Rogers IPTV launch to coincide with skinny-basic offering

Rogers Communications Inc. will launch its IPTV service at about the same time it starts adjusting to new rules that require service providers to provide skinny-basic TV packages for no more than $25 a month, the company's chief financial officer told an investor conference in Toronto on Wednesday.

"With that enhanced user interface, it'll be good vehicle in which to launch some of the new, what I would call, packages," Tony Staffieri said during the TD Securities Telecom & Media Forum.

Competition Bureau seeks info on iPhone pricing from carriers

The Competition Bureau has filed applications in Federal Court seeking information from wireless carriers about how they set prices for Apple Inc.’s devices.

Union asks CRTC for expedited hearing on OMNI cuts

A union representing media workers is asking the CRTC to hold a public hearing within the next month on cuts to Rogers Communications Inc.’s OMNI stations, and to reinstate eliminated ethnic newscasts.

Unifor filed a Part 1 application with the CRTC, which appeared on the regulator's website on Wednesday. It told the CRTC that holding an expedited hearing is necessary to ensure communities affected by the cuts have access to coverage of this year’s federal election.

Rogers’ hockey content brings Sportsnet neck-to-neck with TSN

Rogers Communications Inc. and BCE Inc. both used Numeris data Tuesday to proclaim their sports channel is No. 1 in the market, a virtual tie that Rogers said was enabled by its hockey content.

CRTC scolds Rogers, Shaw for Letterman simsub errors

The CRTC has sent letters to Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc. regarding mistakes the companies made in the simultaneous substitution of the last episode of the Late Show With David Letterman, which aired last week.

The regulator said it had received “several complaints regarding improperly executed simultaneous substitutions.”

PIAC complaint against Shomi to go ahead

An undue preference complaint against Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc.’s streaming service will proceed despite the companies’ plans to widen its availability.

David Asch new SVP of Shomi

Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc. have named David Asch senior vice-president and general manager of their video-streaming service, Shomi.

The move is effective immediately, the companies said in a press release Tuesday, adding that Ach “will oversee day-to-day management, business strategy and growth plans for the streaming service.”

Asch was previously senior vice-president of content at U.S. DVD rental company Redbox Automated Retail LLC.

Quebecor adds spectrum, still non-committal on national expansion

Quebecor Inc. is still publicly sitting on the fence when it comes to expanding its wireless service throughout Canada despite bidding $187 million on 2500 MHz spectrum, including for licences outside Quebec, in an auction for which results were announced Tuesday.

After Telus Corp., Quebecor was the second-biggest spender in the auction, acquiring 18 licences in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia. Industry Canada said the purchases increased Quebecor's spectrum holdings by 28 per cent.

Broadcasters, BDUs at odds over proposed wholesale code

While many broadcasters and TV providers expressed support for the CRTC’s proposed changes to its wholesale code, which governs carriage agreements for TV channels, they took differing positions on whether the code should be mandatory and whether it should ban minimum penetration and revenue guarantees.

CRTC allows PIAC complaint to proceed against Shomi

The CRTC will allow a complaint by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) against video-streaming service Shomi to proceed, despite requests from its owners that the matter be dropped.

Rogers cutting 110 conventional-TV jobs

Roger Communications Inc. is cutting about 110 conventional-TV jobs as a result of programming changes at its City and OMNI over-the-air television networks.

That number was confirmed by Rogers spokeswoman Andrea Goldstein by email Thursday afternoon following two separate press releases about program changes at both networks.

Glentel sale to Bell approved by Competition Bureau

The Competition Bureau has approved the purchase of Glentel Inc. by BCE Inc., and will not attempt to prevent a deal that sees Rogers Communications Inc. taking a 50 per cent stake in Glentel from Bell, both Glentel and the Competition Bureau said in separate announcements Tuesday.

Linda Vennard, Christopher MacDonald to join CRTC

CRTC Chairman Jean-Pierre Blais announced Tuesday that the federal government has appointed Linda Vennard and Christopher MacDonald as regional commissioners for the CRTC.

A memo from Blais, forwarded to The Wire Report, said Vennard will represent Alberta and the Northwest Territories and start May 11. He said she is coming from the University of Calgary and has 15 years of experience as a researcher with a focus on broadband technology and community engagement.

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.

Playoff viewership up 40%, Rogers says

Viewership of the first round of the NHL playoffs is 40 per cent higher than last year at an average of 1.36 million viewers, Rogers Communications Inc. spokeswoman Jennifer Neziol said in an email.

Citing data from Numeris, she said the games between the Ottawa Senators and the Montreal Canadiens are attracting an average of 3.22 million viewers, which is 58 per cent higher the first round series between the same two teams in 2013, "and the highest average for either team in five years.”

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.

Ken Engelhart leaves Rogers for ‘new adventures’

Ken Engelhart, Rogers Communications Inc.’s former vice-president of regulatory affairs, has quietly left the company after 25 years and will be starting his own law firm.

His last day at Rogers was April 10, he said in a phone interview.

“I’ll be hanging up a shingle and opening up my own law practice to do communications law,” he said, adding that he plans to cover all areas of communications law, such as broadcasting, telecom, and privacy, in his new practice.

Engelhart added that he will take some time off this summer.

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.

Keith Pelley leaving Rogers this summer

Rogers Communications Inc. said Friday that Keith Pelley will leave as president of the company's media division this summer to take over as CEO of the PGA European Tour.

CRTC closes Bell complaint about access to Toronto condos

The CRTC has closed a complaint filed by BCE Inc. against Plazacorp Investments Ltd. and Rogers Communications Inc., regarding access to one of Plazacorp’s Toronto condo buildings.

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.

Rogers extends Roam Like Home to Europe

Rogers Communications Inc. on Friday said it will launch a Roam Like Home service for customers travelling to Europe that is similar to what's been available for travellers to the United States since November.

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.

Rogers rolls out VoLTE

Rogers Communications Inc. said Tuesday it has launched voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) service for customers who own LG Corp.'s G3 Vigor smartphone.

Roger said in a press release that the Vigor is “Canada's first VoLTE-enabled device” and added that “more VoLTE-ready devices are expected this year.”

It said its customers are “the first in Canada to complete HD voice and video calls over a VoLTE network, where available, versus the traditional voice network.”

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.

Glentel sales up more than 30%

Glentel Inc., a retailer of mobile products and services, said Thursday that its fourth-quarter revenue was up 32.8 per cent from a year earlier to $533.1 million, though its quarterly profit declined to $830,000 from $8.3 million.

Glentel, which operates outlets such as Wireless Wave and Tbooth Wireless, said in a press release that Canadian sales were up 20 per cent in the quarter. It said the mobile market in Canada "appears to be recovering from the negative ramifications" of the wireless code that took effect in late 2013.

Producers ‘shocked and stunned’ by terms-of-trade elimination

The CRTC’s decision last week up to eliminate an agreement governing contracts between independent producers and large broadcasters has angered and surprised the Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA).

“What this fundamentally means is that if the commission is going to abandon safeguards to protect against the abuse of market power by vertically integrated carriers in broadcasting, then that is going to lead to a substantial diminishment of the independent production sector,” CMPA president Michael Hennessy said in a phone interview.

Broadcasters seeking compensation for 600 MHz changes

Broadcasters participating in a consultation on moving 600 MHz spectrum from its role of carrying television signals to mobile usage are intent on avoiding the kind of costs borne by the industry as a result of the 2011 conversion from analog to digital over-the-air TV.

Rogers settles with Competition Bureau on texting proceeding

Rogers Communications Inc. and the Competition Bureau announced Monday that they had reached an agreement to end legal proceedings against the carrier in relation to so-called premium texting services that customers paid for.

The Competition Bureau said in a news release that Rogers would refund about $5.42 million to customers in relation to what it said were "false or misleading representations to customers in advertisements for premium text messages appearing in pop-up ads, apps and social media."

Rogers includes NHL streaming, Shomi with new Internet packages

On Wednesday Rogers Communications Inc. announced a new brand of broadband Internet, Ignite, that comes bundled with subscriptions to two of Rogers' online video-streaming services.

The company said in a press release the new Internet packages will include Shomi, a joint streaming service owned with Shaw Communications Inc. that features movies and television series, and Rogers' own NHL GameCentre Live for hockey games. Individually, GameCentre costs $200 a season and Shomi is $8.99 a month.

GSMA adds two M2M groups to IoT SIM standard

The GSMA, an international wireless industry group, announced Monday that two machine-to-machine communications (M2M) standards groups had adopted its embedded SIM specification for devices connected to the Internet of Things (IoT).

The GSMA said the Global M2M Association, which includes BCE Inc. among its members, and the M2M World Alliance, which includes Rogers Communications Inc., will both use its SIM specifications for “remote over-the-air provisioning” of IoT devices.

Rogers denies exec called for ban on VPNs

Rogers Communications Inc. said Friday that David Purdy, its senior vice-president of content, did not call on government to ban virtual private networks (VPNs) during a media-industry conference in Toronto on Thursday, despite suggestions on Twitter to the contrary.

Broadcasting consultant Kelly Lynne Ashton, commenting on proceedings at the Content Industry Connect conference, posted Thursday: "Purdy - need the govt to shut down VPNs, enforce copyright then can have a viable business."

CRTC suspends proceeding against Shomi, CraveTV

The CRTC has suspended the proceeding initiated the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) and Consumers' Association of Canada (CAC) against video-streaming services CraveTV and Shomi.

CTV Go picked up by Rogers, other BDUs

BCE Inc.'s online TV-everywhere service, CTV Go, is now available to customers of Rogers Communications Inc. and four other TV service providers, CTV said Thursday.

The network said in a press release that other broadcast distributors added include Bell subsidiary Northwestel Inc., Access Communications Co-operative Ltd., Cable Cable Inc. and Nexicom Systems Inc.

Rogers expands Smart Home service to Vancouver

Rogers Communications Inc. said Tuesday it has brought its Smart Home Monitoring service to Vancouver and other parts of British Columbia's Lower Mainland.

Rogers said in a press release there are multiple packages available, including remote access to door locks, lights, night-vision cameras and thermostats, on a system that features 24-hour links to police, fire and ambulance, as well as real-time messaging on various aspects of a protected home.

Rogers seeks CRTC for clarity on wireless disconnections vs. suspensions

Rogers Communications Inc. has asked the CRTC to clarify whether wireless code rules concerning advance notice of service disconnections apply equally to suspensions of service.

In materials appearing on the CRTC's website Friday, Rogers said the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS) has been interpreting disconnections and suspensions as the same thing and thus taking the position that service providers must provide 14 days of notice before service stops in both cases.

Shomi, CraveTV could be pulled if PIAC challenge succeeds: analyst

The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) on Friday asked the CRTC to prohibit Rogers Communications Inc., Shaw Communications Inc. and BCE Inc. from restricting the availability of their streaming services, a move that could lead the companies to kill the services outright if it succeeds, according to Cannacord Genuity analyst Dvai Ghose.

Bell reports surge in wireless data usage

BCE Inc.’s net earnings the fourth quarter grew slightly compared to a year earlier, though its wireless revenue gained by a wider margin largely on increased data usage.

Bell's reported in a press release that revenue rose 2.7 per cent from a year earlier to $5.53 billion. Net earnings were $594 million, up from $593 million in the fourth quarter of 2013.

Business market growth elusive for some telecoms

Canadian telecommunications providers are looking to the business market to pick up the slack from the increasingly competitive consumer space, yet financial data from the incumbent service providers shows, in the opinion of one analyst, that competing in that low-margin segment is a challenge.

Macquarie Capital Markets analyst Greg MacDonald said that entering the business market as a new competitor would be "very, very difficult" but that there could be opportunities in serving small businesses.

5% of Rogers, Shaw customers trying Shomi: SRG

More than half of Rogers Communications Inc.'s and Shaw Communications Inc.’s customers are familiar with their Shomi streaming service, but just five per cent are using it, according to a survey. ‎

According to a study from Solutions Research Group (SRG), 54 per cent of Shaw and Rogers’ customers had heard of the service within a month after it was launched but were not using it, while five per cent said they were testing it out, and 41 per cent had not heard of it.

Rogers loses wireless subs as NHL boosts media revenue

Rogers Communications Inc.'s fourth-quarter results on Thursday indicated that its national hockey broadcasts are bringing in more money, though the company reported a year-over-year decline in wireless subscribers.

The company said in a press release that net income was $297 million for the three months ended Dec. 31, down from $320 million a year earlier. Revenue was up four per cent to $3.37 billion.

Analyst says Rogers downgrade related to hockey

Canaccord Genuity analyst Dvai Ghose says concern over hockey viewership is among the reasons he downgraded the stock of Rogers Communications Inc. this week.

In a research note Wednesday, the telecom industry analyst pointed to a Toronto Star article that said the National Hockey League all-star game attracted 1.48 million viewers on Sunday, down from 2.54 million when the previous all-star game was played in 2012. The two-year layoff was the result of the Olympics last year and a player lockout in 2013.

Shomi gets rights to original Amazon content

Canadian video streaming service Shomi said Thursday it has secured the Canadian rights to original content made for Amazon.com Inc.'s Prime streaming service in the U.S.

Wireless competition to intensify this year: analyst

Competition in the wireless market will “likely intensify” in the next six months, Barclays analyst Phillip Huang said in a research note Monday.

Rogers appoints Dirk Woessner to head consumer division

Rogers Communications Inc. announced Monday that Dirk Woessner, formerly of Deutsche Telekom AG, has been appointed to head the consumer side of its business.

Bell provides more data in roaming plans

BCE Inc. said Friday it is now providing up to double the data for international roaming plans.

In a press release, it said an example of its new offerings include boosting the quantity of data for data passes for Group 1 areas to 100 MB from 50 MB, while maintaining the $30 price. Group 1 includes most western European countries and countries such as Mexico, Australia, China and Israel. The Group 1 package for $75 now provides 300 MB.

Glentel shareholders approve Bell buyout

Wireless product retailer Glentel Inc. said Monday that its shareholders have approved a deal to be bought out by BCE Inc.

Rogers, RCMP at odds on surveillance fees: report

The RCMP is fighting efforts by Rogers Communications Inc. to recover fees for the company's work helping law-enforcement officials track suspected criminals, the Canadian Press reported Monday.

The wire service, citing documents attained through an access-to-information request, said RCMP officials claimed in a June briefing note there is no legal basis for Rogers' plan to implement fees for using cellphone data to track suspects' locations or preparing affidavits that explain mobile phone records in court.

Live sports, the lynchpin of traditional TV, making inroads to OTT

As new over-the-top (OTT) services continue to be launched both in Canada and the United States, online alternatives for live sports have also been increasing.

But in a world where live sports continue to be crucial for the traditional television system — and the kind of revenue only available through that system is necessary to pay for expensive sports rights — it seems companies will have to continue a balancing act between the two technologies.

Glentel purchase could help Bell, Rogers avoid competition: analysts

A deal announced Christmas Eve to split the ownership of wireless retailer Glentel Inc. between BCE Inc. and Rogers Communications Inc. will help the incumbent carriers stave off competition from a potential fourth national wireless player in Canada, according to analysts.

Rogers applies to block Bell purchase of Glentel

Rogers Communications Inc. has filed an application before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to block the purchase of mobile products retailer Glentel Inc. by BCE Inc.

CRTC decisions, new streaming services top TV agenda for 2015

It seems all eyes are on the two newest services in the Canadian TV industry.

This fall, the country’s biggest telecom and media companies launched streaming services meant to compete with Netflix Inc.’s, and how they end up performing in the coming weeks and months is “the thing that everyone’s watching,” said broadcasting consultant Peter Miller.

Early problems emerge with Shomi service

Some TV-industry analysts who are among the early adopters of Rogers Communications Inc.'s and Shaw Communications Inc.’s Shomi are detailing problems they've experienced with the streaming service in its first weeks.

CRTC urged to look toward future on wireline regulation

GATINEAU, Que. — On Wednesday, the first day of replies in the CRTC’s wholesale wireline hearing, the regulator was consistently asked to look to the future in determining how best to regulate Canada's fibre and copper connections. Yet the groups presenting before the commission differed on what that future entails.

Transparency reporting put government on alert: report

Public Safety officials were warned by an internal memo of the need to keep "operational details" secret, as two of Canada biggest telecommunications providers were preparing to disclose information on government-agency requests for customer information, the Canadian Press reported.

First part of Montreal subway network done

The first phase of a $50-million wireless network in Montreal’s subway system is operational, the parties involved announced Friday.

Rogers says no decision yet on Shaw spectrum deal

Rogers Communications Inc. says the federal government has not yet informed it of a decision on whether it can buy wireless spectrum from Shaw Communications Inc.

A report on the news website Cartt Thursday cited anonymous sources as saying that Industry Canada officials have notified both Rogers and Shaw that the transfer of 20 MHz of AWS spectrum across British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba, plus another 10 MHz in select areas of B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and northern Ontario, was not likely to be approved.

Shomi teams with Twitter on marketing

Shomi, the online streaming service owned by Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc., said Friday it has partnered with Twitter Inc. for a marketing campaign.

Shomi adds Disney content

Shomi, the new streaming service from Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc., announced Wednesday that it had signed a content deal with the Walt Disney Co.

Under the terms of the deal, Shomi will offer a selection of Disney’s film library, as well as current and past TV shows from ABC and affiliated content holders, according to the press release. Shomi said the deal makes it the exclusive streaming provider of ABC’s popular current shows Scandal and Revenge.

Telus supports Bell complaint about GamePlus

Telus Corp. has filed a letter with the CRTC that supports BCE Inc.'s complaint against Rogers Communications Inc.'s online hockey streaming products.

Roam Mobility launches new U.S. plan

Roam Mobility Inc. announced Wednesday a new roaming plan for Canadians visiting the U.S. that gives customers unlimited voice minutes, international texting and calls to Canada for $19.95 a month.

OTT expected to cause Internet capacity crunch

Netflix isn’t the only game in town anymore.

Janice Smith moves from CBC to Rogers

Janice Smith is the new vice-president of national media sales at Rogers Communications Inc.

The company said in a press release Thursday that Smith will be “responsible for delivering the compelling and differentiated go-to-market One Call strategy to drive advertising revenue that leverages the company’s diverse suite of media assets and leading brands.”

She will also “set the strategic direction for the National Sales Team, Specialty team, and the One Call Agency Teams.”

Shomi signs deal for BBC content

Shomi, the video-streaming service being launced next week by Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc., said Friday it has signed a deal with BBC’s commercial arm that will grant it exclusive access to some BBC series.

The deal includes exclusive rights for Shomi to the Canadian premiere of the series A Young Doctor’s Notebook & Other Stories and Way To Go, and exclusive rights to other shows, including The Honorable Woman and Top of the Lake, it said in a press release Friday.

PIAC awarded costs in two CRTC proceedings

The CRTC has awarded the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) about three-quarters of the costs it had requested for its participation in an ongoing mobile-TV complaint.

Deepak Khandelwal moving to Rogers from Google

Deepak Khandelwal will become new chief customer officer at Rogers Communications Inc., the company said in a press release Tuesday.

Khandelwal is currently vice-president of global customer experience at Google Inc. and will begin his new position on Nov. 10, Rogers said. He will be responsible for “overhauling the customer experience” at Rogers, the company added.

Olympic rights deal ‘fiscally responsible,’ CBC says

CBC/Radio-Canada says it will either break even or earn a profit on its acquisition of the broadcasting rights for the 2018 Olympics in South Korea and the 2020 Olympics in Japan.

Canadian mobile carriers rankings vary by city

A look at Canada's three biggest cities by a U.S.-based mobile analytics company found different carriers' dominance fluctuated in the second half of this year, depending on the location.

Rogers becomes first Canadian carrier to aggregate LTE spectrum

Rogers Communications Inc. said Friday it has become the first Canadian wireless carrier to combine spectrum bands for enhanced LTE service, a move it said will improve the mobile-video experience of its customers, particularly those streaming hockey coverage.

PIAC gets half its requested costs in helpline case

The CRTC said Friday it is awarding the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) about half of the costs it had requested for its participation in a proceeding about charges for wireless calls to helplines.

Shomi signs deal with Warner Bros.

Shomi, the online-streaming partnership of Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc., said in a press release Friday that it has reached a deal with Warner Bros. that gives it the rights to a number of Warner Bros. movies and TV series.

The deal involves exclusive rights to series like 2 Broke Girls, Two and a Half Men and the upcoming iZombie, Shomi said, and “second-window” rights to shows like Veronica Mars and The West Wing.

Jack Tomik leaving Rogers, being replaced by Al Dark

Rogers Communications Inc. said Wednesday that Jack Tomik is stepping down as senior vice-president of media sales at the end of this month and being replaced by Al Dark.

Rogers said in a press release that Tomik's departure comes after the successful implementation of a new multiplatform sales model.

Rogers cancels smartphone-upgrade promotion

Rogers Communications Inc. said Tuesday it has cancelled a program that had mobile customers paying an extra fee for the option of upgrading to another smartphone after one year and having subsidies on their previous phone waived.

Rogers-Netflix collaboration benefits both, experts say

While the announcement that Rogers Communications Inc. and Netflix Inc. are working together on an original TV series marked an unprecedented collaboration between the two rivals, it’s a logical move, experts said Monday.

Rogers poaches Nitin Kawale from Cisco

Rogers Communications Inc. announced Friday that Nitin Kawale will head its enterprise unit starting Dec. 1.

Kawale, who joins the company after six years as president of the Canadian division of Cisco Systems Inc., will have responsibility for all of Roger’s business customers, the company said in a news release.

Jacob Glick to join Rogers

Rogers Communications Inc. said Tuesday that Jacob Glick will start work next month in the newly created position of chief corporate affairs officer.

Previously, Glick headed Google Inc.'s global public policy and government relations team, and before that took on the same responsibilities specific to Canada, Rogers said in a press release.

Rogers ranked fastest Canadian ISP by PCMag.com

For the second year in a row, PCMag.com has named Rogers Communications Inc. the fastest Internet service provider in Canada.

Rogers sells out ads for first week of NHL season

Rogers Communications Inc. has sold out advertising for the opening week of the NHL hockey season, which begins Wednesday, Rogers spokeswoman Jennifer Kett said in an email.

“For NHL opening week alone, we’ve closed more than 25 integrated sponsorships and counting, and Rogers Hometown Hockey activations are fully sold out with great partners like Scotiabank, Dodge, McDonald's, Samsung, and Xbox,” she said, adding there is “increased interest from corporate Canada.”

Rogers launches second-screen hockey app

Rogers Communications Inc. announced it is releasing a new hockey app that will give customers access to new camera angles and additional content like interviews and analysis.

“Exclusive to Rogers’ customers, and it is the ultimate second-screen experience,” said Rogers Media president Keith Pelley at the launch event in Toronto on Monday. “It allows our customers to select replays, to pick camera angles, to be the producer, to be the director.”

Rogers takes aim at Telus, Bell network sharing

GATINEAU, Que. — It's not always a case of the wireless incumbents battling newer entrants; Wednesday's session of the CRTC hearing into the wholesale wireless market featured one of the big three throwing its two closest competitors under the bus.

Wireless revenue growth slowed last year: CRTC

Revenue from wireless services in Canada was up just less than four per cent in 2013, marking a slowdown from growth that had exceeded six per cent for three straight years, according to data released by the CRTC on Thursday.

Boynton, Stoneham find jobs after Rogers

John Boynton and Shelagh Stoneham, two Rogers Communications Inc. executives who left in the wake of its corporate overhaul this year, have both found other jobs.

Boynton, formerly the chief marketing officer at Rogers, is now the chief marketing officer for Canada at Aimia Inc., a customer loyalty company that owns and operates the Aeroplan loyalty program, Aimia said in a press release earlier this month.

Carriers mostly complying with wireless code: CRTC

The CRTC issued an "implementation report card" Thursday that showed mobile carriers are complying with the wireless code on most rules.

Out of 28 aspects of the code evaluated, the CRTC found infractions on three parts.

The regulator said Rogers Communications Inc. is still not allowing customers to opt out of notifications for when their device is roaming in another country. The CRTC said Rogers has indicated it is working to have the issue rectified before the end of the year.

Telus releases transparency report

Telus Corp. released its first transparency report on Thursday that said the carrier received more than 100,000 requests for private information from government organizations in 2013.

Bell top payer, PIAC top recipient of CRTC cost awards so far in 2014

The CRTC this year has ordered telecommunications companies to pay more than $230,000 to various organizations participating in different telecommunications proceedings, of which BCE Inc. and its affiliates have been assigned more than half the costs and for which the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) has been the biggest recipient.

A compilation by The Wire Report, based on information from the CRTC's website, showed that the commission has awarded $233,472.90 in costs so far in 2014.

No comment from Rogers on OLG reports

Rogers Communications Inc. declined Tuesday to comment on reports that it will bid, along with BCE Inc., for the right to help in the running of Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.

A Toronto Star article published on Monday said Rogers and Bell are expected to bid on the partnership with the provincial lottery organization. According to the article, such involvement could make lottery ticket purchases available from cellphones.

Rogers NHL streaming plan result of OTT shift: analyst

Rogers Communications Inc.'s launch of a hockey streaming product shows the company wants to "build up its OTT [over-the-top] capabilities" as more TV viewers move away from linear television and toward streaming options, RBC Dominion Securities analyst Drew McReynolds said.