Wireless providers obligated to meet 911 standard: CRTC

All wireless service providers must provide the same basic level of 911 service, the CRTC said Monday.

In a policy decision posted to its website, the regulator set out new rules stating that providers of voice services who are not competitive local exchange carriers are obligated “to provide wireless Basic 9-1-1 service in all areas where they operate and where wireless Basic 9-1-1 network access services are available from the relevant [incumbent local exchange carrier].”

Bell-MTS deal could pose regulatory risk for SaskTel: report

The biggest risk to Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. in the wake of BCE Inc.’s proposed $3.9-billion takeover of Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. is the potential changing of the regulatory landscape, according to a provincially-commissioned analysis.

SCC decision backs Rogers, federal jurisdiction in telecom

A nearly nine-year spat between Rogers Communications Inc. and a Quebec municipality over the location of a wireless tower came to an end Thursday, with the Supreme Court of Canada handing the company a victory and bolstering the federal government’s authority over telecommunications matters.

Broadcast licence renewal hearing set for November

The CRTC said Wednesday it will hold a public hearing to renew broadcast licences held by large ownership groups, including Rogers Communications Inc., BCE Inc., Corus Entertainment Inc. and Quebecor Inc. this fall.

Bernard Lord leaving CWTA

The Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) will be looking for a new president and CEO following the departure of Bernard Lord.

As of Sept. 1, Lord, who has helmed the CWTA since the fall of 2008, will take on a new position as CEO of Medavie, the health company said in a Wednesday press release.

Vancouver police should be transparent about stingrays: privacy advocates

A group of privacy and police accountability organizations is asking the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) to come clean about the use of stingrays after new information revealed the RCMP has been using them for a decade.

The VPD denied both having the mass surveillance devices and holding any records from them, and the British Columbia Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner has since closed a case that was brought forth by the Pivot Legal Society, the group said in a Wednesday press release.

Wall prefers SaskTel sale over public offering: report

Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall told reporters he would rather sell Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. than take the company public and sell shares on the open market, Bloomberg reported Tuesday.

Selling shares is what Manitoba did with Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. in the 1990s, the article noted.

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.

Wearable adoption slow, app use declining: study

The adoption of wearable devices is sluggish in Canada, with only 10 per cent of Canadians indicating they own one, suggest the results of a new Catalyst study.

“While the advent of wearables, particularly the Apple Watch, made headlines in 2015, the overall adoption rate was less than anticipated,” the digital marketing agency said in the report released Thursday.

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.

High-speed Internet project completed in NWT community

Broadband infrastructure improvements have been completed in the remote community of Nahanni Butte, N.W.T., the federal government said in a Wednesday press release.

The project to replace a satellite network with a microwave radio network was completed by Northwestel Inc. in April, the release said, a commitment made when the company began servicing the area as part of the Northwest Territories Broadband Initiative in October 2015.

Videotron’s Brouillette asks Liberals to keep 4th player policy for 600 MHz

TORONTO — The Liberal government should continue the previous Conservative government’s push for more competition in the wireless market in the upcoming 600 MHz auction, Manon Brouillette, president and CEO of Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron, said at an industry conference Wednesday.

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.

Proxy advisors, Manitoba gov’t back Bell-MTS deal

An independent proxy advisory company has backed the takeover of Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. by BCE Inc., MTS said in a Tuesday press release.

MTS customers fear bill increases, unlimited data loss under Bell: poll

Current Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. customers are concerned about the future of their bills if the proposed takeover by BCE Inc. is approved, suggest the results of a new poll released Tuesday.

Telus reports 911 call stats

Out of the more-than four million 911 calls sent across its wireless and wireline networks last year, Telus Corp. said 15 of them did not complete, the company disclosed.

5G key to future wireless profitability, Ericsson’s CTO says

TORONTO — With customers’ usage of data increasing exponentially, and carriers limited in how much they can charge for that data, telecoms will have to turn to 5G networks, Ericsson Canada’s Dragan Nerandzic said at the Canadian Telecom Summit Monday.

Regulatory approval clause at centre of Catalyst lawsuit

The consortium of investors that bought VimpelCom Ltd.’s stake in Wind Mobile didn’t make the deal contingent on regulatory approval, a clause it was able to include because of a breach in the confidentiality agreement between VimpelCom and The Catalyst Capital Group Inc., according to allegations levelled Tuesday against the consortium in a filing to the Ontario Superior Court.

SaskTel enhancing wireless coverage on Highway 18

Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. is updating its wireless network along a 130-kilometre stretch of highway, the company announced Wednesday.

A $2.1-million investment into Highway 18 from the south-eastern city of Estevan to the Saskatchewan-Manitoba boarder will “increase the coverage footprint along the highway and improve service to the adjacent communities,” a SaskTel press release said.

Canadian publishers adopt new Google platform

Three Canadian media outlets will be able to display their pages faster on smartphones while using less data after adopting a new platform developed by Alphabet Inc.’s Google, according news articles by Corus Entertainment Inc.’s Global News, the Toronto Star and Postmedia Network Inc.

The three companies reported separately that they are adopting Google’s Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) platform in recent days.

MTS considered SaskTel merger, Telus and Rogers declined to bid

An information package for Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. shareholders sheds some light on the genesis of the proposed $3.9-billion acquisition of the company by BCE Inc., announced May 2.

According to the 192-page document outlining various terms of the agreement in which shareholders could receive $40 cash per MTS share, it was a week-and-a-half-long process from offer to public announcement.

Remove foreign ownership rules: OECD

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is recommending giving Canada’s economy a boost by removing foreign ownership rules for telecommunications and broadcasting.

Canada a ‘laggard’ in ICT investment, growth, forum hears

OTTAWA — Canada needs to “come to grips” with its lagging productivity and mobile broadband penetration if it wants to compete on the global stage, panellists said Wednesday during the annual Canadian Internet Registration Authority’s (CIRA) Canadian Internet Forum.

MTS shareholders to vote on Bell deal

Shareholders in Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. will have their say in the proposed merger with BCE Inc. later this month.

61% of Manitobans disapprove of Bell-MTS deal: Angus-Reid

The sale of Manitoba’s largest telecommunications company is not sitting well with Manitobans, with 61 per cent stating they don’t approve of the deal, while only 21 per cent said it would be good or very good for the province, according to a new Angus Reid poll.

The survey, released Wednesday, also found that disapproval is highest among those who are paying the closest attention to the story.

Bell-MTS deal raised in Manitoba legislature

The proposed $3.9-billion acquisition of Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. by BCE Inc. dominated question period in the Manitoba legislature this week, with the opposition NDP peppering the governing Conservatives with questions about their support of the merger for three straight days.

Bell to pay $12M for premium text message charges

The Competition Bureau said Friday it has reached an agreement with BCE Inc. in which the company will rebate customers up to $11.8 million for premium text messaging charges.

It will also donate $800,000 to digital research media and awareness.

The Competition Bureau said in a press release that the “amount of money available for consumer rebates is the most obtained to date under a Bureau agreement.”

Wireless networks feeling strain from data usage: report

A new report from J.D. Power says customers’ increasing usage of wireless data is “stressing overall network quality performance.”

Its Canadian Wireless Network Quality Study found the rate of network problems per 100 connections rose from nine to 10 in 100 connections, “largely due to an increasing use of mobile apps and features, which is driving data problems upward” by one per 100 connections, to 15 per 100. Problems with voice service and texting remained stable, at 13 and five problems per 100 connections, respectively.

Bell-MTS deal weakens Rogers’ ability to compete: academics

In a submission to the Competition Bureau arguing that allowing BCE Inc. to acquire Manitoba Telecom Services Inc.

Eastlink expands wireless service to northern Ontario

Bragg Communications Inc.’s Eastlink announced Thursday that it is launching wireless service in Timmins, Ont., on June 1.

“Customers stuck in a contract can make the switch right away as Eastlink will buy out their existing cellphone contract,” the company said in a press release.

Government info requests down 16.5%: Telus

Shoan launches second challenge to Blais’ power to name panels

CRTC commissioner Raj Shoan has filed another court challenge regarding the ability of CRTC chairman Jean-Pierre Blais to assign commissioners to panels that make decisions on issues before the regulator.

Bill forcing U.S. carriers to disclose location data doesn’t pass Congress

United States lawmakers failed to pass legislation Monday that would have required American wireless providers to hand over call location information to emergency personnel during emergencies.

Videotron temporarily adds U.S. roaming to premium plans

Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron is offering Canada-U.S. roaming plans that allow customers to use their plan for up to 90 days in the United States each year without incurring roaming charges.

Videotron’s website says the “Without Borders” plans include unlimited voice, including calls to the to the U.S., and unlimited texts. The plans cost $65.95 for 2 GB of data,  $75.95 for 3 GB, $85.95 for 5 GB and $95.95 for 6 GB.

Bell, MTS announce Manitoban service improvement

BCE Inc. and Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. made a high-profile overture Friday in their bid to join forces, announcing plans for a proposed merged operation to fill gaps in wireless coverage along a major north-south highway in the prairie province.

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.

CRTC quietly looking into MVNO access

The CRTC launched a “fact-finding process” into wholesale access for mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) last month, sending a letter to Canadian wireless companies asking for information.

Rogers says number of info requests fell 24% in 2015

CRTC launches review of zero-rating, sponsored data

Net neutrality advocates welcomed the CRTC’s launch of a new consultation on “differential pricing practices” for both wireline and wireless data plans Wednesday, a process that will see a public hearing kick off on Oct. 31.

Tamir Israel, a lawyer with the Samuel-Gloshko Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic, said in a phone interview that having “this broader review that’s going to put in place a more-principled framework and look beyond ad-hoc scenarios that have come up so far is a good step.”

SaskTel announces capital investment plan

Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. said Monday it was making a more-than-$1.4-billion capital investment over the next five years to upgrade its systems and networks.

Of that investment, $331 million is allotted for the 2016-2017 fiscal year (ending March 31, 2017), the company said in a press release.

DiversityCanada, National Pensioners Foundation denied costs

The CRTC has denied a pair of applications from the DiversityCanada Foundation and the National Pensioners Federation to have Telus Corp. pick up their costs for participating in a pair of proceedings to review and vary the Wireless Code with respect to its prepaid balance policy.

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.

MTS Q1 revenues down on landline, wireless voice

Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. reported a two-per-cent loss in revenues, earning $250.7 million in the three months ended March 31, compared to $255.9 million in the same period a year earlier.

Mobile service gives Quebecor Q1 revenue boost

Quebecor Inc. reported a five-per-cent increase to revenue in the first quarter of 2016, bringing in $975.4 million compared to $929 million the same period a year earlier.

According to quarterly earnings released Thursday, the company also turned a profit of $354.7 million, which according to adjusted figures was up 4.6 per cent in the three months ending March 31, compared to the same period a year earlier.

Network-issue calls down after online tool launch: Rogers

In the three months since it launched a beta version of its online network-monitoring tool, Rogers Communications Inc. said it has experienced a decline in service calls about network issues.

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.

Rogers offering free Mother’s Day long-distance calls

Rogers Communications Inc. customers who live far from their mothers can call them for free this Sunday.

The company said Friday in a press release that it was offering its postpaid wireless customers one hour of free long-distance calling “across Canada and to most places around the world” on Mother’s Day, May 8.

Netflix introduces wireless data controls

Netflix Inc. subscribers can now regulate how much wireless data they use in the newest version of the company’s Android and iOS application.

As of May 5, the mobile app users could take advantage of “added controls to help you manage streaming data usage on cellular networks,” said the Netflix app update’s release notes.

SaskTel embarking on review in wake of Bell-MTS deal

Faced with the prospect of becoming “an island in Western Canada” at the conclusion of the proposed Manitoba Telcom Services Inc. sale, Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. is launching a review, according to media reports.

Don’t ‘rubber-stamp’ Bell-MTS deal: NDP

NDP MPs pushed the innovation minister to closely scrutinize BCE Inc.’s proposed $3.9-billion acquisition of Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. in the House of Commons Wednesday.

No charging after cancellation, CRTC reminds service providers

The CRTC issued a clarification Thursday reminding telecommunications service providers that they can’t charge for services once they’ve been cancelled.

“Furthermore, service providers must offer individuals and small business customers a refund upon cancellation, based on the number of days remaining in the billing cycle, if the service fees are billed in advance,” the commission said in a press release.

Telus revenues up, profits shrink in Q1

Telus Corp. revenues increased by 2.6 per cent in the first quarter of 2016, rising to $3.1 billion compared to $3.03 billion during the same period a year earlier, the company said Thursday.

In a press release outlining earnings for the three months ended March 31, the company attributed the increase to continued growth in its wireless and wireline operations, which saw revenues grow by 2.5 per cent and 3.7 per cent, respectively.

Bell’s MTS purchase to boost competition: MEI

The $3.9-billion acquisition of Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. by BCE Inc. would increase competition in Manitoba’s wireless market, according to the authors of a new report from the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI).

Bell Media reps face grilling on MTS at House committee

OTTAWA — Parliamentarians hoping for answers to outstanding questions about Monday’s news that BCE Inc. had struck a deal to acquire Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. were left disappointed when representatives from Bell’s media division appeared on Parliament Hill Tuesday morning.

Tony Tomae new Birch CEO

Birch Communications Inc. has named Tony Tomae as its new president and CEO, the company said in a press release Tuesday.

"In the short term, we will continue to expand our Metro-Fiber footprint, working with our business customers with operations across the U.S.-Canada border to consolidate services to a single provider, and we will deepen our feature set within our [cloud] portfolio to supply the enterprise-class features our customers need," Tomae said in the press release.

Experts say approval of Bell’s MTS acquisition likely

BCE Inc. announced Monday morning that it will purchase Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. in a $3.9 billion transaction that, if approved, will see the number of players in Manitoba’s telecom market fall from four to three.

Koodo leads in customer-service satisfaction: study

Millennial wireless customers are pushing the trend to online, self-serve options for customer service, according to a new J.D. Power study released Thursday.

Bell revenues, profits up in Q1

BCE Inc. reported a 0.6 per cent increase in revenues, rising to $5.27 billion in its first quarter of 2016 compared to the same three-month period a year earlier.

The company said in a press release Thursday that reflected a 1.3 per cent “year-over-year increase in total service revenues driven by solid wireless, wireline residential and media growth.”

Wind upgrades Calgary network

Wind Mobile has completed a Calgary-area network infrastructure upgrade, the Shaw Communications Inc.-owned company said in a Wednesday press release.

Cogeco open to Shaw partnership: Audet

Cogeco Inc. CEO Louis Audet said his company would be “delighted” to partner with Shaw Communications Inc. on its newly acquired wireless business, Wind Mobile.

Canadians unaware of MVNO decision: survey

A new Angus-Reid Institute survey suggests two-thirds of Canadians were unaware of a recent CRTC decision that advocates said could affect wireless rates and competition.

Privacy commissioner investigating ‘stingray’ tech

The privacy commissioner’s office has started an investigation into the RCMP’s use of “stingray” surveillance technologies, or IMSI catchers, following a complaint brought about on behalf of a privacy advocacy group.

“I can confirm that we have received a complaint from OpenMedia relating to the RCMP and IMSI catchers and that we have launched an investigation,” office spokesperson Valerie Lawton said in an email, adding that further details about the complaint could not be provided.

Opposition names new ISED critics

The Ministry of Innovation, Science and Economic Development has a new Opposition critic after interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose shuffled her shadow cabinet Friday.

According to a press release, Diane Finley, formerly the deputy Innovation critic, was promoted to replace Maxime Bernier, who filed papers to run in the Conservative leadership race on Thursday.

23.7% of Canadian households don’t subscribe to TV: report

A new report from Convergence Consulting Group Ltd. estimates 3.43 million Canadian households, or about 23.7 per cent, didn’t have a traditional TV subscription with a cable, satellite, or IPTV provider in 2015.

That’s an increase from 21.7 per cent a year earlier, and lower than the 25.8 per cent the company predicts for 2016.

Lawsuit over expiry of prepaid services dismissed on appeal

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has upheld a previous dismissal of a lawsuit against BCE Inc. over expiry dates on its prepaid wireless services. 

Telus to invest $4.5 billion in Alberta

Telus Corp. announced Monday it will invest $4.5 billion towards new communications infrastructure across Alberta over the next three years.

This year it will invest more than $900 million in order to extend its fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) network “directly to thousands of homes and businesses in rural and urban communities,” it said in a press release. Telus added the money will also be used to “further strengthen wireless service, and support key services including healthcare and education with new technologies.”

Sale of Primus’ Canadian assets to U.S. company completed

Atlanta-based Birch Communications Inc. said Monday it has completed the Canadian component of its acquisition of Primus Telecommunications Canada Inc.

“Birch plans to continue to use the Primus brand for its consumer business and will expand the Birch brand into Canada for business customers,” the company said in a press release.

Rogers customer complaints down by 65%: CCTS

Rogers Communications Inc. experienced a nearly 65-per-cent drop in complaints accepted by the Commissioner of Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS), according to the commissioner's mid-year report.

Released Wednesday morning, the report said Rogers was the subject of 437 complaints during the six-month period of Aug. 1, 2015 to Jan. 31, 2016, down from 1,240 complaints during the same period a year earlier.

What inroads will virtual reality make in TV, communications?

This week is a long-awaited one for virtual reality enthusiasts, as Facebook Inc. starts to ship its Oculus Rift headset to people who pre-ordered their $599 US devices as far in advance as early January.

While in the short term, VR technology is likely to make its biggest inroads among gamers, television and video conferencing could start taking place in virtual reality, too.

FBI drops suit against Apple for iPhone hack

The United States government called off its bid to compel Apple Inc. to create a workaround to get into a phone connected with a Dec. 2 attack in San Bernardino, Calif.

According to court documents filed Monday, the "government has now successfully accessed the data stored on (suspect Syed) Farook's iPhone and therefore no longer requires the assistance from Apple Inc." first ordered in February.

CRTC launches consultation on wireless emergency alerts

The CRTC is calling for input on the potential participation of wireless service providers in the country's National Public Alerting System to allow Canadians to receive emergency alert messages on their mobile devices.

I’m not your adversary, Blais tells marketers

CRTC Chairman Jean-Pierre Blais said in a speech to the Canadian Marketing Association in Toronto Tuesday that “legitimate marketers” should welcome anti-spam rules.

“They’re not going anywhere. They’re very likely here to stay. If anything, laws and rules of this kind will get tougher, not more lenient,” Blais said, according to a copy of his speech posted on the CRTC website.

Telus to invest $2 billion in Quebec

Telus Corp. announced Monday in a press release it is investing $2 billion towards new infrastructure in Quebec over the next five years.

This year, Telus will invest $340 million in extending its fibre-to-the-home network “directly to thousands of homes and businesses in rural and urban communities.” The money will also be used to “further strengthen wireless service, and support key services including healthcare with new technologies,” it said.

Sugar Mobile model threatens facilities-based competition: Telus, Quebecor

Allowing Sugar Mobile to continue roaming on Rogers Communications Inc.’s network would be a “backdoor means” to mandated mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) access, and “a recipe to destroy any appetite for facilities-based competition,” Telus Corp. said.

T-Mobile adds more providers to Binge On service

T-Mobile U.S. Inc. announced Thursday it has added more video providers to its unlimited mobile video streaming service, Binge On, including Google Inc.’s Youtube, Google Play Movies and Discovery GO.

It said in a press release that Binge On will now have more than 50 video services that customers can stream for free without cutting into their wireless data, which represent more than 70 per cent of “of all video T-Mobile customers watch on their phones and tablets each month.”

CRTC tells CCTS to step up enforcement, ‘naming and shaming’

In addition to expanding the mandate of the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS) Thursday to include TV service, the CRTC told the organization to make more use of enforcement tools at its disposal, including “naming and shaming.”

The CRTC said it believes that “promoting and monitoring compliance are necessary first steps in enforcement… it is not clear how much effort the CCTS has put into these activities or into enforcement, but at this point it would appear to be insufficient.”

Telecoms’ TV customer losses up five-fold in 2015

The number of subscribers leaving the Canadian TV system appears to be accelerating, as Canada’s publicly traded telecom companies lost five times more TV subscribers in 2015 than a year earlier.

Huawei boosting investment in 5G research

Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. announced Tuesday it is increasing the amount it will invest in 5G research.

Huawei is planning to invest up to $303 million over the next five years to be put towards 5G-related research initiatives, it said in a press release.

Verizon fined $1.35M US for targeted advertising practices

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said Monday it has fined Verizon Communications Inc. $1.35 million US for inserting unique identifier headers (UIDH) without customers’ consent in order to deliver targeted ads.

The FCC said in a press release it found Verizon had been inserting “unique, undeletable identifiers,” known as UIDHs or “supercookies,” which it “inserted into web traffic and used to identify customers in order to deliver targeted ads from Verizon and other third parties.”  

Apple gathers support in FBI dispute

Major tech companies have filed documents with the U.S. courts in support of Apple Inc.'s position against creating a workaround for investigators to access encrypted information on an iPhone connected with the Dec. 2 attack in San Bernadino, Calif.

Telecom policy should focus on innovation, not competition: report

Shaw Communications Inc.'s acquisition of Wind Mobile has fulfilled the previous federal government's push for four national carriers, which means the new government has the chance to hit the reset button on telecommunications policy, according to a new report by the Macdonald-Laurier Institute.

"Federal telecommunications policy has treated the industry like a public utility for more than 100 years," said the analysis, authored by Paul Beaudry and Sean Speer.

CCTS creates annotated guide to wireless code

The Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS) issued Wednesday an annotated guide to the CRTC’s wireless code, aimed at helping clarify how the code applies in specific situations to allow more complaints to be resolved without CCTS involvement.

“When we investigate customer complaints, it is not always clear how the code is intended to apply to the specific fact situations that we see,” CCTS Commissioner Howard Maker said in the release.

Shaw-Wind close deal

Shaw Communications Inc. confirmed Tuesday that it has closed the deal to purchase Wind Mobile.

The $1.6 billion transaction brings Shaw into the wireless market, with the acquisition of Wind's 940,000 subscribers.

Bell introducing smartphone accessibility tools

BCE Inc. is rolling out a suite of products designed to help make mobile communications more accessible.

In a Monday press release, the company said new screen readers, hearing aid compatibility, video conferencing, assisted messaging and voice calling services would assist customers with speech, cognitive, physical, hearing and vision-related disabilities in taking "full advantage of their smart devices."

Rogers disconnection would set harmful precedent: Sugar Mobile

Interventions filed opposing Ice Wireless' request for interim relief in its roaming dispute with Rogers Communications Inc. failed to properly address the relevant issues, instead focusing on "absurd" interpretations of statements Sugar Mobile CEO Samer Bishay made in media reports, the company said in a response to comments filed with the CRTC.

Wireless competition on federal agenda: Bains

Verizon leading 5G tests

Verizon Communications Inc. has partnered with other technology companies for 5G field testing, the U.S. carrier announced Monday.

The testing with the so-called 5G Technology Forum partners — including Ericsson AB, Intel Corp., Nokia Corp., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Qualcomm Inc. and Apple Inc. — “covers a wide range of deployment scenarios," Verizon said in a press release. 

Shaw-Wind deal gets closing date

Shaw Communications Inc. will close the $1.6 billion deal to purchase Wind Mobile by March 1, the company said Friday in a press release.