Xplore launches Jupiter 3 satellite

Xplore Inc. anticipates connecting consumers to high-speed internet as early as this fall after successfully launching its Jupiter 3 satellite.  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 …

ISED releases space and earth station fee schedule

The department of Innovation, Science, and Economic Development last week unveiled the schedule for the implementation of its new licensing fee regime for the space stations and earth stations used by satellite service providers.  This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …

ISED unveils spectrum licensing and fee updates

The Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) will replace radio licences with spectrum licences and has set forth fees for different stations, according to its updates on the licensing and fee framework for earth stations and space stations. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …

Telesat trading on TSX, NASDAQ

Telesat Corp. is now trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ, as it builds its network of low earth orbit (LEO) satellites.  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 …

Telesat announces new chief commercial officer, president of Government Solutions 

Satellite operator, Telesat Corp. appointed an executive in the communications industry in its newly created chief commercial officer and moved its former vice-president of International Sales Tom Eaton to president of Telesat Government Solutions. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …

Proposed fees for earth stations would hinder remote connectivity: Telecom stakeholders

Rural broadband provider Xplornet Communications Inc. and BCE Inc. are opposing a proposal to implement licence fees for fixed earth stations, to which there are currently no fees in place — and to modify existing radio licence fees for earth stations in motion (ESIMs), claiming it will make satellite broadband less affordable for Canadians. This …

OneWeb partnering with Galaxy Broadband 

A London, England-based low-earth-orbit satellite communications company is partnering with Galaxy Broadband Communications Inc. to provide high-speed, low-latency communications services through Canada and the wider Arctic 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 need. …

Telesat partnering with U.K. satellite comms provider

Telesat Corporation announced Wednesday that it is entering into an agreement with U.K.-based satellite communications provider NSSLGlobal to collaborate on Telesat’s low-earth-orbit satellite constellation (LEO), branded as Telesat Lightspeed.  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 …

Feds spending $1.44B on Telesat’s advanced low earth orbit satellites

The federal government is planning to pour $1.44 billion into Telesat Holdings Inc., it announced Thursday, which intends to connect Canadian communities to broadband internet using an advanced low earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation called Telesat Lightspeed. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …

Telesat inks $109M deal with Ontario

Telesat Holdings Inc.‘s push to become Canada’s biggest purveyor of low-earth orbit satellites (LEO) got another boost Friday, as it announced a $109 million deal with the government of Ontario.  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 …

LEO satellite service pricing still uncertain, conference hears

While much of the conversation about rural broadband in Canada has recently centered on low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites, the business is a very expensive one, with huge capital costs and — depending on the business model of a given company — big subsidies, according to the panellists at a Friday session of the 2020 online edition of …

Post-bankruptcy OneWeb plans to offer Canadian broadband by 2022

OneWeb Ltd. is still planning to offer broadband internet service in Canada, following its recent exit from bankruptcy protection. 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 …

Going public gives ‘more optionality’ for funding LEOS, Telesat CEO says

A corporate restructuring that will see Telesat Holdings Inc. go public and have its shares listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market will give Telesat access to much more funding from investors and lenders in the American stock market for bigger capital projects like its low-earth orbit satellite constellation, according to the company’s CEO.  This …

LEO providers aiming to meet gov’t connectivity goals within 3 years

Telesat Holdings Inc. and Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) both said Tuesday they plan to provide broadband connectivity to remote and rural areas of Canada seven years ahead of the government’s 2030 target date, though neither had a definitive answer about the affordability of the services. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a …

Telesat pitches plan to fast-track sale of 3800 MHz spectrum

Canadian satellite operator Telesat Holdings Inc. has spruiked its proposal to fast track the auction of 200 MHz of spectrum in the 3800 MHz spectrum band, stating in a Tuesday release that it’s the “only actionable path to rapidly deploy true 5G service in Canada and to connect rural and remote Canadian communities with fast, …

U.K. government-led consortium scuppers Telesat’s reported bid for OneWeb

A reported bid by Ottawa-headquartered satellite service provider Telesat Holdings Inc. to acquire competitor OneWeb has been unsuccessful, with a consortium including the U.K. government and Indian mobile network operator Bharti Global Limited acquiring a combined 90 per cent stake in the company in Thursday’s auction. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a …

Telesat hires new CFO

Satellite service provider Telesat Holdings Inc. has named Andrew Browne as its new chief financial officer on Thursday, following the retirement of Michel Cayouette.  Browne has financial experience in the satellite industry going as far back as at least 1995, according to a press release. That includes executive positions at SES most recently, as well …

‘Many’ in the North to get 50 Mbps+ speeds: Bains

OTTAWA — As part of its strategy to tackle rural broadband in Canada, the Liberal government today announced its first spending commitment to a project that will use low earth orbit satellites to connect Canada’s most remote areas — an approach to rural broadband that has yet to be successfully deployed. This content is available to …

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 …

FCC says Kepler can access U.S. market

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved a request by Canadian satellite operator Kepler Communications Inc. to offer service in the U.S. 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 …

Broadcasters’ association, Corus, add new lobby registrations

The Canadian Association of Broadcasters registered to lobby the federal government on its review of the Copyright Act in July, which was otherwise a sleepy month in telecom and media government relations. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …

Bell targeting more rural markets with fixed wireless expansion

BCE Inc. will grow its presence in the fixed wireless space to 30 additional rural communities after a successful trial earlier this year, CEO George Cope said Thursday in a call with analysts. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …

LEO projects promise rural, remote broadband in just a few years

Three years after a number of big companies first announced they would launch global low-earth-orbit (LEO) systems that would provide internet connectivity to remote areas around the world, that space is getting crowded — including with some Canadian competition. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …

Telesat launches satellite said to improve Nunavut internet speeds

Telesat Holdings Inc. said Monday that the launch of its new Telstar 19 Vantage high throughput satellite was successful. 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 …

New network quality rules will mean more fibre, Canadian IXPs: experts

To meet the CRTC’s basic service standard, internet service providers (ISPs) must provide a service with a latency of 50 milliseconds (ms) between a customer’s modem and an internet exchange point (IXP) in a major Canadian city, and have less than 0.25 per cent packet loss, according to new standards set by the regulator. This …

ISED launches new spectrum licence program for short-term testing

Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada announced a developmental license program on Thursday, in a bid to make wireless spectrum use easier for testing purposes. 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 …

Equipment developer to get $11.5M loan for satellite broadband

A Montreal-based satellite network company will receive $11.5 million of federal government funding — out of its $1.2 billion Strategic Investment Fund — to build rural and remote broadband infrastructure, according to a news release on Wednesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …

Telesat loses LEO satellite after launch

Ottawa-based Telesat Holdings Inc. announced the loss of the first in an initial constellation of low earth orbit (LEO) communications satellites after a Russian rocket launch went awry, a Tuesday press release said. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …

FCC grants access to U.S. market for Telesat LEO satellite service

Telesat Holdings Inc. will be allowed to offer internet service based on its low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites in the United States market, 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 …

Xplornet increases stake in Manitoba with NetSet buy

Rural internet service provider Xplornet Communications Inc. has announced the purchase of Brandon, Man.’s NetSet Communications, in a release on Monday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe …

Nunavut to get 15 Mbps internet speeds: Northwestel

Following funding from the government’s Connect to Innovate program, Nunavut residents will see their internet speeds increase to 15 Mbps, BCE Inc. subsidiary Northwestel specified Monday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial …

Connect to Innovate funding announced for Nunavut

Twenty-five Nunavut communities are the targeted beneficiaries of the latest round of Connect to Innovate funding, Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains announced Thursday. 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 …

Spectrum frequency allocations under review

Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada is looking for feedback on proposed changes to the Canadian Table of Frequency Allocations. 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 …

Deny TerreStar ask for more spectrum, telecoms tell ISED

TerreStar Solutions Inc. is asking Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada to hand it more spectrum so it can effectively deploy its current AWS-4 holdings and begin work on a new national fixed wireless and satellite service, a request that some telecoms say would rob other players of an opportunity at the spectrum. This content …

Gov’t awards $13.2M contract for mobile satellite comms

The federal government will spend $13.2 million on mobile satellite telecom equipment that it says will improve communication for public servants working abroad or in remote locations. 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. …

ViaSat-2 satellite launches

A recent satellite launch will lead to faster Internet speeds for rural and remote customers of Xplornet Communications Inc., the company announced Friday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial …

Canadian, int’l satellite providers at odds on NGSO licensing

Canadian satellite companies are asking Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) to ensure a level playing field with their international competition when it comes to the licensing of non-geostationary satellite orbit systems (NGSO), while foreign companies argue cumbersome licence requirements could rob Canadians of the benefits of the new services.

EchoStar XIX satellite launches

One of two new satellites on which Xplornet Communications Inc. has purchased capacity has launched successfully, the company said in a press release Monday.

The EchoStar XIX is the “highest capacity broadband satellite ever launched,” Xplornet said.

New satellites to improve Internet access in North, companies say

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

Experts question feasibility of low-orbit satellites for Internet

Some of the world’s most well-known investors, including Richard Branson and Elon Musk, are betting that new projects that involve putting thousands of satellites into low orbit will bring the Internet to millions of people who don’t have access.

While some have indicated these initiatives has could improve access in remote and rural parts in Canada, some experts are skeptical about their chances of success.

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.