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TAGGED AS INTERNET
Distributel asks court for ability to challenge future site-blocking
In the event Federal Court allows a site-blocking application brought by three of the country’s largest broadcasters, Distributel Communications Ltd. wants to ensure internet service providers (ISPs) can challenge subsequent orders brought to their doorstep and be compensated for any legal action taken against them for complying. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already …
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Big telecoms go to court over wholesale rates
In a widely anticipated move, several of the country’s biggest telecom companies have filed for leave to appeal a CRTC decision establishing a new rate regime for wholesale internet broadband. 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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Ordering pirate site blocking would ‘leapfrog’ BTLR: TekSavvy lawyer
OTTAWA — On the second and final day of a potentially precedent-setting court hearing on site-blocking, a Federal Court judge gave the parties until Wednesday to negotiate a revised draft site blocking motion. 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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Election 2019: watch for price caps, Netflix regs, Huawei ban
Even before the federal election campaign officially kicked off, telecom price caps already emerged as a proposal that, if implemented, would reverse a decades-long policy trend in Canada and diverge from international norms. 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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CRTC asking GoDaddy for personal info in CRA text scam
The CRTC has served a web hosting provider with an order to produce a series of documents identifying the perpetrators who posed as the nation’s tax agency in a phishing scam last fall. 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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OneWeb says it will begin LEO service in Canada next year
OneWeb’s constellation of low-earth orbit satellites will offer service in Canada’s North starting in 2020, the company said Wednesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The …
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Telecoms discussing CRTC wholesale rate appeal: Videotron chief
Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron is in talks with other telecom companies about potentially appealing the CRTC’s new rates for wholesale internet service, CEO Jean-François Pruneau told The Wire Report. 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 …
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ISED using CIRA speed test to inform Universal Broadband Fund design
Innovation Canada is asking Canadians to use a tool designed to test internet performance in order to inform how it designs its $1.7-billion Universal Broadband Fund. 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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Japanese comics publisher wants info on alleged infringer from ISPs
Shueisha Inc., a Japanese publisher of comic books, has filed an application in Federal Court to compel two Canadian internet service providers to fork over the personal information of subscribers they allege have infringed on their copyright. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …
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Bell cuts rural broadband investment in response to new wholesale rates
BCE Inc. has responded to lower wholesale rates for internet service announced by the CRTC last week by reducing its fixed wireless rollout in rural areas by 20 per cent. 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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New aggregated wholesale rates ‘fair,’ ‘reasonable’: smaller ISPs
Wholesale-based ISPs are praising a decision by the CRTC to lower the rates they pay for wholesale access under the aggregated regime, though whether the regulator will issue a similar decision for fibre-to-the-home networks remains to be seen. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …
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Cloudwifi says Bell court appeal request ‘premature’
CloudWifi Inc. has asked the federal court of appeal to dismiss a motion from BCE Inc.’s Bell for leave to appeal a June CRTC decision. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a …
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Telecom prices down, household spending up: CRTC
Prices for communications services are on a downward trend, according to new data from the CRTC, but spending on those goods are also on the rise. 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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Some consumers uncertain about wholesale competitor quality: Comp Bureau
Despite being “impressed” by the competitive presence of wholesale-based internet competitors, the Competition Bureau said there’s still a bit of uncertainty about how far that competitive dynamic will go into the future, according to its study on residential broadband internet services. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …
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Telecoms say speed throttling doesn’t violate net neutrality
The big three telecoms are telling the CRTC that their practice of slowing data speeds down on the new “unlimited” plans after customers reach their data cap is not a violation of the regulator’s policy on internet traffic management practices (ITMPs). This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …
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Big providers get behind Bell in CloudWifi fight
The country’s largest telecoms are siding with BCE Inc. in its fight against a CRTC decision that ruled providers including CloudWifi Inc. can access only its fibre wires in multi-dwelling buildings. 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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Internet code will indirectly tackle poor sales practices, CRTC chairman says
CRTC chairman Ian Scott said the new internet code will address many of the underlying issues that have resulted in complaints about the industry’s poor sales practices, which is outside the mandate of the code and its administrator, the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS). This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a …
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Heritage working groups examining regulation of online content
Heritage Canada has commissioned seven working groups that are looking at how to modernize the Broadcasting Act, parallel to the government-appointed expert panel whose recommendations are due in January. 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 …
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CCSA lauds Ontario gov’t promise to review hydro rates
The Ontario government’s $315-million plan to improve connectivity in the province includes a promise to review hydro pole attachment rates, which was praised by the Canadian Communication Systems Alliance (CCSA) in a press release 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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CRTC suspends post-CloudWiFi proceeding deadlines
The CRTC has suspended the deadlines it set for BCE Inc. to file tariffs on access to its fibre wire inside buildings and for other carriers to file interventions in a related proceeding. 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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StatCan data shows higher telecom spending than CRTC pricing numbers
The average Canadian household spent $233 a month on communication services in 2017, a $10.17 or 4.6 per cent increase from a year earlier, according to data from Statistics Canada released late last year. 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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Over 5 billion to have digital ID globally by 2024: Juniper
Juniper Research is projecting over five billion people will have some form of digital ID by 2024, as the Canadian government seeks information on how it can meet its own goals for the emerging technology. 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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ISED officials frustrated with competing MB fibre project, emails show
The federal government approved spending on a fibre project in Manitoba because it said it was a technically-sound and cost-effective business case for broadband coverage in the region. 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 …
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CRTC asks wireless providers to justify post-data cap throttling
The CRTC has asked several telecoms to explain how their throttling of wireless speeds once customers exceed their data allotments doesn’t violate the commission’s regulatory policy on internet traffic management practices (ITMPs). 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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Novus files another Part 1 for condo access in B.C.
Vancouver-based Novus Entertainment Inc. has once again sought help from the CRTC to install transmission facilities and ancillary telecommunications equipment in a multi-dwelling unit development in the Greater Vancouver 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 …
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CRTC grants ISPs access to Bell building fibre for a fee
The CRTC is granting CloudWifi Inc. competitor access to BCE Inc.’s service wires in multi-dwelling units (MDUs), allowing internet service providers (ISPs) access the telecom’s wires — copper or fibre — for a “reasonable fee.” 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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ISED missed internal CTI deadline despite ‘considerable pressure’: docs
The federal government failed to meet an internal goal by which it aimed to have nearly all of the contribution agreements signed for its Connect to Innovate (CTI) rural broadband funding program. “There is considerable pressure by Ministers, provinces, media and Canadians to show progress — both in negotiations, and in getting ‘shovels in the …
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Stop routing Canadian data through the U.S.: Security committee
The public safety and national security committee of the House of Commons has recommended that the federal government look at ways to make sure that Canadian data stays on Canadian soil. 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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Federal Court grants Telus leave to appeal in speed cap case
The Federal Court of Appeal will hear an appeal from Telus Corp. that challenges the CRTC’s decision to allow, on an interim basis, smaller providers to provide internet customers over-100 Mbps download speeds under a new regime. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …
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Final CRTC policy direction references rural connectivity, investment
The government’s new policy direction to the CRTC — first proposed in March and focusing on affordability and consumers — is now in force. 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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Broadband strategy coming before the election: rural minister
OTTAWA — The new rural economic development ministry will release the long-awaited national broadband strategy before the next election, minister Bernadette Jordan told The Wire Report in an interview at her Ottawa office. 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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Shaw says patience, not regulation, required to see organic MVNO market
Shaw Communications Inc.’s Freedom, the country’s major fourth wireless player, says it is most susceptible to harm if the CRTC decides to mandate MVNO access to incumbent facilities, and that time and encouraging network investment are needed for the CRTC to see an organic wholesale market for MVNOs to emerge. This content is available to …
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Connect to Innovate applicants should hear back soon: Jordan
OTTAWA — After details emerged last week that 60 per cent of applicants to the federal government’s Connect to Innovate (CTI) program still hadn’t been informed about whether their applications were successful, rural economic development minister Bernadette Jordan said that 85 per cent of the projects will “have shovels in the ground this summer.” This …
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Bell files support for Telus speed cap appeal
BCE Inc. is supporting Telus Corp.’s request to appeal a decision by the CRTC that temporarily removed a cap on internet download speeds smaller telecoms can provide customers. 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 …
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GoT glitches show challenge in streaming high-viewership events
When the Game of Thrones series premiere aired in 2011, streaming services were still in their infancy. Now, as the HBO ratings juggernaut wraps up its final few episodes, it draws the kind of massive live audiences that are becoming increasingly rare in an over-the-top world. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a …
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CRTC asking Canadians to participate in internet performance test
A CRTC project dating back to 2015 that seeks to measure the internet performance of service providers (ISPs) in Canadian homes to help drive policy decisions is kicking off a second phase. 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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Fizz still ‘minimal’ part of wireless for Videotron: CEO
The new Fizz flanker brand launched by Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron is still too small a part of the company’s business to significantly affect its average billing per user (ABPU), Videotron’s CEO said Thursday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …
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60% of Connect to Innovate applicants still haven’t heard back
More than two years after the deadline to apply for funding through the federal government’s Connect to Innovate rural broadband program, the majority of those who submitted applications have yet to find out whether they were successful. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …
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Competition Bureau asks CRTC to reconsider requests for info
Competition commissioner Matthew Boswell has told the CRTC he needs more location-specific data about Canada’s wireless market to be able to contribute to the upcoming review of the CRTC’s mobile wireless wholesale framework. 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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CRTC cites efficiency in denying SWIFT broadband fund proposal
The CRTC has denied an application by SouthWestern Integrated Fibre Technology Inc. asking for changes to the eligibility criteria for the commission’s rural broadband fund, which SWIFT argued excludes too many poorly-serviced communities from applying. 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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CRTC denies Northwestel ask to change basic service standards
BCE Inc.’s Northwestel wasn’t able to convince the CRTC that its basic service standards are impossible to meet in Canada’s northern regions, the regulator said in a decision 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 …
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Committee sets deadline for ISED reports on rural connectivity concerns
The House public accounts committee is ordering Innovation Canada to deliver — by this summer — updates tending to rural connectivity issues outlined in a critical auditor general report, including status on more accurate data maps, strategies to maximize public spending, and progress made on its review of spectrum auctions. This content is available to …
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Cogeco offering no details on MVNO strategy
Cogeco Inc. has long been a vocal proponent of mandated mobile virtual operators in Canada, so it’s no surprise CEO Philippe Jetté indicated the company plans to take advantage of the CRTC’s new position regarding MVNOs on a call with analysts Wednesday, though he declined to elaborate on how the company might take advantage of …
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OPC to consult ‘shortly’ on data transiting through foreign countries
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner considers personal data of Canadians transiting through the United States and other countries a “live issue” and will “consult widely” on it, its deputy commissioner of policy said 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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Gov’t criticized by tech companies on cloud strategy for sensitive data
In the lead-up to a meeting with Amazon.com Inc., the government was informed that it was facing criticism for its handling of its cloud-first policy for sensitive data. 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 …
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Complaints to CCTS increase again, TV issues up 500%
Complaints about TV service to the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS) skyrocketed to 18 per cent of all complaints in CCTS’ latest report. 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 …
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CanWISP asks BTLR for help solving disagreements with incumbents
There should be a mechanism in place to help resolve disputes between small ISPs and incumbents, an organization representing wireless internet service providers told the panel in charge of reviewing Canada’s broadcasting and telecommunications legislation. 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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New 2030 speed target too far away for rural Canada: NDP critic
OTTAWA — NDP industry critic Brian Masse says the new broadband strategy allocated in the 2019 federal budget is a cobbled-together “Frankenstein” approach to boosting internet connections that falls short on funding and comes with an “outlandish” speed target deadline of 2030. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here …
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Google would be regulating media under PIPEDA: counsel
OTTAWA — If a court determines Google’s search engine falls under the country’s private sector privacy law, then that would effectively make the internet company a media regulator, counsel to Alphabet Inc. said in Federal Court on Thursday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …
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CRTC lifts 100 Mbps wholesale internet speed cap – for now
The CRTC has quietly informed wholesale-based internet service providers they will be able to continue offering speeds faster than 100 Mbps under the old aggregated wholesale regime, a measure small ISPs have been clamouring for months. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …
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All Canadian households will have 50/10 speeds by 2030: Morneau
OTTAWA — The Liberal government is announcing $1.7 billion in new rural broadband funding over the next 13 years, aimed at closing the speed gap between rural and urban Canada. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …
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Dozens of MP’s online accounts appeared in data breaches
Nearly a hundred emails for members of parliament — among them eight direct-to-MP emails — have been recorded in various data breaches dating back years, an analysis done by the Wire Report revealed. 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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Rural broadband, new tax rules among industry pre-budget asks
As the Liberal government unveils its last budget before the upcoming federal election, companies and industry groups will be watching to see if this is the year they’re finally granted some of the requests they’ve been making for years. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
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TekSavvy to lobby feds on speed caps in disaggregated regime
TekSavvy Solutions Inc. has hired a new consultant lobbyist to raise awareness on Parliament Hill about internet speed caps wrought by the disaggregated regime that small providers say will hinder their ability to compete. 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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OPC, AGC oppose Google expanding deindexing reference
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner and the Attorney General of Canada (AGC) have filed appeals challenging Alphabet Inc.’s application to expand the scope of a deindexing case to include questions about whether forcing it to scrub its search engine infringes on its free expression rights. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a …
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Small players out-flanked at ‘policy-shaping,’ BCBA tells panel
The British Columbia Broadband Association (BCBA) says a new legal framework for the telecom sector should simplify regulations and facilitate more regulatory participation by small operators. 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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ACORN asks review panel for low-income $10 internet
All Canadians whose earnings fall below the government’s low-income measure should have access to internet service for $10, an advocacy group is telling the panel reviewing the broadcasting and telecom acts. 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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CWTA tells panel review MVNOs would hurt investment, rural access
The Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) took aim at mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) in its submission to the ongoing review of Canada’s communications legislation. 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 …
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Few internet giants weighed in to BTLR, submission list shows
The panel in charge of reviewing the broadcasting and telecom acts received comments from a number of non-industry parties, such as provincial governments and police services, while some of the biggest online companies in the world, including Amazon.com Inc., did not submit comments, according to newly-disclosed government documents. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already …
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Accessibility groups ask BTLR for legislative changes, new advisory office
Canada’s broadcasting and telecommunications legislation should be amended to include a number of references to accessibility for Canadians with disabilities, according to the CNIB Foundation, while the Canadian Council of the Blind is calling for the creation of a new advisor position to work with industry. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a …
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Telecom act should equalize prices across Canada: NWT gov’t
The government of Northwest Territories says the Telecommunications Act should aim to ensure telecom services of the same quality and at the same prices are available across the country. 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 …
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Telus health app to offer video doctor appointments, AI advice
A new app launched by Telus Corp.’s health division will enable users to video chat with doctors and consult an artificial-intelligence chatbot about their symptoms. 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 …
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Media parties dismissed in deindexing case, for now
The Federal Court has denied the CBC/Radio-Canada’s and the Media Coalition’s application to intervene in a case that will determine whether the privacy commissioner can order search engines to delist certain content — at least until it deliberates on Alphabet Inc.’s motion to change the scope of proceedings. This content is available to wirereport.ca …
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Ottawa proposes new consumer-focused policy direction for CRTC
The Liberal government is proposing a significant departure from Ottawa’s past policy direction to the CRTC, changing the focus from market forces to affordability and consumer interests. 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 …
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Online discoverability a challenge for books, magazines, BTLR hears
Organizations representing Canadian publishers are flagging the difficulty of identifying Canadian content online to the panel in charge of reviewing the broadcasting and telecom acts. 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 …
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Federal Court says disclosure motions need ‘best available evidence’
Key evidence relied upon by movie studios in a substantial chunk of copyright infringement cases that have yielded vast sums of money from settlements has been ruled insufficient by a Federal Court judge who reversed a disclosure order on Thursday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …
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Rural broadband spending should be priority in next budget: NDP MP
Parliamentarians who stuck around the House of Commons for a Wednesday evening debate on a Liberal motion to take a hard look at Canada’s rural broadband gap said spending on underserved areas must be high up on the government’s agenda. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …
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‘We did not cut it’: Scott defends broadband fund speed target to MPs
CRTC Chairman Ian Scott defended the eligibility speeds for the commission’s new $750 million rural broadband fund at a parliamentary hearing Thursday, where he faced criticism from an Opposition MP that accused the commission of lowering its standards. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …
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Huawei promises jobs, R&D investment in Canada
Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. held a rare press conference in Toronto Thursday to promote new investments amid controversy over whether the federal government should ban the Chinese company’s equipment from Canada’s 5G networks. 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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Onus is on telecoms to fix misleading sales practices: CRTC chairman
Canada’s telecommunications industry suffers from an “unacceptable degree” of misleading and aggressive retail sales practices that are “harming consumers” and vulnerable Canadians, the CRTC concluded in a report released Wednesday, following hearings on sales practices last fall. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …
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Majority supports fining social media for not removing fake news: CIRA poll
A majority of Canadian internet users say the federal government should impose fines or other sanctions on social media companies that don’t remove fake news from their platforms, according to polling released by the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) Tuesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …
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YouTube top source of mobile traffic: Sandvine
Alphabet Inc.’s YouTube makes up just over 35 per cent of worldwide mobile data traffic, making it the biggest download draw on phones by a wide-margin, according to Sandvine Corp.’s Mobile Phenomena Report released Monday. 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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CRTC consulting on broadband fund application guide
The CRTC has released an application guide for its $750-million rural broadband fund and is asking for comments on the preliminary document. 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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Lack of clear CRTC industry data is an obstacle: small ISPs
TekSavvy Solutions Inc. has filed a complaint with the CRTC flagging a concern that the regulator’s latest data report doesn’t provide a clear picture of the industry, which could make it more difficult for ISPs to present accurate info in future proceedings and to the panel reviewing Canada’s communications laws, according to companies and an …
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ITPA pitches ‘sustainability component’ for rural broadband programs
The government should create a “sustainability component” to rural broadband funding projects so they don’t dwindle in quality or eventually fail, according to an association representing independent rural incumbent local telephone businesses. 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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CRTC sets 5 ms threshold for ‘jitter’ in basic service standard
The CRTC has finally set a threshold for a metric it said will improve the quality of service (QoS) for applications reliant on the rapid transmission of data. 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 …
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OPC’s deindexing position ‘indirect attack’ on CBC, lawyer says
OTTAWA — A lawyer for CBC/Radio-Canada who is asking the Federal Court to allow it to intervene in a case that could determine if the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) can order search engines to delist results said allowing deindexing would harm the public broadcaster’s ability to educate the public. This content is available …
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Bell grows fixed wireless plans by 400,000 homes
BCE Inc. says it will grow its rural fixed-wireless plans by 50 per cent, thanks to new tax measures the Liberal government announced last fall aimed at promoting investments in rural areas. 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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Novus files another Part 1 for condo access in B.C.
Novus Entertainment Inc. has filed an application to the CRTC alleging a developer of a multi-dwelling unit in British Columbia is not responding to its telecom access proposal. 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 …
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ISPs can already resell incumbent internet to other providers, cablecos say
Canada’s largest cable companies said they already have existing provisions that allow providers to buy and resell their services to other providers. 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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‘Milestone’ digital content meeting to take place next week: Heritage
The federal government is organizing a working meeting next week in Ottawa involving a broad swath of stakeholders to devise strategies for promoting diversity of digital content, including discoverability and the quality and reliability of information online. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …
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CBC president likens Netflix to colonialism
OTTAWA — CBC/Radio-Canada’s president Catherine Tait compared Netflix Inc.’s worldwide presence to the damage done by European colonialism, comments she made at a high-profile industry event Thursday where representatives from every sector of Canadian broadcasting outflanked the global streaming giant with calls for it to be regulated. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …
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Ottawa taps team to warn of foreign digital interference in elections
OTTAWA — The Liberal government has set up a new alert protocol and created a crack-team of top bureaucrats that can warn political parties and the public during an election period about major attempts by foreign parties to interfere or spread disinformation online that could manipulate the election. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers …
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Doug Burnett named president and CEO of SaskTel
Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp.’s acting president and CEO has been named to the role on a permanent basis, the company said in a press release Tuesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take …
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Innovation, rural development ministers get new parlsecs
Quebec MP Rémi Massé will replace David Lametti as the parliamentary secretary to the innovation minister, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a press release Tuesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take …
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