospitals, universities and colleges.

Main IoT market to be worth $6.5B by 2018: IDC

The main Internet of Things (IoT) market will generate $6.5 billion in revenue in Canada in 2018, representing average annual growth of 18 per cent in comparison to the $2.88 billion the market was worth in 2013, International Data Corp. said Tuesday.

The research group said in a press release that a new report it has published shows that the biggest market sectors for providers of IoT technology and services will be manufacturing, health care, transportation and consumers, with consumers being the fastest growing of those markets.

Bill S-4 passes at committee

Industry Minister James Moore said on Twitter Tuesday that Bill S-4, the Digital Privacy Act, has passed at the House of Commons industry committee and would be “referred back to the House for final debate [and] vote soon.”

SaskTel brings fibre to Swift Current

Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. said Tuesday that it has officially launched its fibre-to-the-home Internet service in Swift Current, Sask.

SaskTel said in a press release that some customers have already been hooked up to the new network, and that all of its existing high-speed Internet and IPTV customers would be given the option of signing up once their neighbourhoods are converted.

Sonia Carreno new president of IAB Canada

The Interactive Advertising Bureau of Canada (IAB) has named Sonia Carreno its new president, the organization said in a press release Monday.

The release said Carreno has “more than 15 years of integrated leadership experience including strategic brand and media planning, business relationship management, consulting, paid and organic search engine marketing, and cross-media marketing.”

Telus to invest $2.1 billion in Ontario

Telus Corp. announced Tuesday that it will spend $2.1 billion in Ontario by the end of 2018, the latest in a series of funding announcements from the company.

Rogers revenue up, helped by NHL contract

Rogers Communications Inc. on Monday reported a 5.1 per cent annual gain in revenue for the first quarter, driven largely by a 26 per cent jump in its media division that benefited from Rogers' exclusive national rights to NHL hockey broadcasts.

Small Toronto ISP to provide fibre link for Pan Am athletes

Athletes from across two continents competing in the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto this summer will be able to connect with family and friends back home via high-speed fibre Internet connections provided by Beanfield Technologies Inc.

The company, the official communications services supplier for the games, has a fibre network in downtown Toronto that links commercial and residential buildings all along the waterfront to the Internet at speeds of 100 Mbps and more.

VPNs facing barriers in Australia, New Zealand

A new bill in Australian parliament could block virtual private networks (VPNs), while Internet service providers in New Zealand could face lawsuits for a VPN-like service, two articles in the Guardian said.

The British newspaper reported Monday that four of New Zealand’s major broadcasters have “confirmed they are preparing legal action” against two ISPs “on the basis of breach of copyright.”

Android updates smartwatch technology

Google Inc.'s Android division on Monday announced several upgrades to its smartwatch technology, including built-in WiFi, making apps visible even when devices are in energy-saving mode, and adding easier functionality for opening apps and sending messages.

David Singleton, director of engineering for Android Wear, said in a blog that watches running on its operating system will begin allowing apps to stay visible even when the energy-saving function kicks in, just not in full colour.

Recon Jet smart goggles released

Vancouver-based Recon Instruments announced Thursday the release of its new smart goggles for outdoor sports enthusiasts called Recon Jet.

It said in a press release that the product is equipped with GPS, a camera, a display that's visible just below a user's right eye and can be paired with smartphones for certain functions.

Rogers enjoying playoff boost, but benefits hard to quantify

Having five Canadian teams reach the NHL playoffs for the first time in more than a decade is set to translate into a winning season for Rogers Communications Inc. as it completes the first of 12 years of a $5.2-billion rights agreement with the National Hockey League.

Bell says IPTV customers have reached 1 million

BCE Inc. said in a press release Friday that its IPTV customer base has reached one million households.

In the release, Bell said IPTV, which it offers through its Fibe TV and FibreOP TV brands, has  since its launch in 2010 become one of the fastest growing product lines in the company's 135-year history.

Rogers condo connection could be cut off without Bell access

The CRTC said Thursday that unless a developer provides BCE Inc. "timely access" to a Toronto condominium building about to accept new occupants, the other service providers that have been given access to the building, including Rogers Communications Inc., will not be permitted to provide services there.

New business gigabit-Internet service launched in Vancouver

Urban Communications Inc. said Thursday it has launched its gigabit Internet connections for business customers in Vancouver.

Telus announces $116M investment in Montreal

Telus Corp. said Thursday it will invest $116 million in technology in the Montreal area this year as part of a $1.6-billion capital plan for Quebec between now and the end of 2018.

Telus said in a press release that the investment in Montreal and surrounding communities will go toward growing wireless capacity, making data speeds faster, connecting more businesses to its fibre-optic network and improving its health-related services.

Netflix to make marketing push outside of U.S.

Netflix Inc. said in letter to shareholders Wednesday it would be shifting some of its U.S. marketing budget to other parts of the world in the coming months "to take advantage of the substantial available growth opportunities."

In the same letter, the company said it added a record 4.9 million subscribers during this year's first quarter to reach 62.3 million overall, with gains of 2.3 million coming from the U.S. and 2.6 million coming from elsewhere. Overall, its U.S. subscriber base stood at 41.4 million and it was 20.9 million elsewhere.

Kosiner looking for piece of TV music market

A 27-year-old entrepreneur wants to offer an alternative to what he calls a monopoly in the market for audio music channels offered through TV service providers in Canada.

Evan Kosiner, president and owner of Kosiner Venture Capital Inc., said in a phone interview there is still a business opportunity in audio-only music channels despite the impending launch of scaled-down TV subscriptions next year as mandated by the CRTC and the rise of online music streaming.

Sandvine launches service-management app for mobile providers

Network management provider Sandvine Inc. said Wednesday it has launched a smartphone application for mobile service providers to allow customers to manage their plans on their device.

The SmartService app gives operators the ability to offer usage monitoring and plan upgrades to their customers, Waterloo, Ont.-based Sandvine said in a news release.

Nokia confirms buyout of Alcatel-Lucent

Nokia Corp. confirmed Wednesday that it will buy equipment maker Alcatel-Lucent SA in an all-stock transaction valued at 15.6 billion euros ($20.66 billion Cdn).

Nokia's Rajeev Suri will remain as CEO of the combined company, which will continue under the Nokia name, the company said in a press release.

The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2016, according to the release. The two companies had combined profits of 2.3 billion euros on combined sales of 25.9 billion euros in the 2014 fiscal year, Nokia said.

Telus to invest $4 billion in B.C. through 2018

Telus Corp. said Wednesday it will spend $4 billion on infrastructure and facilities in its home province of British Columbia over the next four years, including $1 billion this year.

The company said in a press release that the investment will include the expansion of its fibre-optic network, as well as the addition of LTE to every wireless site in the province.

U.S. industry groups fight new net-neutrality regulations

CTIA-The Wireless Association is among a number of U.S. industry groups making court challenges to net-neutrality rules the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) put in place earlier this year.

Shaw loses profits, subs in Q2

Shaw Communications Inc. on Tuesday reported $1.34 billion in revenue in its second fiscal quarter, up five per cent from the same period a year earlier, though its net income during the three-month period ended Feb. 28 fell to $168 million from $222 million last year.

Shaw said in a press release that net income for the first two quarters of the year “included restructuring costs and higher amortization and net other costs and revenue, partially offset by improved operating income before restructuring costs and amortization and lower income taxes.”

Bell to make targeted ad program ‘opt-in,’ PIAC still fighting it

The Public Interest Advocacy Centre said it will not drop a CRTC complaint against BCE Inc.’s targeted ad program, despite the company’s plans to re-launch the program according to specifications issued by the federal privacy commissioner.

Report shows 95,000 TV cord-cutters last year

Convergence Consulting Group Ltd. says in a new report that Canada lost 95,000 TV subscribers in 2014, the second year of decline, while TV subscriber revenue continued to grow.

A summary of the report posted to the Convergence website said TV providers saw subscription revenue of $9.1 billion in 2014, up two per cent from the previous year.

Next spectrum auction seen as less substantial than previous sales

Canada's third wireless spectrum auction in a little more than a year is set to start Tuesday, and it is generally predicted to bring in far less money than the other two, though at least one analyst feels there is demand for the additional bandwidth an auction like this brings to the market.

Bell moves forward with appeal in mobile-TV case

BCE Inc. on Friday took the next steps in appealing the January CRTC ruling regarding its mobile-TV service, having been granted leave to appeal the matter last week.

The date the appeal will be heard has not yet been determined, according to a notice from Bell's lawyers filed Friday with the Federal Court of Appeal. The proceeding will be held in Toronto unless the court decides otherwise, the notice said.

SaskTel plans $313M in capital spending this year

Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. said Thursday it plans to make about $313 million in capital expenditures in its home province this year, including $177 million on what it calls its "core Saskatchewan network."

Some of the priorities SaskTel highlighted in a press release included spending $45 million on its fibre-to-the-premises network, $37.8 million on upgrades to its wireless network and $79.9 million for "basis network growth and other enhancements."

Industry Canada streamlines satellite-station licensing

Industry Canada said Friday that it is implementing a single-licence system for operators of large networks of satellite-to-earth communication stations, a move the department said would save companies in the sector at least $1 million a year.

The government said in a press release that when combined with other changes introduced since 2006, its policies are saving radio, spectrum and satellite users about $10 million annually.

Telecom customer info sought in most criminal investigations: report

Police ask telecommunications service providers for information about their customers in the vast majority of criminal investigations, said an online report by CBC on Friday.

"Canadian police estimate that at least one form of lawful access request is made by government agencies to TSPs [telecom service providers] in about 80-95 per cent of all investigations today," said Sept. 26 memo to Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney, obtained through an access-to-information request, according to the article.

CRTC to consider whether broadband should be basic service

The CRTC announced Thursday that it will re-examine the definition and role of so-called basic services, paving the way for potential changes to the offerings telecom companies are mandated to make available to every Canadian.

CRTC looking into Telesat pricing

The CRTC has launched a public consultation to review a price ceiling on some services provided by satellite operator Telesat Holdings Inc.

In a press release, the regulator said commissioner Candice Molnar had, in a report on the satellite transport service market, found that “satellite dependent communities continue to rely almost exclusively on Telesat's satellite network.”

Rogers reports 35% fewer law-enforcement info requests

Rogers Communications Inc., in its second transparency report, said there was a 35 per cent reduction between 2014 and 2013 in the number of law-enforcement requests it received for customer information.

Cogeco boosts revenue as TV subs continue decline

Cogeco Cable Inc. reported late Wednesday a decline in profit for its second fiscal quarter, a gain in revenue and fewer TV subscribers.

It said in a press release that its profit was $58.9 million for the three months ended Feb. 28 this year, down from $60.4 million a year earlier. It attributed the decline to depreciation, amortization, financing expenses and income taxes.

Jury out on Bell plans for targeted advertising: OPC

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner said it had a meeting with officials from BCE Inc. on Wednesday, and it is keeping its legal options open despite Bell's expressed willingness to follow its direction.

Tobi Cohen, spokeswoman for the privacy commissioner's office, said in an email Wednesday that a meeting was held with Bell and "we are not yet in a position where we can confirm that our concerns have been satisfied."

Bell looks to avoid legal showdown with privacy commish

Faced with a possible legal fight against another agency of the federal government, BCE Inc. on Tuesday backed down after the Office of the Privacy Commissioner said the company refused to require customers to provide explicit consent before tracking their telecommunications habits in order to sell marketing profiles to third-party advertisers.

Online video viewing up an hour a week over year: MTM

In the fall of 2014, Canadian anglophones spent an hour more watching online video in a typical week than they did a year earlier, according to new data from the Media Technology Monitor (MTM).

MTM, a project of CBC/Radio-Canada, said in a report released Wednesday that respondents in surveys conducted last fall indicated they spent an average of 8.2 hours viewing online video, compared to 7.2 a year before.

Telus to make $4.2B investment in Alberta

Telus Corp. said Monday it will spend $4.2 billion on infrastructure and facilities in Alberta between now and the end of 2018, including $1 billion in the current year.

The company said in a press release that, when combined with operational spending, its total investment in Alberta over four years will amount to more than $11 billion.

Bell granted leave to appeal in mobile-TV case

The Federal Court on Thursday granted BCE Inc. leave to appeal in its challenge of a CRTC ruling regarding its mobile-TV service.

Ontera looking for higher subsidies

BCE Inc.-owned Ontera, formerly a provincial-government-owned telecom operation in northern Ontario, has applied to the CRTC for higher subsidies under established practices for providers serving high-cost areas.

DHX reaches international distribution deal with Orchard

DHX Media Ltd., a Canadian content creator specializing in children's television programming, said it has reached a deal with U.S. distribution company, The Orchard, that will give it a new path to audiences around the world.

CCTS reports fewer complaints, more wireless code breaches

While overall complaints about telecommunications services have continued to decline, according the first-ever mid-year report from the Commissioner of Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS), confirmed breaches of the wireless code have increased exponentially.

Corus gets multi-platform rights to Nickelodeon content

Corus Entertainment Inc. said Tuesday it has secured a long-term agreement with Viacom Inc.'s Nickelodeon division to secure the exclusive Canadian rights to its content for television in digital platforms.

Corus said in a press release that the deal includes English- and French-language programming.

IBM to build IoT division

International Business Machines (IBM) Corp. said Tuesday it will invest $3 billion US over the next four years to establish an Internet of Things (IoT) unit.

It said in a press release it will use its cloud-based platform to help business clients better integrate data from IoT devices and other sources into their decision-making.

Shaw names Vito Culmone as CFO

Shaw Communications Inc. said Tuesday it has named Vito Culmone as its executive vice-president and chief financial officer.

The appointment is effective June 1, the company said in a press release.

Culmone’s most recent position was as chief financial officer for WestJet Airlines Ltd., and he has also worked at Molson Inc. and PricewaterhouseCoopers, it added.

Telecom and broadcasting converge as legislation remains separate

A case involving BCE Inc.’s mobile-TV service that’s currently winding its way through the Federal Court of Appeal is just one example of how the lines between telecommunications and broadcasting are becoming blurred.

CMF raises annual budget by $7.2 million

The Canadian Media Fund said Monday it will have $375.2 million to fund television and digital-media productions in the 2015-16 fiscal year.

That's up $7.2 million from the $368 million it announced was the budget for the 2014-15 fiscal year, which runs April to March.

"Underspending in some 2014-2015 programs, revenues from tangible benefits and one-time adjustments of revenues from broadcast distribution undertakings (BDU) in 2014-2015 contributed to achieving this program budget," the CMF said in a press release Monday.

TekSavvy appeals Voltage cost award

TekSavvy Solutions Inc. said Friday it will appeal a recent cost award in a dispute with Voltage Pictures LLC over filesharing.

Rogers bundles Spotify with Fido

Customers of Rogers Communications Inc.’s Fido subsidiary will receive free access to Spotify AB’s premium music-streaming service for two years, the company said Monday.

“Plug in and escape, anytime, anywhere, and listen to anything you're into,” Rogers said in a press release.

Spotify’s premium service usually costs $9.99 a month and allows users to listen to music off-line with no ads or restrictions on the songs customers can play and when they can play them, according to Spotify’s website.

Should copyright tariffs be mandatory?

CBC/Radio-Canada and the Society for Reproduction Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers in Canada (SODRAC) recently argued before the Supreme Court of Canada over whether a tariff on “broadcast incidental copies” of musical works for television or Internet productions is legal.

Nielsen to begin measuring Netflix viewership: report

Nielsen Co., the which measures viewership for TV shows, will start assessing audiences for online streaming services such as Netflix Inc. and Amazon.com Inc.'s Prime this year, according to a Bloomberg report.

Internet taxes, web blocking proposed in Quebec

A government committee in Quebec is recommending the province study the idea of applying a tax on residential Internet service for the purpose of supporting cultural industries.

Proposed BDU code inconsistent with unregulated OTT: consultant

The CRTC’s proposed new code of conduct for television service providers is at odds with the commission’s stance that it won’t regulate over-the-top (OTT) services, according to broadcast consultant Peter Miller.

He said it was “interesting that this regulator still wants to get involved in this level of detail with respect to traditional providers while still saying they’re going to do nothing with over-the-top providers.”

Shaw asks CRTC to reconsider wholesale Internet rates

Shaw Communications Inc. has filed a review-and-vary application with the CRTC in an attempt to get higher prices for providing wholesale Internet access to third-party providers.

HP opens new security centre in Ontario

Hewlett-Packard Co. announced Thursday that it has opened a new security operations centre in Mississauga, Ont., to help businesses defend themselves from security threats.

The centre provides “security management services” to businesses and is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the company said in a release.

Facebook adds Canadian apps to Messenger platform

Facebook Inc. announced Wednesday that its Messenger app is being opened up as a platform for other other apps, and at least two Canadian companies have signed on to provide their services.

“Messenger Platform brings even more ways for the 600 million people who use Messenger every month to express themselves,” Facebook said in a release. “With more than 40 new apps, people can enhance their conversations with GIFs, photos, videos, audio clips and more.”

Bell concedes costs request in early phase of mobile-TV appeal

BCE Inc. is not seeking costs from the Canadian Network Operators Consortium (CNOC) in the early part of the appeals process in relation to a CRTC decision to force it treat data used in its mobile-TV service like any other online data.

SOCAN moves into new headquarters

The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) said Tuesday it has moved into new headquarters, though it has stayed in Montreal.

SOCAN said in a press release that after 25 years in a downtown office tower, it has moved into “the heart of Montreal’s creative centre” at 33 Milton St., near Saint-Laurent Boulevard and the Quartier des spectacles, which is the city’s entertainment district.

Small ISPs take the lead on gigabit Internet in Canada

Small Internet service providers are taking the lead on providing gigabit Internet service in Canada, in contrast to the United States where Internet giant Google Inc. is pioneering efforts to bring this type of ultra-fast web connection to the masses.

PIAC calls for affordability standards in telecom

The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) released a report on Monday that calls on Canada to legislate the requirement that all Canadians have access to "affordable" telecommunications services.

PIAC said in its report that affordability should be defined in such a way that people can afford telecommunications without having to give up other essentials, such as heat or food.

Telecoms will adjust to pick-and-pay regime, analysts say

Financial analysts reacting to the CRTC’s new pick-and-pay rules say they don’t expect the decision to have a major impact on the industry, though the broadcasting side of the business is more vulnerable than TV distribution.

Troy Crandall, a telecom analyst with 3Macs, said in a phone interview Friday that pure broadcast distributors, such as Telus Corp. and Cogeco Cable Inc., will be least affected, while companies focusing on content, such as Corus Entertainment Inc., will see the biggest impact.

Wireless carriers appeal ringtone decision

Four of Canada's biggest wireless carriers are fighting a recent Federal Court decision that found that although a tariff charged for cellphone ringtone downloads is invalid, the carriers that paid it are not owed their money back.

Quebecor Media buys bigger piece of TVA

Quebecor Media Inc. said Friday it has upped its stake in TVA Group Inc. to more than 68 per cent from about 51 per cent.

Quebecor Media, which is three-quarters owned by Quebecor Inc., said in a press release it bought 17.3 million Class B, non-voting shares in TVA for $97.9 million, raising the proportion of Class B shares it holds to 65 per cent from 41 per cent.

The company said it bought the TVA share "for investment purposes and QMI has no present intention of acquiring additional securities of TVA."

Streaming takes growing share of U.S. music revenue: RIAA

Streaming accounted for 27 per cent of U.S. music industry revenue last year, up from 21 per cent in 2013, the Record Industry Association of American (RIAA) said in report released Wednesday.

The RIAA said permanent downloads accounted for 37 per cent of overall music revenue in the U.S. last year, down from 40 per cent a year earlier. Physical copies of music accounted for 32 per cent of industry revenue, down from 35 per cent one year earlier.

ISP claims first residential gigabit service in Canada

Urban Communications Inc. said Thursday it has launched the first gigabit Internet service for Canadian residential users.

The company said in a news release the service will cost $49 a month for speeds of 1,000 Mbps over its fibre lines in Vancouver.

Urban said its fibre-optic network connects 24 residential buildings in Vancouver, representing 1,800 units, and it has signed access agreements with a further 28 buildings representing 3,000 units. CEO John Farlinger said in an email that its Internet service comes with unlimited data.

Sony launches video-streaming service in U.S.

Sony Corp. said Wednesday it has launched a new online video-streaming service in New York, Philadelphia and Chicago.

PlayStation Vue streams video from the Internet though PS3 or PS4 gaming consoles, Eric Lempel, vice-president of Sony Network Entertainment, said in a blog post Wednesday.

"PlayStation Vue is a new service that combines live and on-demand TV, and a cloud based DVR to stream the best TV shows, movies and sports directly to your console without a cable or satellite subscription," Lempel said in the blog.

Court sets TekSavvy costs at $21K in Voltage dispute

On Tuesday a Federal Court judge set the cost for TekSavvy Solutions Inc. to hand over subscriber information to Voltage Pictures LLC at $21,557.50, the last major point of contention in a dispute over illegal filesharing.

The ISP had originally asked for more than $300,000 to provide the film production company with names linked to IP addresses on more than 2,000 subscribers who allegedly infringed on Voltage’s copyright by illegally downloading and sharing its films.

Competition Bureau says no Google decision coming Wednesday

The Competition Bureau on Wednesday disputed a report that a decision on an investigation it has been conducting into Google Inc.'s search and advertising businesses could be coming later that day.

The Globe and Mail had reported that the investigative phase of this proceeding, which started in December 2013, is complete and a decision could be issued as soon as Wednesday.

Nintendo to produce games for mobile devices

Nintendo Co. Ltd. said Tuesday that it was launching to joint venture with DeNA Co. Ltd. to produce video games for smartphones and tablets.

Nintendo said it would work with DeNA, a company involved in mobile games and Internet services, to produce content that uses Nintendo's intellectual property, which includes game characters such as Mario and Donkey Kong.

It also said the companies would work to develop a "multi-device membership service" by this fall.

CNOC asks for dismissal of Bell appeal of mobile-TV decision

The Canadian Network Operators Consortium (CNOC) filed papers with the Federal Court of Appeal Monday asking that BCE Inc.'s appeal of a CRTC decision banning the way it bills for mobile-TV services be dismissed.

CNOC said in its submission that Bell has failed to demonstrate that its Mobile TV app should not be subject to the Telecommunications Act because it is a broadcast service.

BlackBerry division releases high-security tablet

BlackBerry Ltd. on Saturday announced that its Secusmart division had released a new tablet meant for operations in which special security standards are required.

The device is called the SecuTablet, BlackBerry said in a press release. It said it collaborated with International Business Machines (IBM) Corp. and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. on the machine, which is tailored toward "national and international public sector markets and enterprises."

Canadian telecoms fall short on transparency rating report

A new report from two university professors who research digital privacy says major Canadian ISPs score an average of just two out of 10 when it comes to transparency and protecting consumers’ data. 

Andrew Clement, of the University of Toronto Centre for Innovation Law and Policy, and Jonathan Obar, of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, issued a report on Thursday that says Internet carriers need to be more transparent with how they handle personal information of their users.

IDC downgrades tablet forecast for 2015

International Data Corp. has lowered its forecast for tablet and 2-in-1 hybrid shipments in 2015 following previous figures that showed the first ever year-on-year decline for this market in the fourth quarter of last year.

Ericsson report finds one-third of consumers polled have or want wearables

A new report from Ericsson AG suggests Apple Inc.’s upcoming Apple Watch could address a market that's far larger than what current wearable sales would indicate.

In a worldwide study of more than 54,000 people, the technology maker examined the idea of the “quantified self,” in which individuals track their daily metrics such as calories consumed, steps taken or quality of sleep.