Next gen WiFi to bolster connected homes, open space connectivity

GATINEAU — The next generation of WiFi will incorporate LTE technology that will allow more devices to connect to the network simultaneously, a representative from Intel Corp. told a fixed wireless conference on Tuesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …

Low-cost data plans ‘superior alternative’ to WiFi-first MVNOs: Scott

Having facilities-based carriers offer low-cost data-only plans is a better way to fulfill the government’s goals of more affordable wireless options for consumers than mandating roaming access by WiFi-first mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), CRTC chairman Ian Scott said Thursday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …

New promise for fixed wireless, as telecoms incorporate LTE, 5G

Advances in fixed wireless technology could make it a more viable option for helping solve Canada’s rural broadband problem, while marrying fixed wireless with 5G shows promise for connecting city-dwellers, according to the companies deploying the service. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …

Telecoms point to growing WiFi, IoT spectrum demand in ISED consultation

Canada’s telecoms are taking sides on how Innovation Canada should approach the release of more licence-exempt spectrum, including whether more should be allocated for WiFi use, as it prepares for the proliferation of connected devices in a 5G world. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …

Vancouver now home to largest public WiFi network in Canada

From Gastown to Granville St., there are now about 550 places to access free WiFi throughout the city of Vancouver, according to a release on 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 …

Canadian IP, tech targets during gov’t travel: CSIS

In an instructional guide released to government employees, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) recommended high levels of vigilance in protecting personal information during international travel. 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 …

Text-with-911 incompatible with WiFi calling: CRTC

In a step towards its goal of upgrading Canada’s 911 network by 2020, the CRTC published a decision on Friday which recommended that wireless service providers default all 911 calls to the cellular networks whenever possible. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …

CRTC consulting on reseller registration obligations

The CRTC is asking for comment on rules requiring resellers to register with the commission. 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 …

Shaw launches security video service for smaller businesses

Shaw Communications Inc. is now offering a video surveillance service aimed at small and medium businesses, the company said in a press release 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 …

New wireless-extending tech a ‘paradigm shift’ for 5G: federal researchers

OTTAWA — A federal research lab on the outskirts of Canada’s capital has developed a technology that could extend the signals fundamental to ubiquitous wireless connectivity.  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 …

Google building smart community in Toronto

Alphabet Inc.’s Sidewalk Labs have won a City of Toronto request for proposals to create a development plan called Sidewalk Toronto, which aims to design a high-tech neighbourhood with smart city infrastructure on an 800-acre piece of Toronto’s eastern waterfront. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …

Small providers, incumbents clash over WiFi-based MVNOs

Mandating wholesale roaming access to Wi-Fi-based mobile virtual network operators (MVNO) will encourage innovation and competition by providing Canadians with more wireless service options, some organizations and small providers told the CRTC, while incumbents argued such a mandate would actually threaten their investment in future technology, including 5G. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers …

VR data consumption to skyrocket: Juniper

Global wireless data consumption through virtual reality (VR) content will grow ten-fold over the next four years, according to Juniper Research. 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 …

No merit to TNW’s roaming request, telecoms say

Most of Canada’s major wireless providers were of the same mind on an application by TNW Wireless Inc. asking the CRTC to compel BCE Inc. and Telus Corp. to enter into roaming agreements with TNW, telling the regulator in interventions that its service doesn’t qualify for mandatory roaming. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …

CRTC asks telecoms about MVNOs, plans for low-income customers

The CRTC is asking wireless service providers about whether they’ve been approached by potential mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) and their service offerings for low-income individuals. 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 …

CRTC consulting on MVNO rules

The CRTC has launched a consultation on changing its wholesale wireless roaming rules, following a call by the government telling the regulator to reconsider how that policy affects WiFi-based mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs). This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …

TNW Wireless files Part 1 over roaming agreements

A Northern mobile wireless provider is asking the CRTC to compel a pair of incumbents to strike roaming agreements with it, arguing that its proposed national Wi-Fi based service is substantially different from one kiboshed by the regulator earlier this year. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …

TNW Wireless, iFramed sold to U.S. company

Investel Capital Corp.’s TNW Wireless Inc. has been sold to an American holding and management company, United American Corp., the Florida-based company announced in a Wednesday press release. 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 …

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 …

ISED lays out 5G consultation paper

Innovation Canada has opened its consultation on releasing spectrum to support 5G wireless networks, Minister Navdeep Bains  announced in Toronto 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 …

Bains tells CRTC to reconsider MVNO rules

TORONTO — Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains is directing the CRTC to reconsider a March decision in which it set rules for regulated wholesale roaming by wireless providers in a move that could change the landscape around mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) in Canada. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here …

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.

Open 5GHz to HPODs before 2019: telecoms

Canada should allow high-power and outdoor devices (HPODs) in the 5GHz band before the World Radiocommunications Conference in 2019 (WRC-19), Canada's major telecom companies said in comments to the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.

They pointed to increasing data consumption and new developments like 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT) as reasons the devices need to be able to operate on a less congested band.

CRTC rules against Sugar Mobile in roaming dispute with Rogers

Rogers Communications Inc. doesn’t have to provide roaming services to Iristel Inc.’s mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) Sugar Mobile, the CRTC said Wednesday in a move that closes the door on mandating access by MVNOs to wireless carriers’ networks.

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.

ISED consulting on expanding use of 5GHz spectrum

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) is seeking comments on a proposal to allow the use of additional devices on 5GHz spectrum.

In a consultation paper released Friday, ISED said the proliferation of WiFi devices, such as smartphones, tablets, game consoles and smart TVs, is putting heavy stress on radio local area network (RLAN) bands. In fact, increased stress on broadband networks has forced service providers to deploy WiFi hotspots to off-load traffic, and ISED said that’s expected to continue.

Investel to launch national Wi-Fi based wireless service

Investel Capital Corp.’s TNW Networks Corp. (TNW) will soon start deploying a Wi-Fi-based mobile technology as part of a nationally available wireless service that the company is claiming will be disruptive to the Canadian market, despite regulatory uncertainly caused by a CRTC complaint regarding a similar service.

Shaw connects Freedom Mobile to WiFi hotspots

Shaw Communications Inc. is allowing customers of its Freedom Mobile to connect to its network of Wi-Fi hotspots.

Freedom Mobile subscribers will have access to more than 65,000 hot spots in Western Canada, Shaw said in a press release Wednesday.

Ontario approves self-driving car pilot

Ontario is launching a pilot project to test self-driving cars, the provincial government said Monday.

It noted in a press release that the province was the first in Canada to launch a regulatory framework allowing it to “test automated vehicles on its roads” earlier this year.  

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.

PQ leadership candidate says nationalizing Internet networks a possibility

Martine Ouellet, who is currently running for leadership of Quebec’s Parti Quebecois, says that she would consider nationalizing Internet infrastructure in the province if telecoms don’t improve service and cut prices.

The Canadian Press reported Monday that Ouellet said that users should pay one reduced rate for Internet access, which would be even lower for low-income individuals, and that Quebecers should have 1 GB speeds.

Bell releases ultra high-def PVR

BCE Inc. customers can now take advantage of the “world’s first fully wireless [Internet protocol TV] service,” the company said Monday.

In a press release, Bell said a wireless 4K Whole Home PVR was now available for Fibe TV customers, offering “up to 150 hours of 4K recording capacity and Bluetooth remote that enables out-of-sight positioning of the PVR.”

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.”

TV still golden in multi-platform Olympic coverage: experts

While digital and mobile options for watching the Summer Olympics are gaining in popularity and engagement, television continues to own the podium for the Canadian outlet broadcasting the two-week multi-sport tournament happening now in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Sugar Mobile partners with U.S. MVNO

Iristel Inc.’s mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) Sugar Mobile announced Wednesday it has partnered with an American WiFi-based service to leverage existing WiFi customers who might want some access to cellular networks.

Ehealth is growing, but market size still unknown

MONTREAL — In recent years, Canadians have gained the ability to keep track of data contributing to their health — from steps walked to their heart rate to calories burned — in a way that would have been impossible before the emergence of fitness trackers and smartphone apps.

Infrastructure, spectrum among obstacles for connected cars

Traffic on the Internet of Things (IoT) is forecast to skyrocket over the coming years, and though vehicles will be part of that network, there are still a number of challenges, including infrastructure, security and spectrum, that have to be addressed before true “connected” cars can take to Canadian roads.

Lindsay Gibson joins TextNow as COO

Waterloo, Ont.-based TextNow announced Thursday former BlackBerry Inc. executive Lindsay Gibson was joining the company as chief operating officer.

The company, which provides WiFi-based wireless service in the United States starting at less than $20 per month, said Gibson “will assume leadership for all TextNow operations including oversight of the entire customer experience lifecycle encompassing customer care, fulfillment, billing and IT.”

Public WiFi users take risks with personal info: Norton

Canadians are some of the heaviest users of public WiFi, according to a new study by Symantec Corp.’s Norton, which also suggests that most public WiFi users “exhibit risky public WiFi behaviours.”

According to results published June 28 in Norton’s WiFi Risk Report, 89 per cent of Canadian respondents indicate they use public connections, trailing 93 per cent of Brazilians and 97 per cent of Mexicans.

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.

What does the future hold for WiFi calling?

Despite the fact that large wireless carriers have been offering WiFi calling for months, the emergence of WiFi calling provider Sugar Mobile, and hinted-at-plans by Shaw Communications Inc. to integrate Wind with its WiFi network, experts say the technology is unlikely to take centre stage in the Canadian wireless market.

Cogeco launches public WiFi in St. Catharines, Niagara Falls

Cogeco Inc. has launched a free public WiFi network with more than 360 hotspots in St. Catharines and Niagara Falls, Ont., the company said Wednesday.

Access to the network is free for Cogeco Connexion high-speed Internet customers and non-customers can log in as guests for a free trial, the company said in a press release.

Shaw offering credit to Fort McMurray evacuees

Shaw Communications Inc. customers in Fort McMurray and other wildfire-affected areas in the region are getting a one-month service credit, the company announced in a Saturday press release.

The credit, retroactive to the city’s mandatory evacuation date of May 3, will ensure all affected customers continue to have access to Shaw Go WiFi, FreeRange TV” and their Shaw domain email accounts, “without needing to worry about their account’s status,” the release said.

Free Shaw WiFi available in Saskatoon

Shaw Communications Inc. has rolled out free Wi-Fi access at municipal facilities in Saskatoon.

The complimentary Shaw Go WiFi was made possible through collaboration with the Saskatchewan city’s new Service Saskatoon citizen-service model, Shaw said in a press release Wednesday.

Air Canada to offer WiFi on international flights

Gogo Inc., a Chicago-based provider of in-flight Internet service and entertainment, announced Monday it has partnered with Air Canada provide in-flight WiFi services on international flights.

Sugar Mobile subs have no ‘right’ to roaming: Rogers

Rogers Communications Inc. and BCE Inc. told the CRTC that Rogers has the right to disconnect Ice Wireless from its network because its affiliate Sugar Mobile is selling service outside of Ice Wireless' operating territory.

CRTC tells Rogers not to disconnect Sugar Mobile, for now

The CRTC said Thursday Rogers Communications Inc. has to “maintain its roaming agreement” with Iristel Inc.’s subsidiary Ice Wireless and its affiliate Sugar Mobile until the CRTC makes a decision on Ice Wireless’ Part 1 application.

Cogeco launches 400 new WiFi hotspots in Ontario

Cogeco Inc. announced Wednesday it has launched 400 WiFi hotspots across Burlington, Oakville, Milton and Georgetown, all located in the surrounding area of Toronto.  

It said in a press release that Cogeco has been working towards expanding its public WiFi network for the past year. The coverage will be available at different locations such as retail shops, restaurants and professional services offices, among others, it added.

Shaw to keep Wind’s current strategy in place: exec

As it takes ownership of Wind Mobile, Shaw Communications Inc. will continue positioning Wind as a cheaper option compared to the big three national wireless carriers, according to the company’s chief operating officer.

In a wide-ranging phone interview with The Wire Report, Jay Mehr said Shaw plans to keep the same “strategy that Wind has been executing over the course of last year.”

Videotron says original show breaks Illico viewing record

Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron said Thursday that its over-the-top (OTT) service Club Illico’s original series Blue Moon reached 100,000 views in less than 48 hours within its launch.

Videotron said in a French press release that Blue Moon was the first show to receive so many views in such a short period of time in the history of Club Illico, and added that this was the first show across all categories of content to break the record.

It noted that the show was available to about 250,000 customers since Jan. 25.

BlackBerry launches new mobile security software

BlackBerry Ltd. announced Tuesday the release of a new suite of mobile security software for businesses.

It said in a press release that the new software, called Good Secure EMM Suites, is "a comprehensive set of mobile security, management, productivity and collaboration offerings."

Service restored to NetTalk customers through Primus

NetTalk.com Inc. announced Wednesday evening that its VoIP service has been restored to all its customers in Canada.

CRTC working to resolve Iristel, NetTalk connection issue

Iristel Inc., a Markham, Ont.- based telecom company, announced Tuesday it is working with the CRTC to resolve an ongoing dispute with Florida-based VoIP provider NetTalk.com Inc., in order to reinstate connections to customers who have been disconnected from their VoIP service.

Verizon allows companies to cover data costs for consumer access

Verizon Communication Inc. announced Tuesday it is introducing a new sponsored data service, called FreeBee Data, to help businesses drive better consumer engagement without cutting into customers' mobile data allotments. 

Rogers broadcasts first 4K NBA game

Rogers Communications Inc., the National Basketball Association and BT Group PLC’s BT Sport teamed up Thursday to produce the world's first live broadcast of an NBA basketball game in 4K, a Rogers spokesman confirmed Friday.

The game between the Toronto Raptors and the Orlando Magic, played at London's O2 arena, was to be made available to Rogers cable customers in Canada through 4K-capable NetBox set-top boxes on channel 999, according to a press release issued Wednesday.

Ontario library wins award for hotspot-device lending service

The Kitchener, Ont., public library’s hotspot-device lending service has led it to win the Ontario Library Information Technology Association Project award from the Ontario Library Association.

Lesa Balch, senior manager of service development at the library, said in a phone interview Friday that the service, which is called Borrow the Internet, began in October and since then has been “circulated to 112 people.”

Traditional TV still important for baby boomers: MTM

According to a new report on media technology adoption of baby boomers released Wednesday by the Media Technology Monitor, a project of CBC/Radio Canada, 89 per cent of baby boomer anglophones aged 50 to 69 have a paid TV service subscription, compared to 73 per cent of younger adults aged 18 to 49, and 93 per cent of seniors aged 70 and above.

Tangible benefits unclear for Corus-Shaw deal: expert

Regulatory approval of Corus Entertainment Inc.'s planned purchase of Shaw Communications Inc.'s media division shouldn't be a problem since there's no real change in who's controlling the assets, said one consultant, though there is some question as to how tangible benefits will apply in this deal.

MTS expands HSPA, LTE network in Manitoba

Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. announced Wednesday it has expanded its HSPA and LTE network to Piney, Man., which is located about two hours driving south of Winnipeg.

MTS CEO Jay Forbes said in a press release that the expansion was part of its $1-billion investment done over the past five years to ensure Manitoba has access to communication and information technology services.

Sugar Mobile releases WiFi mobile service

Sugar Mobile, a Toronto-area based company owned by Iristel Inc., announced Wednesday a new mobile service that's based on WiFi.

It said in a press release that the service operates through an app that is paired with a SIM card that customers can purchase at Shoppers Drug Mart or 7-Eleven outlets. It added that customers are also required to have an unlocked cell phone in order to use this SIM card.

SaskTel partners with University of Regina to deploy wireless technology

Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. announced Monday it has partnered with the University of Regina to deploy new wireless technology manufactured by Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.

Netflix expands from 60 countries to 190

Netflix Inc. announced Wednesday that its streaming service is now available to customers in more than 130 new countries, tripling its international availability.

Bell to bring iHeartRadio to Canada

BCE Inc. announced Wednesday it has signed a partnership deal with iHeartMedia Inc. in order to bring iHeartRadio, the free digital radio and music streaming service based in the U.S., to Canada this year.

It said in a press release that iHeartRadio will provide customers “instant access to the live radio feature,” and will showcase content from Bell’s broadcast and digital-only radio stations across mobile, auto dashes, tablets, smartphones, gaming consoles and wearables.  

Toronto telecom provider seeks condo access

Beanfield Technologies Inc., an independent provider of fibre-based Internet, TV and phone services in Toronto, is asking the CRTC to help it gain access to one of the few condominium buildings it isn't already connected to in the city's Liberty Village neighbourhood.

Competition Bureau says Telus will pay $7.3M in premium texting case

The Competition Bureau said Wednesday that it had reached an agreement with Telus Corp. to end legal proceedings in relation to premium texting services that former and current customers have paid for.

The Competition Bureau said in a press release that Telus would issue up to $7.3 million in refunds to customers after it found Telus made “false or misleading representations in advertisements for premium text messages in pop-up ads, apps and on social media,” and added that this was the largest consumer rebate obtained under a bureau agreement.

Content on multiple platforms can lower future revenue: report

Having premium content on linear TV and on over-the-top (OTT) services can cause adverse effects on revenue growth and will cause consumers to expect lower costs for premium TV content, according to a new report from Needham & Co. LLC.

Shaw provides Go WiFi to ferry commuters in Vancouver

Shaw Communications Inc. announced Thursday that it is partnering with Vancouver’s transportation authority to provide Shaw Go WiFi for free to all passengers travelling on the SeaBus ferry route.

It said in the press release that WiFi will be available for free at both the Waterfront terminal, which is located downtown Vancouver, and Lonsdale Quay terminal, located in north Vancouver.

Shaw says timing, current market dynamics made Wind deal attractive

The economics of entering Canada’s wireless market through the acquisition of Wind Mobile today are better than past opportunities Shaw Communications Inc. has had to enter the mobile sector, officials said during a conference call Thursday morning.

“By acquiring a company that already has a solid foundation, including spectrum, management expertise and scale, we have significantly lowered our risk of entry, and have done so in a disciplined and prudent manner,” Brad Shaw, CEO of Shaw Communications, said during the call.

Ericsson renews contract with Eastlink for 3 years

Ericsson AB announced Thursday that it has renewed its agreement with Eastlink to expand and upgrade its LTE and HSPA networks, as well as continue to be the exclusive supplier for radio access network equipment for another three years.

It said in the press release that the renewed agreement will allow Eastlink to provide its customers with a suite of services that will include bundling options with TV, Internet and landline phone services.

Rogers partners with Trustwave on business security

Rogers Communications Inc. announced Wednesday a new portfolio of cybersecurity solutions for Canadian businesses to detect and prevent global cyber-attacks.

CRTC denies TekSavvy relief in Toronto wholesale issue

The CRTC has denied TekSavvy Solutions Inc.'s request for interim relief in a situation where Rogers Communications Inc. is slated to replace some legacy cable in a Toronto neighbourhood with fibre, leaving a certain number of households, for the time being, unable to become customers of TekSavvy or any other small Internet service provider (ISP) renting capacity on the local cable network.

Netflix says new process will waste less bandwidth

Netflix Inc. is re-encoding its entire library of content in order to provide customers with a better experience for watching content while using less bandwidth to process it. 

The company said in a blog Monday that the process is called per-title encoding, in which an analysis of every title that is available was conducted in order to determine the quality and the amount of bandwidth required for it to be streamed.

Bell adds Netflix link to IPTV services

BCE Inc. announced Monday that subscribers of Bell’s Fibe TV and Bell Alliant’s FibreOP TV will have access to their Netflix Inc. account directly from their TV receivers.

It said in the release that all Fibe TV receivers have been upgraded to access the video streaming service, and added that customers have to press the apps button on their Fibe or Fibre OP TV remote.

Relevance trumps affordability in reasons to forgo Internet: Ipsos

Newly released survey results show that almost 10 per cent of Canadians still do not have Internet access at home, and more people cite its relevance to their personal lives than affordability as a reason why.

Data released by Ipsos Public Affairs on Friday showed that 91 per cent of respondents to a survey reported getting the Internet at home. Among the nine per cent without home Internet, two per cent said they had it on a mobile subscription only, another two per cent used it outside of their homes and five per cent did not use it at all.

Yahoo launches mobile app in U.S. to find OTT content

Yahoo Inc. announced Thursday the launch of its Yahoo Video Guide mobile app for customers in the United States to search for video content across multiple services they have installed on their devices.

The company said in a blog that customers will be able to “quickly and seamlessly search” for content in order to find out which over-the-top content provider is streaming programming they want to watch. The post added that customers can click on the content and will be redirected to the app where that content is available.

Rogers customer care joins Facebook Messenger

Rogers Communications Inc. announced Friday that its customers will now have access to its customer care service on Facebook Inc.’s Messenger.

It said in a press release that the service is available for all consumer products between 7 a.m. and midnight ET every day, and added that customers can access the chat by going to the Rogers Facebook page and clicking on the message button to start a chat with someone from Rogers.

Wind to launch LTE by end of 2016 with new financing

Wind Mobile is looking to make LTE service available to at least some of its customers by the end of next year, after announcing it has borrowed $425 million to help it do so.

On Thursday, Wind issued a press release that indicated it has secured a new financing package worth $425 million that involves backing from Toronto-Dominion Bank, Bank of Montreal and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. Also involved is Finnverva, the export credit agency of Finland, where the technology provider for Wind's network upgrade, Nokia Corp., is based.

Millennials consume most TV, video content online: MTM

Canadian millennials, defined as individuals aged 18 to 34, spend 31.8 hours a week on the Internet and are more likely to watch TV and video content online than those aged 34 and above, who spend 16.5 hours per week online, according to a new report released by Media Technology Monitor, a project of CBC/Radio-Canada.

Bell ranked highest in mobile network performance

BCE Inc. was tops in RootMetric’s 2015 Canadian mobile network performance review that was released Wednesday, with Rogers Communications Inc. and Telus Corp. not far behind.

Otono to launch prepaid wireless service for parents in U.S.

Otono Networks Inc. announced Wednesday it is launching next year in the U.S. a new prepaid wireless mobile service specifically for parents that will include two free lines for their kids.

It said in a press release that the service, called Krew Mobile, will include one main line designated to the parent that will be in charge of the two separate lines, all costing $39 US per month.

Federal government funds Internet expansion in eastern Ontario

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, formerly known as Industry Canada, announced Monday that it is funding high-speed Internet services for about 1,000 households in communities across eastern Ontario.

Roam Mobility offers SIM cards for vistors to Canada

Otono Networks Inc.’s Roam Mobility, a provider of SIM cards for out-of-Canada mobile usage, announced Friday it is launching a new SIM card for visitors to Canada.

The Vancouver-based company said in a press release that the Canada Travel SIM card can be inserted into any unlocked phone and customers can start using the plan as soon as they arrive into the country.

Smartphone shipment growth slowed this year: IDC

Worldwide smartphone shipments in 2015 are expected to be 9.8 per cent more than last year for a total of 1.43 billion units, marking the first time that percentage growth for this product has been less than double digits, International Data Corp. said Thursday.

Wearable shipments up almost 200% in Q3: IDC

Worldwide wearable shipments rose 197.6 per cent with 21 million units shipped in the third quarter this year, up from 7.1 million units in the same period a year earlier, according to a new report released Thursday by International Data Corp.

Telus launches new cloud services for businesses

Telus Corp. announced Thursday it has expanded its cloud services to offer Canadian businesses a suite of managed infrastructure as service solutions that include private and public cloud offerings, as well as a hybrid of the two.

It said in the press release that the cloud services portfolio will allow companies to create a flexible and secure IT environment that will help meet the needs of businesses and push for operational efficiencies.

Shaw provides better public WiFi for premium plans

Shaw Communications Inc. announced Wednesday that all customers who are subscribed to its Internet 30, or any broadband Internet plan above that, will have access to download speeds six times faster when connected to any of the 75,000 Shaw Go WiFi hotspot across Western Canada.

B.C. community temporarily without Internet service

Onewayout.net Society, the only Internet service provider in Stewart, B.C., has shut down its services as it awaits the provision of new connections, courtesy of Telus Corp. and another small British Columbia-based ISP.

In a notice posted on the company’s website, Onewayout said: “Onewayout.net has made the decision to discontinue internet service on or before November 30, 2015. It is not our intention to stand in the way of progress. We wish to thank all our customers for your patronage over the last twenty plus years.”

Rogers to continue providing wireless services for Quebec government

Rogers Communications Inc. announced Wednesday it has signed an agreement with the Centre de services partagés du Quebec (CSPQ) to continue its wireless services for up to 10 years with the government of Quebec.

Rogers said in the press release that it will provide wireless technologies, including voice and data services, and connectivity for the Internet of Things (IoT) at the provincial and municipal levels.