CCSA leads lobbying after Hill visit

Last month’s deluge of Canadian Cable Systems Alliance (CCSA) members on Parliament Hill for the group’s third annual lobby day pushed the organization to the top of the telecom lobbying list for the second month this year, logging 49 communication reports in May. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …

Telus successfully tests 5G connection

Telus Corp. and Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. said in a Friday press release they have accomplished a 5G wireless connection using the global 3GPP technology standards platform. 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 …

Telus injecting $8.9B in B.C., Alta. through 2020

Telus Corp. is building new fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) infrastructure across British Columbia and Alberta through 2020. 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 now. FREE TRIAL …

‘Alternative video’ services more satisfying than pay TV: study

Non-traditional TV subscribers, such as those who use over-the-top (OTT) services, are more satisfied than those with traditional pay-TV subscriptions, a new J.D. Power survey suggested. 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 …

Analytics, applications opportunities in IoT: Telus’ Cihra

TORONTO — The growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) also presents a chance for telecoms to monetize the data coming from IoT devices, said Michael Cihra, vice-president of IoT and emerging markets at Telus Corp. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all 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 …

Videotron ‘author’ of own misfortune: consumer advocates

Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron made its bed and now it has to lie in it, according to consumer and digital rights advocates who opposed the company’s request for a delay in complying with the CRTC’s decision rendering its Unlimited Music service was offside. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here …

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 …

Big three take aim at Videotron customers

BCE Inc., Rogers Communications Inc. and Telus Corp. are trying to lure customers of Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron with targeted promotions, following a similar offer from Videotron. 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 …

Telus, Videotron lead in wireless network quality: study

Telus Corp. and Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron had the fewest reported problems on their networks in certain regions of the country, according to a new study 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 …

Telecoms pooh-pooh affordability fund

Establishing a dedicated fund to tackle service affordability for low-income Canadians as part of the CRTC’s basic telecom services objective is not the right way to handle the issue, according to the majority of service providers who responded to an application to review and vary the regulator’s December decision. This content is available to wirereport.ca …

CBC, Netflix jump in brand trust ranking

Both CBC/Radio-Canada and Netflix Inc. saw dramatic improvements in how Canadians view their brands over the past year, according to the latest edition of the Gustavson Brand Trust Index. 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 …

ISED PS Lametti hot property for April lobbying

The parliamentary secretary to the innovation minister was a popular target for lobbyists last month, as representatives from major telecom and Internet companies sought him out, according to the latest statistics from the office of the lobbying commissioner. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …

Terrebonne asks CRTC for help with access agreement

Another Canadian municipality is turning to the CRTC after failing to agree on a municipal access agreement with telecoms. 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 …

Koodo, Virgin Mobile tops in wireless purchase satisfaction: study

Wireless customers are taking advantage of an improved online experience and increasingly making purchases over the Internet, according to the results of a study released 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 …

Telus to support e-prescription platform

Telus Corp.’s ehealth division will develop and operate a Canada-wide tool for doctors to send prescriptions electronically, the digital health-care organization behind the service announced Thursday.

Bell touts good relationship with PMO: Barclays

BCE Inc. believes the company currently has a “good working relationship” with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), according to a note from Barclays Capital analyst Phillip Huang, written following meetings last week between CEO George Cope and head of investor relations Thane Fotopoulos in New York.

Partial sale would bring benefits to SaskTel: Desjardins

The sale of a stake in Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. would help the crown corporation when it comes to adopting new technologies, according to Desjardins Capital Markets analyst Maher Yaghi.

“The scale of a large telecom player could help SaskTel implement upcoming technologies, such as 5G, more easily,” Yaghi said in a Friday note, pointing to the “technological insight and purchasing power of a potential partner.”

Telus investing $80 million in Quebec fibre network

Telus Corp. announced Monday a new investment of $80 million in its fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) network in Quebec.

It said in a French-language press release that the investment would affect almost 20 communities in the Quebec City region.

Telus intros $20, no contract IPTV service

Telus Corp. has quietly launched an IPTV service that will allow subscribers to watch live TV and on-demand content for $20 a month with no contract.

The box itself, which is powered by Alphabet Inc.’s Android, will cost $100 and is currently available to subscribers in seven communities in British Columbia and Alberta, according to an email from Telus spokesperson Richard Gilhooley.

Gilhooley said the service will officially launch in Alberta and B.C. “in the coming months.”

Gatineau says it can’t reach access agreement with telecoms

The city of Gatineau, Que., is turning to the CRTC to approve its municipal access agreement after BCE Inc., Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron, Rogers Communications Inc., Telus Corp., and Cogeco Inc. refused to accept some clauses of the document.

Telus to offer WiFi in Montreal’s Old Port

Telus Corp. said Thursday it will provide free WiFi in Montreal’s Old Port as part of a 20-year agreement “to equip the historic site with the latest next-generation wireless technology.”

The company said in a press release that the area “will become a location of choice for rolling out the latest technology.” The free WiFi zone will be three kilometres wide, Telus said.

Joe Natale to join Rogers next week

After a series of high-profile departures from the company, Rogers Communications Inc. announced Thursday that it will welcome its new president and CEO next week.

Rogers must make 4K channel available to Telus: CRTC

The CRTC has resolved a dispute between Rogers Communications Inc. and Telus Corp. over 4K content, telling the companies in an April 5 letter that Rogers has to provide its 4K content to Telus immediately.

Consumer advocates request basic services rejig for affordability fund

A trio of consumer advocacy groups are asking the CRTC to revise December’s basic telecom services decision, stating in a review-and-vary application filed Wednesday that the regulator should have included a tool by which to fund making telecom services affordable for low-income households.

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.

Regional telecom disruption on Competition Bureau’s radar: commissioner

The Competition Bureau will be keeping an eye on how regional telecom providers can disrupt the incumbents’ hold on the market, the commissioner said Tuesday.

Telus closes deal for 100K MTS subscribers

Telus Corp. has finalized a deal it struck as part of BCE Inc.’s acquisition of Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. to have 100,000 former MTS subscribers, or about one quarter of its postpaid wireless subscriber base, shift to Telus.

The approximately $300-million deal closed on April 1, Telus said in a press release Monday.

Quebec union ‘disappointed’ budgets didn’t address taxation imbalance

A Quebec union representing communications sector employees said it is disappointed with both the federal and provincial budgets, saying that in “both cases, no action has been taken to counter tax avoidance and unfair competition” by foreign digital companies like Netflix Inc., Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Facebook Inc.

Big three say conditions for strong wireless continue: Desjardins

BCE Inc., Telus Corp., and Rogers Communications Inc. believe the conditions supporting the wireless growth they have seen in recent quarters will stay in place in 2017, according to a research note from Desjardins Capital Markets analyst Maher Yaghi.

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.

Mixed reaction to budget viewed as long on potential, short on details

For all the focus on the digital economy, there was little in Wednesday’s budget for digital content creators, broadband infrastructure enthusiasts or fans of long-term planning, according to consultants and advocacy groups.

“There’s a lot of potential there. But what is lacking right now is the policy and funding framework in the longer term,” Stuart Jack, a partner at Nordicity’s Ottawa office, said in phone interview.

Telus launches ehealth medication management program

Telus Corp. is partnering with Quebec company Groupe DOmedic Inc. to offer a pharmacy management service called xPill Pharma to retirement homes, the company said in a Thursday press release.

Facebook beefs up lobbying squad

Facebook Inc. is increasing its government relations presence in Ottawa, with three new registrations filed with the lobbying commissioner’s office last month.

According to the federal lobbyists’ registry, the social media giant has contracted the services of U.K.-based consulting firm AA Access Partnership Ltd., bringing the number of consultants registered to lobby on behalf of Facebook to nine.

Proposal would give Bell ‘significant and asymmetric powers’: small ISPs

The CRTC should deny a proposal by BCE Inc. for a new regime governing traffic pumping that would allow telecoms to unilaterally put in place penalties that “inflict substantial harm” on other telecom providers, the Canadian Network Operators’ Consortium (CNOC) said.

Telecoms bond over stirring proposals to shake up call spoofing

Technologies identified by the CRTC as potential tools to combat spoofed and nuisance calls have promise, but barriers to their deployment mean they’re not likely to be put in place any time soon, companies told the regulator.

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.

Parm Sandhu joins Urban Communications

Parm Sandhu was named vice-president of enterprise sales at Urban Communications Inc., the company announced Wednesday.

In a press release, the Vancouver-based telecom said Sandhu “has managed large revenue portfolios for large private and public sector companies, including Enterprise Solutions and Wireless Divisions of [Telus Corp.], where he was employed in a senior sales capacity for over 10 years.”

85% say account holder should approve wireless overages: survey

Nearly 85 per cent of Canadians believe approval for additional costs in family phone plans should be made by those who pay the bills, not those who use the phone, according to a survey commissioned by the Forum for Research and Policy in Communications (FRPC).

Results from the survey, conducted by Access Research, were released Friday and highlights answers to areas of concern with the Wireless Code, established in 2013, and the focus of a recent CRTC review.

CBC ‘dimmer star’ in media landscape, conservative event hears

OTTAWA — When talking about CBC/Radio-Canada’s role in the media landscape, the public broadcaster is a “pygmy amongst giants,” and more focus should be aimed at large telecom companies, Dwayne Winseck argued Saturday during a debate about whether to “pull the plug” on the CBC.

Iristel, EBox, DHX among new lobby registrations

The start of the new year was marked by new registrations for new and not-so-new companies and groups in the federal lobbyists’ registry.

Iristel Inc. registered to lobby the federal government as of Jan. 13 with consultant Eric Rothschild, who, according to the registry filing “will discuss with CRTC staff & Commissioners and staff at Innovation, Science and Economic Development potential funding available for telecommunications infrastructure.”

Telus profits slide as wireless segment continues to impress

Like clockwork, Telus Corp. joined its competitors in reporting higher wireless numbers in its fourth quarter of 2016, but decreased profits due to restructuring costs tugged on the reigns. 

As has been the case for all major carriers, Telus continued strong industry-wide postpaid wireless gains by adding 87,000 net new postpaid subscribers in the quarter, up 40.3 per cent from in the same period last year for total wireless subscribers of 8.6 million (up 1.5 per cent), with 1 million prepaid subscribers.

Trump raising concerns about Internet traffic passing U.S.: advocates

In November 2016, a group of Internet experts met in Toronto to discuss how to address the issue of Canadian Internet traffic travelling to the United States, which some say raises data privacy concerns that have now been amplified with the election of U.S. president Donald Trump.

Canadian tech, telecom community offers support in wake of U.S. travel ban

More than 1,700 people representing a variety of tech and telecom companies have signed on to an open letter opposing U.S. President Donald Trump’s weekend executive order blocking entry of citizens from seven countries and all refugees into the United States.

Big three show similar wireless performance: OpenSignal

A new report has found that BCE Inc., Telus Corp. and Rogers Communications Inc. are essentially tied when it comes to the performance of their wireless networks, concluding that the big three “all have more in common than not.”

Thursday’s report from OpenSignal said that all three “are fast and offer excellent access to LTE signals to the point that no single operator dominated any of OpenSignal’s metrics.”

Mandating co-location would be a barrier to competition: CNOC

An application by BCE Inc. asking the CRTC not to require the implementation of meet-me points through which smaller companies could connect to the telco’s network, if granted, would harm competition, small ISPs are arguing.

“Bell’s application is an attempt to slow competition that would also generate an unnecessary windfall for Bell at the expense of competitors and consumers,” the Canadian Network Operators Consortium (CNOC) said in a Jan. 23 intervention.

Telus rolls out welcome mat to lead Dec. lobbying numbers

Telus Corp. led the telecom pack in December for government relations activity, according to the federal lobbyists’ registry, logging 14 monthly communication reports.

In addition to getting in touch with the policy advisor in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Justin To, Telus also bent the ears of members of the prime minister’s cabinet.

CRTC sides with Shaw in conduit billing dispute with Telus

Telus Corp. can’t charge Shaw Communications Inc. or any other telecom for access to its service entrance conduit, the CRTC said in a decision Friday.

It said that if Telus is “providing access to service entrance conduit, because such service is a telecommunications service, it must file and obtain Commission approval for a tariff specific to that service.”

As online video, data transmissions grow, need for CDNs expanding

Last month, Amazon.com Inc. announced that its data centre business was expanding into Canada, a move that illustrates what some say is the need for more data points as an increasing amount of digital content is consumed and emerging technologies like 4K and virtual reality grow.

Court dismisses dispute over hydro pole pricing

A panel of Ontario Divisional Court judges has dismissed an application from a group of telecom companies disputing the Ontario Energy Board’s handling of setting new rates for attaching communications equipment to hydro poles in Ottawa.

In a Dec. 14 decision, judges Anne Molloy, Michael Dambrot and Michael Varpio sided with the Ontario Energy Board and Hydro Ottawa, which last year raised its pole attachment rate from the 2005 price of $22.35 per pole per year to $53. The new rates came into effect on Jan. 1.

Pick-and-pay still has many ‘pitfalls’ for consumers: PIAC

As the CRTC’s rules requiring all TV providers to allow customers to sign up for channels individually came into effect Thursday, the regulator emphasized that consumers have to take responsibility to ensure they’re getting a good deal — a process the head of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) said is a significant amount of work for the average person.

PIAC executive director John Lawford said in a phone interview “there’s a lot of pitfalls if you don’t, quote-unquote, do it right, and all the work is up to you.”

VI news stations need rules to ensure independence: Telus

GATINEAU, Que. — The question of whether news stations owned by vertically-integrated (VI) companies need  safeguards for journalistic independence came up at the CRTC’s English-language TV licence renewal hearing Wednesday, with the commission chairman floating the idea of implementing rules codifying independence.

Shane Sabatino to lead Telus’ HR tech division

Telus Corp. has named Shane Sabatino as president of Telus sourcing solutions, its division focusing on “fully integrated human resources, payroll, wellness and employee contact centre technology” products. 

Sabatino previously worked at Telus, though his most recent position was as senior vice-president of human resources at The Brick Ltd., the company said in a press release Wednesday.

Telus expands low-cost Internet pilot to Alberta

Telus Corp. is expanding a pilot project, Internet for Good, that provides Internet service for $9.95 per month to low-income, single-parent families.

The company said in a press release that early next year, around 15,000 Alberta families currently receiving government assistance will receive a coupon code in the mail allowing them to activate the offer.

Telus, Huawei closer to 5G with network deployment

Telus Corp. and Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., who have been collaborating to help develop 5G technology, said they have achieved another step toward its deployment. 

TNW files suit against Telus, says customers not affected by dispute

Customers of Téliphone Navigata Westel Communications Inc. (TNW) will not have their service affected due to a dispute with Telus Corp., the small telecom provider said in a Monday press release, as it goes to court against Telus for interfering in an acquisition.

Big Three among biggest spenders on R&D in Canada

Rogers Communications Inc., BCE Inc. and Telus Corp. are near the top of this year’s list of the 100 companies in Canada that spend the most on research and development.

The list, released annually by Research Infosource, is based on information from “proprietary databases,” the company said in a Nov. 14 press release.

Stephen Hampton joins Telus

Telus Corp. has named Stephen Hampton its new senior project manager of government relations.

Hampton told The Lobby Monitor in an interview the role would combine government relations and strategic affairs work “with a big focus on Telus Health.”

Hampton worked as a consultant at the lobby agency Crestview Strategies for the previous two years where, according to his LinkedIn profile, his clients included Amazon.com Inc. and Facebook Inc.

Telus launches 4K Netflix set-top viewing

Telus Corp. announced Monday that is making Netflix Inc.’s app available on its Optik 4K set-top box, allowing subscribers to stream Netflix in 4K resolution.

“4K is the ultimate way to immerse yourself in your favourite TV shows and introducing hundreds of hours of top-tier 4K Netflix programming is a huge step forward in the evolution of Optik TV,” Blair Miller, Telus’ vice-president of content, said in Monday’s press release.

Telus Q3 continues industry-wide trend of strong wireless

Telus Corp. reported strong wireless revenues and subscriber additions Friday, as data helped propel overall revenues up to $3.23 billion.   

For the three months ended September 30, the company’s overall revenues were slightly higher, with a 2.6 per cent increase, than the $3.15 billion it earned in the same quarter last year. Net income, however, was down slightly by 2.7 per cent to $355 million against the comparable period last year.

Wireless industry needs ‘stick’ to boost rural coverage: MP

OTTAWA — While traditionally, government funding has been directed to boost fixed Internet service, perhaps there should be some public assistance for improving wireless coverage, a member of Parliament mused Thursday as the Canadian Wireless Telecommunication Association (CWTA) appeared in front of parliamentarians.

Telcos unlikely to fully deploy FTTH: Desjardins

High fibre costs and advancements in technology are among the reasons Canadian telcos are unlikely to expand their fibre-to-the-home [FTTH] footprint beyond 60 per cent coverage, according to Desjardins Capital Markets. 

AT&T, Time Warner deal shows VI trending in opposite directions: analyst

A potential merger between AT&T Inc. and Time Warner Cable Inc. highlights a move by United States-based companies toward vertical integration, just as developments in Canada suggest the opposite is happening north of the border, according to an analyst.

“While the U.S. is becoming more vertically integrated, Canada is moving in the other direction,” Jeff Fan, an analyst at Scotiabank, said in a note Monday.

Wind’s reduced Ont. focus message to government: Huang

Shaw Communications Inc. is putting less emphasis on growing subscribers for Wind in Ontario in favour of boosting its wireless network in Western Canada, according to Barclays analyst Phillip Huang.

Some concern about delay in Natale start date: analysts

It could be mid-2017 before former Telus Corp. head Joe Natale takes over as CEO at Rogers Communications Inc., according to financial analysts, some of whom said Tuesday that the delay could have negative effects on the company.

Analysts optimistic about Natale at Rogers after Laurence’s surprise exit

In an unexpected move, Rogers Communications Inc. has announced Guy Laurence is no longer CEO of the company and will be replaced by former Telus Corp. CEO Joe Natale, a choice analysts responded to positively Monday.

Cavoukian launches international privacy organization

Ann Cavoukian, executive director of the Privacy and Big Data Institute at Ryerson University, is founding an international privacy organization, according to a press release Monday.

The International Council on Global Privacy and Security, by Design organization aims to “dispel the commonly held view that organizations must choose between privacy and public safety or business interests,” the release said.

Telus selling food-safety IoT service

Telus Corp. said it would sell an Internet of Things (IoT) service that monitors the temperature of food in transit, on a monthly billing basis.

Trump consulting with Eisenach on telecom policy: reports

United States presidential candidate Donald Trump is looking to consultant Jeffrey Eisenach for advice on telecom policy, according to media reports.

Politico reported last week, citing anonymous sources, that Eisenach is a new aide for the Trump campaign. It described him as a “crusader against regulation” who argued for a hands-off approach from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Wholesale rate decision could lead to focus on flanker brands, analysts say

In the days after the CRTC issued a decision that lowered wholesale wireline Internet rates proposed by large Internet Service Providers (ISPs), financial analysts said the large telecoms could respond to increased pressure through flanker brands, and some pointed to the possibility of decreased infrastructure investment.

CRTC’s lowering of HSA rates means small ISPs ‘free to innovate’: CNOC

The CRTC has set revised interim wholesale rates for high-speed access (HSA) services, criticizing large Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for proposing “unreasonable” rates that were too high, in a move small ISPs say leaves them “free to innovate.”

Telus takes heat for backing carbon plan

Telus Corp. issued an apology Wednesday after a Tuesday night social media post linking the company to support for the federal government’s recently announced carbon-pricing plan generated backlash online.

5G trials reach nearly 30 Gbps: Telus

New 5G tests by Telus Corp. and Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. revealed that the next generation of wireless technology has hit speeds that are 200 times faster than the current LTE standard.

Shaw best-positioned carrier, regardless of Liberal policy: Barclays

Shaw Communications Inc. is “the one player in the industry who is very well positioned” regardless of the direction the Liberal government takes on wireless policy, Barclays Capital analyst Phillip Huang said in a research note Monday.

Telecoms among least-trusted Canadian companies: report

In a University of Victoria study ranking Canadians’ trust of various brands, all the telecom providers included were at the bottom of the list.

The Gustavson Brand Trust Index, released Thursday, measured opinions regarding 276 brands among 6,384 Canadian consumers.

Some TNW customers may be disconnected in Nov., CRTC warns

The CRTC has issued a consumer alert letting customers of Téliphone Navigata Westel Communications Inc. (TNW) know they may be disconnected in November.

It said in a Thursday press release that “many” customers in areas where TNW has agreements with Telus Corp. may be disconnected “as of November 21, 2016 due to a commercial dispute” between the two companies.

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.

Data consumption, competitive pressures headline investor conference

Canada’s biggest telcos told investors Wednesday that they are seeing growth in wireless data usage on the first of a two-day conference hosted by CIBC World Markets.

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.

Telus launches cloud services for lawyers

Telus Corp. has joined forces with a legal software provider to help those who work in the profession modernize their practices, the company said.

In a Tuesday press release Telus said it was collaborating with the Quebec-based Juris Concept to offer “a new suite of cloud-based solutions” allowing legal practitioners “to more efficiently manage cases and ultimately lower cost for citizens seeking legal aid.”

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.

Bell’s Wholesale Code appeal, conditions of licence ask face stiff opposition

BCE Inc. has “unclean hands” in its effort to have the Wholesale Code overturned by the federal Appeal Court while simultaneously applying to have removed certain conditions of licence imposed on vertically integrated entities in 2013 by the CRTC during the ongoing licence renewal process, lawyers argued in court documents responding to Bell’s appeal.

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.

G.fast tech to give Canadian telcos’ Internet speeds a boost

A new technology that allows telecoms to get speeds of hundreds of gigabits through existing copper loops is making headway in Canada, where companies are testing it out and deployment is likely to begin later this year.

Large and small Internet service providers (ISPs) say they’re looking at g.fast technology, which gives telcos a leg up in the competition with cablecos by allowing them to offer faster speeds without installing new fibre-to-the-home (FFTH) infrastructure.

Cable providers readying for full pick-and-pay with theme packs

Some companies are adding more selection to their cable TV packages by going the theme-pack route in preparation for the mandatory full pick-and-pay rules coming into effect this winter. 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 …

Rogers’ OMNI application a ‘band-aid’ solution, critics say

Rogers Communications Inc.’s proposal for a new national ethnic programming service is neither innovative nor appropriate in today’s TV environment aimed at providing consumers more choice, critics of the application said in interventions filed with the CRTC.

Quebec court approves class action suit over data charges

Quebec’s highest court has ruled that a class-action lawsuit against wireless carriers over international roaming charges can proceed.