Past quarter ‘as good as it gets’ for wireless: RBC analyst

Following a quarter in which Canada’s telecoms all reported strong wireless numbers, RBC Capital Markets analyst Drew McReynolds said he expects a healthy wireless environment to continue. 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. …

BlackBerry call encryption approved for U.S. government

Blackberry Ltd. will now be able to provide its mobile device cybersecurity technology to the United States government. 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 Wire Report …

Bains talks collaboration on autonomous cars in U.S.

Autonomous cars are one promising area for collaboration between Canada and the United States, Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains and United States commerce secretary Wilbur Ross said during a Friday meeting in Washington, D.C. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …

Mobile banking use up to 43%: J.D. Power

Canadians’ use of smartphones for banking activities has nearly doubled over the past three years, according to a new report by J.D. Power. 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 …

Civil society groups take aim at Five Eyes on encryption

More than six dozen civil society organizations and individuals have come out to reiterate support for stronger data encryption in a letter addressed to a quintet of the world’s intelligence agencies, following a statement from the group that encryption could be standing in the way of public safety. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers …

Wireless promos up compared to last year: Barclays

Leading up to Canada’s 150th anniversary, wireless promotions from incumbents and their flanker brands have increased noticeably compared to last year, according to Barclays Capital analyst Phillip Huang. 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 …

CRTC unlocking decision could slightly increase churn: Desjardins

A move to ban device unlocking fees and mandate all new phones be sold unlocked by December could “slightly” increase churn rates, but the impact shouldn’t be material, Desjardins Capital analyst Maher Yaghi said in a research note Friday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …

Civil liberties groups back privacy commish on device searches

OTTAWA — Grouping electronic devices with other goods when it comes to searches at the border is an affront to Canadians’ right to privacy and border laws must be clearer to protect citizens from unreasonable searches of their devices, civil liberties groups argued in front of a Parliamentary committee Thursday. This content is available to wirereport.ca …

CRTC eliminates locked phones in Canada by December

As part of a decision on its review of the Wireless Code, the CRTC has eliminated unlocking fees for smartphones and mandated that all newly purchased devices must be provided unlocked as of Dec. 1, 2017. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …

Privacy commish suggests ‘partial solution’ for border device searches

Canada’s privacy commissioner is asking the House of Commons committee on public safety and national security to amend a proposed law that governs border searches and is recommending a way that it can be enforced. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian …

Canadian 4G networks among world’s fastest

Canadian 4G speeds have increased by about 15 per cent since 2016, according to a new OpenSignal Inc. 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 free trial or subscribe to The …

Incumbents defend wireless prices after Bains criticism

TORONTO — Representatives from the big three were on the defense a day after the innovation minister publicly took issue with wireless prices, pointing to investments they’ve made in their networks and the quality of service that’s available to Canadians. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …

CRTC demands NG911 network upgrade by 2020

The CRTC has started the clock on next-generation 911 (NG911) services, directing the country’s telcos to ready their networks to fully support sending emergency information via text, photo or video messages by the end of 2020. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …

Privacy commish issues guidance on device searches at border

The search of personal electronic devices when crossing the Canada-U.S. border is an “extremely privacy intrusive procedure,” Daniel Therrien, the federal privacy commissioner, has told the House of Commons committee on public safety and national security. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …

Freedom debuts LTE in Calgary and Edmonton

Shaw Communications Inc.’s Freedom Mobile has expanded its LTE network into Calgary and Edmonton, the company announced 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 Wire Report …

Smartphone penetration at 80% among anglophones: MTM

The number of anglophone Canadians who have smartphones climbed up to 80 per cent in the fall of 2016 from 77 per cent a year earlier, according to a new report from Media Technology Monitor (MTM).

Mobile ad spending on the rise: report

Canadian advertisers are catching up to their American counterparts, with the market share of digital ad spending on mobile platforms forecast to hit 77.6 per cent by 2021, according to research firm eMarketer Inc.

Telus, B.C. pledge $2M to connect youth in government care

Telus Corp. and the government of British Columbia are committing $2 million to offer subsidized smartphones to up to 1,000 youth who are currently, or were previously, in government care.

The pilot project, which will begin in the spring and was announced on the B.C. government website Friday, will provide young adults with Motorola Mobility LLC Moto G smartphones that will include monthly phone and data plan credits for up to two years. The phones will have unlimited nationwide talk and text and up to 3GB of monthly data.

IMSI catchers in use around Parliament Hill: CBC

IMSI catchers are in operation around Ottawa’s Parliament Hill, according to an investigation by CBC/Radio-Canada’s news division.

Also known as stingrays, the devices mimic cell phone towers and collect information from mobile phones in a given area.

Flanker brands ramped up promos in March: Barclays

Following a quiet first quarter, wireless companies’ flanker brands stepped up the competition in March, ramping up promotional activity through data increases and handset discounts, according to Barclays Capital.

Just ahead of March break, a “growing number” of flanker brands increased activity to “meet subscriber growth targets near quarter-end” by targeting the mid-to-lower end of the market, analyst Phillip Huang said in a Monday note.

Privacy commish looking into cellphone searches at border

The Office of the Privacy Commission (OPC) is looking into searches of electronics by the Canadian Border Services Agency.

OPC spokeswoman Tobi Cohen confirmed in an email Friday “that we have received a complaint and have therefore opened an investigation related to the search of electronic devices at the border by the CBSA.”

She declined to offer any further details about the compliant or the investigation.

Carriers made $37.7M from phone unlocking last year: CRTC

The CRTC has released aggregate data that shows wireless service providers earned $37.7 million in revenue by unlocking phones last year.

That’s up from $28.5 million in 2015 and $21.6 million in 2014, the commission said in a March 1 letter issued as part of its review of the Wireless Code.

The number of devices they unlocked also grew to 943,363 in 2016 from 922,931 the previous year and 734,595 in 2014.

Canadian mobile speeds improve in int’l ranking: OpenSignal

Canada now ranks 12th in the world when it comes to mobile data speeds, with average speeds of 20.26 Mbps, according to a new report from OpenSignal.

Wireless Code review poses regulatory risk: Desjardins

The CRTC’s review of the Wireless Code “generates regulatory risk across the industry,” with the biggest potential threat being mandating the separation of device costs from monthly service fees on customers’ bills, Desjardins Capital Markets analyst Maher Yaghi said in a research note Monday.

Eliminate locked phones in Canada, Freedom Mobile tells CRTC

In a departure from the positions of its fellow wireless providers, Shaw Communications Inc.’s Freedom Mobile suggested Wednesday the CRTC should forbid carriers from charging fees for unlocking phones, and direct them to stop ordering locked devices from equipment manufacturers.

5G to make up 0.2% of connections by 2021: Cisco

Despite a projected 1,000-per-cent increase in 5G connections between 2020 and 2021, less than half a per cent of all devices and connections will have 5G capability in that same time period, according to a new Cisco Systems Inc. report.

Don’t divorce handset, service pricing: wireless providers

GATINEAU, Que. — Changing the rules so that the cost of a wireless device is divorced from a monthly service payment on a customer’s bill would take a considerable amount of work to implement, a CRTC panel heard Tuesday as the regulator continued its review of the three-year-old Wireless Code.

75% of anglophones subscribe to TV service: MTM

New data shows that the number of anglophone Canadians with TV subscriptions has continued to fall, reaching 75 per cent in the fall of 2016 — a 14-per-cent decline over the past five years.

That number is down two per cent from a year earlier, according to a report released Tuesday by Media Technology Monitor (MTM), a project of CBC/Radio-Canada.

The report also showed technologies like streaming, wearable devices and 4K are growing.

Build voice and data support at same time in NG911 system: Freedom

GATINEAU, Que. — There are unique considerations for wireless carriers when contemplating the switch to next-generation 911 (NG911) services, a CRTC panel was told on the penultimate day of a public hearing on improvements to the 911 network, including the fact they can offer more services for 911 users more quickly.

Canadians don’t want CanCon funding passed down to subscribers: report

A report prepared for the Privy Council Office found Canadians were generally in favour of increasing contributions to Canadian content, but don’t believe those increases should be passed down to customers.

Freedom to at least quadruple handset offering by mid-2017: Shaw

As Shaw Communications Inc. released its first quarterly earnings report since rebranding its wireless segment to Freedom Mobile, CEO Brad Shaw said the company is looking to have a double-digit number of handsets available by mid-year, after some analysts pegged the company’s small handset roster as a potential limiting factor to its appeal.

“I think when you look at the new network, one of the key things is handsets and handset availability,” Shaw said on a conference call with media Thursday.

Competition Bureau drops Apple competition case

The Competition Bureau said Friday it has discontinued an investigation into whether Apple Inc. engaged in anticompetitive practices related to sales of its iPhone.

The bureau was looking at “contractual terms that reference rivals as well as other terms that impose obligations on wireless carriers relating to the sale and marketing of the iPhone in Canada,” according to a statement posted on its website.

Hold consultation on IMSI catcher use, Rogers tells gov’t

The government should consult industry, privacy experts and Canadians on the use of IMSI catchers in Canada, Rogers Communications Inc. said in its submission to the federal government’s national security review.

Rogers said the use of IMSI catchers, also known as stingrays, is not currently detectable on a wireless network and can interfere with customers’ communications.

Bell to test AT&T software platform for wireless traffic management

BCE Inc. has signed on to test a platform developed by AT&T Inc. that would allow it to carry more, and better manage, traffic on its network.

The software — called ECOMP or Enhanced Control, Orchestration, Management and Policy — was built to power AT&T's new network, Bell said in a Thursday release. Bell joins France-based Orange SA as the first telecom companies to test the platform.

Most Canadians satisfied with Internet service: CIRA

Canadians are “generally satisfied” with the speed of their home Internet service, according to a new report from the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA).

“More than 80 per cent of those surveyed said they’re satisfied, although just 34 per cent claim to be very satisfied,” the annual CIRA Internet Factbook report, released Tuesday, said.

December to see ‘hyper competitive’ wireless market: Barclays

Heavy handset promotions during Black Friday and Cyber Monday last month hint at a December that is shaping up to be “hyper competitive” for the wireless market, according to Barclays Capital analyst Phillip Huang.

Netflix now allows customers to download shows

Netflix Inc. viewers will now be able to download content from its over-the-top (OTT) service to watch off-line.

The company said in a press release Wednesday that the new free feature is included in all plans and available on phones and tablets running on both Apple Inc.’s and Alphabet Inc.’s Android operating systems.

“Many of your favorite streaming series and movies are already available for download, with more on the way,” Netflix said in the release.

Limited handsets a concern as Wind rebrands: analyst

Shaw Communications Inc.’s Wind Mobile will be rebranded as Freedom Mobile and its LTE roll-out will come sooner than expected in two cities, the company’s CEO said Monday. The move comes despite some analyst concern about the availability of handsets compatible with its spectrum.  

Huawei declined to make Google Pixel: report

Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. refused to make Alphabet Inc.’s new phone because the phone wouldn’t have featured Huawei’s own brand, according to a Monday Forbes report.  

Colin Giles, Huawei’s vice-president of the consumer business group, said Google wanted exclusive branding on its new phone and that Huawei was not willing to make phones that didn’t promote its own brand, according to the article.

Half a billion subscribers will be on 5G by 2022: Ericsson

An Ericsson AB report is projecting that more than 550 million subscribers will be on 5G networks by 2022.  

The latest Ericsson Mobility Report, released Tuesday, said that two years after it becomes available in 2020, 5G will cover 10 per cent of the world’s population.

Sasktel ties for fastest LTE speeds in the world: OpenSignal

Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp.’s LTE download speeds are among the fastest in the world, according to a new OpenSignal Inc. report.

“In the fourth quarter, Singapore had the fastest networks by far, averaging 37 Mbps, and two of its operators [Singapore Telecommunications Ltd.] and [StarHub Ltd.] joined Canada’s SaskTel in vying for the title of world’s fastest operator,” the report, released Nov. 10, said.

MacDonald talks competition for radio, set-top rating system

CRTC commissioner Christopher MacDonald said radio stations must build on their strengths in order to deal with increasing competition in a speech to the Ontario Association of Broadcasters (OAB) conference Thursday.

Canadian Note 7 class action suit filed

A class-action lawsuit regarding Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.’s Galaxy Note 7 smartphone has been filed in Canada.

Millennials spend 30 hours a week online: MTM

Anglophone millennials spend more than 30 hours a week on the Internet, and about four-fifths of that generation watch TV online, according the latest report from Media Technology Monitor, a project of CBC/Radio-Canada.

The report, released Thursday, surveyed media technology adoption among the millennial generation, or those between 18 and 34 years old. It found that more than a quarter opted to watch TV content exclusively online and not pay for a TV service.

Samsung stops sales, production of Note 7

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. has stopped sales of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone.

The company said in a statement Tuesday it is “working with relevant regulatory bodies to investigate the recently reported cases involving the Galaxy Note7. Because consumers’ safety remains our top priority, Samsung will ask all carrier and retail partners globally to stop sales and exchanges of the Galaxy Note7 while the investigation is taking place.”

69% of anglophones use social networks: MTM

Facebook Inc.’s platform is by far the dominant social network among Canadian anglophones, with almost all — 92 per cent — of social networkers using the site, according to a new report from CBC/Radio-Canada research project Media Technology Monitor (MTM).

BlackBerry to outsource all hardware development

BlackBerry Ltd. will “end all internal hardware development and will outsource that function to partners,” the company said in a press release Wednesday.

It also said that it signed a licensing agreement with Indonesia’s BB Merah Putih, a joint venture led by an affiliate of Indonesia’s largest wireless carrier, Telekomunikasi Indonesia.

500 Canadian radio stations to be available through app

Radio stations from some of Canada’s biggest broadcasters—including Rogers Communications Inc., Cogeco Inc., Newcap Inc., and Corus Entertainment Inc., among others—will soon be available through an app.

CBC ‘past the disruption stage’ of strategic plan: Lacroix

CBC/Radio-Canada CEO Hubert Lacroix said during the public broadcaster’s annual meeting in Moncton, N.B., that “27 months after launching our 2020 strategy, we are past the disruption stage.”

Ottawa U study uses mystery shoppers to test Wireless Code

OTTAWA — Researchers at the University of Ottawa say the preliminary results of a small mystery shopper test found some wireless providers are leaving some potential customers ill-informed about their choices.

The study, the first of its kind conducted by researchers from the university’s law and information studies departments, was presented at a session at the school on Thursday.

Quebecor in ‘no rush’ to get rid of 700MHz spectrum: Pruneau

Quebecor Inc.’s chief financial officer Jean-François Pruneau said Thursday the company is content to wait to sell the 700 MHz spectrum it picked up in 2014 and never deployed, given its value continues to grow with time.

Videotron announces testing as 5G gains momentum in Canada

MONTREAL — Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron said Tuesday it will begin to test 5G technologies as part of a new project, in a move that appears to be part of an increasing push toward the next generation of wireless in recent months.  

All carriers will eventually get to 5G, Videotron CEO Manon Brouillette said in an interview following a lunchtime speech at the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal.

New iPhone driving discounts for older models: Barclays

Carriers are capitalizing on demand for Apple Inc.’s new iPhone with heavy discounts on older models, according to Barclays Capital.

Despite a $400 price tag for the 32GB iPhone on a two-year contract and still higher prices for the larger storage models — due largely to the weaker Canadian dollar —the pre-order supplies across Canada “have now largely sold out,” according to the Monday’s note by analyst Phillip Huang.

Rogers logging in to Twitter for customer care

Rogers Communications Inc. is taking to Twitter Inc.’s social media service to allow its customers to connect with its support representatives. 

The partnership, announced in a Thursday press release, will allow Rogers and customers of its Fido flanker brand to directly connect to live care team representatives without having to follow the Twitter page, as Twitter builds out its business support features.

Rogers’ Laurence says CanCon should be international brand

Rogers Communications Inc. CEO Guy Laurence said the government’s ongoing review of Canadian content in a digital age should lead to more focus on promoting and selling content internationally, among other changes.

Telus to offer free WiFi in some Toronto cabs

Telus Corp. will offer free WiFi to customers of Toronto taxi company Associated Toronto Taxicab Co-operative Ltd., following a similar partnership with a cab company in Vancouver established last year.

Telus said in a press release that Co-op Cabs will begin offering free WiFi Monday, and that the service will be available in all of its cars by the end of the year.

Extra data promos to drive upgrades: Barclays

Promotions offering customers extra data as part of back-to-school promotions by Canada’s largest three wireless carriers will help drive upgrades by customers, according to a research note by Barclays Capital analyst Phillip Huang.

Galaxy Note 7 fires prompt international recall by Samsung

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. is recalling its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone in multiple markets, including Canada, after reports that batteries were catching fire.

In a statement posted to its website Friday, the company said there had been 35 cases reported globally as of Sept. 1.

Bell has fastest wireless network again: report

BCE Inc. owns the country’s fastest mobile speeds for a second consecutive year, helped by partnerships agreements with other companies, according to a report released Wednesday by PCMag.com.

With an average of 59.72 Mbps, Bell’s mobile speeds dwarf those of its American counterparts like Verizon Communications Inc., which won PCMag’s fastest mobile network in the U.S. with an average of 27.8 Mbps. This is the fourth year PCMag has done this survey.

Telecoms need to be ‘proactive’ with video development: report

Telecom service providers should look towards improving video quality across their networks if they want to increase customer loyalty, according to a new joint report from Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. and Ovum, a technology research and advisory company.

CRTC limits special number porting zone to Vancouver

The CRTC has approved one but rejected another application on number portability.

On Friday, the regulator released its decision on an application by Telus Corp. to “establish a special location porting zone (LPZ) within the Metro Vancouver area” so that residential and business subscribers can keep their phone numbers as they move within the area.

More devices moving Internet usage beyond home computers: Sandvine

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U.S. appeals court upholds decision in favour of BlackBerry

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Rio Olympics draws 32M viewers: CBC

The 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were the most-watched Summer Games in Canadian history, CBC/Radio-Canada said Tuesday of the two-week event that wrapped up Sunday night.

In a press release, the public broadcaster said that between Aug. 5 and Aug. 21, 32.1 million people tuned into Olympic coverage.

CRTC consulting on disconnection practices

The CRTC is requesting comment on whether regulatory measures are required to prevent service interruptions after a dispute between two telecommunications providers in January.

Asian makers carry Q2 phone sales: Gartner

Asian mobile phone manufacturers helped drive global smartphone sales to a 4.3 per cent year-over-year increase in the second quarter of 2016, despite slowing overall sales, according to data released by Gartner Inc. Thursday.

Canada in top 10 for mobile networks: OpenSignal

Canadian wireless users have access to 3G or 4G networks 93.16 per cent of the time, placing the country in the 10th spot for 3G/4G availability, according to a new OpenSignal report.

In its Global State of Mobile Networks report, the U.K.-based company that analyzes mobile performance built upon the previous six editions of its Global LTE Report –which tracks 4G performance internationally – by including 3G since “dozens of countries have yet to launch their first 4G service and many others are only in the infancy of their LTE rollouts.”

Canada outranks peers in wireless prices: report

Canadians continue to pay among the highest prices internationally for wireless and broadband Internet services, according to a new report comparing telecom service prices released Thursday by the CRTC.

The ninth annual study was completed in January and February of this year by Nordicity and ranks Canadian prices among those offered by carriers in the G7 countries (United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Italy, Germany and France) and Australia.

Federal gov’t facing second legal battle over wireless wipeout

The Canadian government could end up fighting a war on two fronts over the previous government’s drive to have four national wireless carriers.

According to a notice on the Global Affairs Canada website, on June 6 the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes registered an arbitration request from Egyptian telecom company Global Telecom Holdings S.A.E. (GTH) that “concerns GTH’s investment in Wind Mobile, over the period of 2008-2014.”

StatsCan testing text message surveys: report

Statistics Canada is testing sending questionnaires to Canadians' cell phones via text message to combat low response rates to surveys, according to a media report.

On Friday, The Canadian Press reported that documents it received under the Access to Information Act indicated the stats agency was concerned about the “deteriorating quality of data” due to an “alarming drop” in response rate to surveys.

Pokémon Go not augmenting wireless data reality

Though the success of Nintendo Co. Ltd.’s Pokémon Go mobile game could be the tip of the iceberg for augmented-reality applications, experts said they don’t expect wireless companies to make any major shifts in the way they offer data.

“In terms of the wireless data, it’s still video that’s driving most of the growth and consumption,” Desmond Lau, an analyst with Veritas, said in a phone interview.

Toronto to explore 911 texting

The city of Toronto will be asking its police force to look into the possibility of accepting emergency 911 text messages.

Toronto’s city council voted Thursday afternoon in favour of the motion brought forward by Coun. Norm Kelly.

Kelly’s motion was made to follow in the vein of other American cities that are looking into the practice “in the wake of the massacre at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida,” said his notice of motion.

FCC opens up spectrum for 5G

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has opened up 10.85 GHz of spectrum for the next generation of wireless networks, or 5G, the United States regulator said Thursday.

That includes 3.85 GHz of licenced spectrum and 7 GHz of unlicenced spectrum, according to a statement on its website.

Complaints, bill shock fell after Wireless Code: study

The Wireless Code has proved effective in the two years since its implementation, suggest the results of a CRTC-commissioned study, which reported a decline in wireless complaints as well as incidences of “bill shock.”

In the report, produced at the end of March, market research company TNS Canada outlined the results of a more-than $48,500 contract to “determine how consumers understand their wireless service contracts and their related rights and how that has changed over time.”

Ice Wireless can continue to roam until final decision

Sugar Mobile, an affiliate of Iristel Inc.-subsidiary Ice Wireless, can continue roaming on Rogers Communications Inc.’s network while the CRTC considers its final decision in a dispute between the two companies.

NextRadio expands into Canada

NextRadio LLC is bringing its FM radio app across the border into Canada.

The Indianapolis-based company said in a press release Wednesday that its app has been live in the Google Play store since the beginning of the month.

Advocacy groups take aim at data caps in zero-rating review

Questions around telecoms’ usage of data caps should be at the centre of the CRTC’s proceeding on differential pricing practices, advocacy groups said in interventions, calling for the commission to impose limits on their use.

Data caps are “un-necessary evil,” said the Equitable Internet Coalition, whose members include the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), which asked the CRTC to focus the proceeding on data caps and not differential pricing.

Localized cell signal jamming possible during presidential visits

A short, localized disruption of wireless service for those next to the presidential motorcade may not have been out of the question Wednesday, when U.S. president Barack Obama visted Ottawa for the North America Leaders’ Summit.

“(Signal) jammers have been used in the past for presidential visits, I believe,” Marc Choma, Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association spokesman, said over the phone. “When the pope came (to Ottawa) many years ago, I believe cell phone jammers were used.”

Mobile ads, music streaming to be a force in 2020: PwC

Mobile advertising revenue and music streaming activity will see dramatic increases over the next four years, as technological innovation takes hold over traditional methods of media consumption, according to a new report from PWC.

RCMP using ‘stingray’ tech for past decade: report

Newly released court documents suggest the RCMP have been using “stingray” surveillance technologies, or IMSI catchers, for at least 10 years, Motherboard and Vice News reported Friday.

Privacy commish warns telecoms about transparency reporting, metadata

TORONTO — Privacy commissioner Daniel Therrien told a telecom industry audience Wednesday that companies should be prudent about the collection and use of metadata, and cautioned companies that haven’t yet issued transparency reports that his office could push for legislation to force them to do so.

CRTC considers regulations after lost telephone service case

The CRTC said it might consider preventative regulations after a dispute involving two phone service providers resulted in lost telephone service for 27,000 Canadian phone number holders.

Internet traffic in Canada to nearly triple by 2020: Cisco

Data released Tuesday by Cisco Systems Inc. shows Canadian Internet protocol (IP) traffic will double, and overall Internet traffic will nearly triple by 2020, aided by an increase in new users and expanded use of devices.

In its Visual Networking Index Complete Forecast for 2015 to 2020, Cisco projects a “near-tripling” of global IP traffic by 2020 with an annual growth rate of 22 per cent over the next five years.

76% of anglophones multitask while watching TV: MTM

According to a new report, 76 per cent of anglophones used the Internet at the same time as they watched television in 2015.

“While multitasking has grown immensely over time, incidence has slowed over the past year,” MTM, a project of CBC/Radio-Canada said. Only 12 per cent of anglophones reported multitasking in 2001, a number that rose to 66 per cent in 2013 and 74 per cent in 2014.

IoT device connections to surpass mobile phones by 2018: report

The majority of the 28 billion devices connected to the Internet of Things (IoT) by 2021 won’t be mobile phones, according to the latest edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report.

IoT devices are expected to grow 23 per cent every year between 2015 and 2021, and will have passed mobile phones by 2018 as the most connected device, with a total of 16 billion, the report said.  

Bell extends enterprise VoIP service to small business

BCE Inc.’s Total Connect VoIP service for enterprises is now available to small businesses in Ontario and Quebec.

The company said Tuesday that previously, only large businesses and government enterprises could sign up for the service, which offers a “suite of advanced messaging and unified communications services on Canada's largest broadband fibre and mobile LTE networks.”

Smartphone penetration 77% among anglophones: MTM

Big-box wireless customers ‘high risk’: study

Consumers who shop at big-box stores are more likely to purchase unlocked phones and are more likely to switch wireless providers, according to results of a study released Thursday.