Openface to be main WiFi provider in Montreal project

Openface Internet announced Thursday it will provide the main bandwidth to power a public WiFi project in Montreal.

The company, based in Montreal, said in a press release it will provide a 20 Gbps Internet connection, following an agreement made with Palais des congrès in Montreal.

Microsoft restructuring phone business, cuts jobs

Microsoft Corp. said Wednesday it is cutting as many as 7,800 positions primarily as a result of restructuring its phone hardware business.

Industry Canada announces $41M for small-town Internet projects

Industry Canada said Tuesday it will spend $35 million to improve or expand Internet service for 8,400 homes in Nunavut, and in a separate announcement said $6 million would go toward doing the same for 14,000 homes in Nova Scotia.

It said in one press release that SSi Micro Ltd. would receive the funding to make satellite Internet services with download speeds of at least 3 Mbps available in Nunavut, starting in 2016. Communities affected include Iqaluit, Rankin Inlet, Resolute Bay and several others.

Bell overcharging departing customers, says Quebecor

Quebecor Inc. has filed an application asking the CRTC to force BCE Inc. to stop charging customers after the date they cancel telecommunications services.

Messaging traffic to grow 70% in next 4 years

The volume of online and mobile messaging will increase 70 per cent over the next four years, Juniper Research Ltd. said Tuesday.

The research group said the number of emails, instant messages, social media posts, and text messages using SMS (short message service) or MMS (multi-media messaging service) will total 160 trillion in 2019, up from 94.2 trillion this year.

Juniper said email accounted for the largest share of messages last year with 35 trillion, though 80 per cent of those, or 28 trillion, were spam.

U.S. kids prefer video content on mobile devices: survey

A new study conducted by Miner & Co. Studio. suggests watching regular cable TV is declining among kids in the United States, who would prefer to watch their favourite shows on a smartphone or tablet.

The report released Monday noted that 57 per cent of parents surveyed said their children would prefer to watch shows on other devices because they are able to take the device anywhere, the devices have easy interfaces, and kids are able to watch and re-watch shows at any time.

Rogers buyout of Mobilicity closes

Rogers Communications Inc. said in a press release late Thursday afternoon that its acquisitions of Mobilicity and wireless spectrum from Shaw Communications Inc. have received all necessary approvals and are now closed.

Telus makes NFB content available through Optik

Telus Corp.’s Optik TV customers will now have access more than 1,000 National Film Board of Canada (NFB) films on their TV via a new app.

Telus announced Thursday in a press release that the NFB app is now available to Optik TV subscribers in Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec.

Government repeals wireless roaming caps

The federal government has complied with a CRTC request by repealing caps imposed last year on how much wireless carriers can charge each other for domestic roaming.

A notice in the Canada Gazette said that subsections 239(2) and 240(2) of Economic Action Plan 2014 Act came into force Wednesday, the objective of which was to “repeal the legislated cap on domestic wholesale roaming rates in the Telecommunications Act, following the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) decision on wholesale roaming rates.”

‘Arbitrary’ limits in Industry Canada transparency guidelines: critics

Industry Canada’s new guidelines for transparency reports released by telecom companies put unnecessary limits on how information should be reported, according to two academics with expertise in privacy and surveillance.

“There is no general legal impediment to making these reports, which means the government shouldn’t be imposing any ad hoc restrictions,” Tamir Israel, a lawyer with the Samuel-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC), said in a phone interview.

CMF to go on cross-country consultation

The Canadian Media Fund (CMF) said Tuesday it will be going across the country for a consultation process this fall.

It said in a press release that the consultation process will include several components, including focus groups in 18 different cities across all provinces and territories, and industry working groups.

Samsung fitness bands rank highest in U.S. survey

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. ranks first among fitness-band makers for customer-satisfaction among U.S. residents, while Fitbit Inc. is second, according to a survey by J.D. Power and Associates.

It said in a press release Tuesday that Samsung's wearable fitness tracker scored high in terms of performance, style and appearance, variety of features, battery life and durability, while Fitbit was noted for its reliability, ease of use, durability and availability of apps.

Kelvin Shepherd stepping down from MTS

Kelvin Shepherd is retiring as president of Manitoba Telecom Service Inc., paving the way for Jay Forbes to take on the roles of both chief executive and president, the company said Monday.

Telecom leaders sell IoT services to increasingly savvy market

Over the past year, there has been a key change in the Internet of Things (IoT) market, as customers have become more aware of the technology and what it can do for them, according to officials from Canadian telecom companies.

Eric Simmons, general manager of Rogers Communications Inc.'s machine-to-machine (M2M) division, said he's noticed more customers coming in with fully developed ideas about how they want to harness the technology to improve their business.

Hexoskin shirts available through Best Buy

Hexoskin, a Montreal-based maker of shirts that capture biometric information about people, said this week that its products were to become available on the Canadian website of Best Buy Co. Inc. as of Friday.

The company said in a press release that its shirts are of value to athletes for tracking their bodies during exercise, daily activities and sleeping, as well as for astronauts and those doing scientific research.

Free WiFi launched in Old Montreal

The City of Montreal has started deploying free WiFi in parts of Montreal, according to a notice on its website.

It said the service launched in Old Montreal and some surrounding areas on Thursday after getting funding from the Quebec government and Montreal en Histoires, an organization that helps promote the tourism in the city.  

The launch is part of the Montreal Action Plan 2015-2017, which was announced on May 6 and includes 70 projects in total. The aim of the plan is to turn the City of Montreal into digital smart city, the city says on its website.

Smaller wireless carriers cry foul on interim-tariff filings

Wind Mobile, Quebecor Inc. and Eastlink are asking the CRTC to require incumbent wireless carriers to re-file documents relating to interim tariffs and conditions for domestic roaming access.

Feds fund fibre Internet expansions in Ontario

Industry Canada on Thursday announced that it will provide funding to bring fibre-based Internet services to more than 800 homes in and around Durham, Ont., and 2,500 homes in the area of Kenora, Ont.

A press release said about $1.8 million will be provided to Eccentric Artists Technical Services Ltd., a local Internet service provider, to help install and connect the homes in Durham.

The second release about $2 million will be provided to BCE Inc.’s subsidiary Bell Alliant to install services in Kenora.

New OTT options tempting TV consumers: study

A new study from Digitalsmiths, a subsidiary of TiVo Inc., shows almost 60 per cent of TV-service customers in Canada and the U.S. are spending more than $100 US a month for their subscriptions, and about one in four are unsatisfied with their service, which is the highest level since 2013.

Dissatisfaction mainly came from increasing fees that TV-service providers are charging, said the report released last week.

Wearables will increasingly use AI, say techies

OTTAWA — Those in the wearables industry envision the day when their products are taking less direction from humans and doing more thinking for themselves — in other words, incorporating more artificial intelligence (AI).

“We’re moving from this time where we manually created the Internet," Tom Emrich, organizer for the organization known as We Are Wearables, said during an event held in Ottawa Tuesday. "What we’re doing now is waking things up in this age of awareness.

Fibre Internet customers more satisfied, says market study

The proportion of Canadians connected to the Internet by fibre is rising and these people are more satisfied with their Internet service than others, according to market research data released Thursday.

J.D. Power and Associates said in press release that its most recent study of Internet service satisfaction in the country showed 18 per cent of Canadians reporting a fibre-optic connection, up from 15 per cent a year earlier.

SaskTel announces M2M management portal

Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. said Wednesday it has launched a machine-to-machine (M2M) management centre, which is an online portal for its business customers to control and monitor devices linked to an M2M connection.

SaskTel said the portal will allow customers to gain analytical information about their connected devices.

Rogers-Mobilicity deal sign of ‘benign’ regulatory environment: analyst

Industry Canada’s approval of Rogers Communications Inc.’s bid to buy Mobilicity, as well a deal for Rogers to acquire spectrum from Shaw Communications Inc., signals an improvement in the regulatory environment for large wireless providers, analysts said Wednesday.

MTS launches single Internet service for home and on the go

Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. launched a new plan Tuesday that integrates home Internet and wireless data service in one package, which analysts agreed is an indication of the ongoing trend toward Internet connectivity becoming telecoms’ core product.

Google launches free music-streaming service in U.S.

Google Inc. announced in a blog post Tuesday it will be adding to its current Google Play Music offering a free, ad-supported music streaming service.

It will give users “a new way to find just the right music and ... artists another way to earn revenue,” said the post.

Pay app launched for Android, BlackBerry, while Apple users wait

A mobile payment application owned and supported by Canada's three biggest wireless providers was announced Tuesday for Android and BlackBerry phones, while iPhone users are left waiting for Apple Pay to come to Canada.

Suretap, a joint venture of Rogers Communications Inc., BCE Inc. and Telus Corp., said that its mobile wallet application would be available to customers of the three companies' main mobile services, as well as Bell's flanker brand Virgin Mobile and Telus' Koodo.

Verizon completes purchase of AOL

Verizon Communications Inc. announced Tuesday that it has completed its acquisition of AOL Inc.

Is government easing off on spectrum-transfer policy?

Speculation that the federal government is poised to approve the acquisition of Mobilicity and its spectrum by Telus Corp. or Rogers Communications Inc. has some observers disagreeing whether this would represent a major departure for the federal government in its spectrum-transfer policy.

Set-asides, caps at issue in upcoming auction of unsold spectrum

Large wireless carriers are arguing for the elimination of set-asides and spectrum caps in the upcoming auction of unsold AWS-3 and 700 MHz spectrum, while smaller competitors say those measures should be kept in place.

BAE Systems bringing cloud-based security system to Canada

BAE Systems PLC announced Monday that its cloud-based cyber security system will be brought to commercial organizations in Canada for the first time.

The company said in a press release that new offering comes from its recent acquisition of security systems company SilverSky. The company will be offering its new security system, which is designed to defend against large targeted attacks, the release said.

BAE said the first products made available under this program will focus on email.

ITU defines roadmap to 5G

The United Nations’ International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the intergovernmental body that is responsible for establishing worldwide standards of communication systems, announced Friday it has defined a roadmap for 5G mobile network development.

It said in a press release that it has defined the process, goals and the timeline for development of 5G networks, and that it plans to discuss technical requirements of creating a 5G network for optimal performance with a goal of having the new system in place by 2020.

Carriers ordered to comply in Apple competition case

The Federal Court has ordered wireless carriers to provide information being asked for by the Competition Bureau as it looks into whether Apple Inc. engaged in anticompetitive practices related to sales of its iPhone.

Industry Minister James Moore leaving Ottawa

Industry Minister James Moore said Friday that he will not run in this fall's federal election.

Moore said in a statement posted to his personal website that he will finish his term as MP before "going home to British Columbia to pursue new opportunities and be closer to my young family."

He is expected to stay on as industry minister until the next election.

SaskTel boosts wireless network capacity in 10 communities

Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. said in a press release Friday it is expanding the capacity of its wireless network in 10 Saskatchewan rural communities.

The company will boost the network in Candle Lake, Carlyle, Cochin, Greenwater Lake, Kerrobert, Kindersley, Lloydminster, Manitou Beach, Nipawin and Turtle Lake, it said.

“SaskTel will be adding a network carrier in these 10 communities which will enhance the current tower capacity by 20 per cent to 100 per cent,” it said.

Privacy issues around wearables come into view

As wearable technology moves further into the mainstream, thoughts are turning toward how individual privacy can be protected with such devices that track and transmit information as personal as health data and real-time location.

Among the projects the Office of the Privacy Commissioner is slated to tackle over the next year is an analysis of fitness-tracker privacy and security.

Canadian telecom prices remain high in international comparisons: report

Prices of low-end wireless plans have continued to climb for the second year in a row, while Canada’s rates for broadband, wireless and bundled telecom services remain high compared to other countries, a new report found.

Committee calls for more research into wireless health effects

The House of Commons health committee is recommending that government consider more funding for researching links between wireless technology and health conditions such as cancer.

As a result of meetings held on the issue between March and April, the committee released a report on Wednesday that included a dozen recommendations.

Wearables market to grow 173.3% this year: IDC

International Data Corp. predicted Thursday that the global wearable market will grow 173.3 per cent this year.

The technology research company said in a press release that 72.1 million wearable devices will be shipped this year, up from 26.4 million last year. It forecast average annual growth of 42.6 per cent over five years with the number of shipments reaching 155.7 million units in 2019.

AT&T to be fined $100M US for throttling

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said Wednesday it would fine AT&T $100 million US for slowing down traffic for customers on wireless plans touted as being "unlimited."

The FCC said in a press release that an investigation found AT&T "severely slowed data speeds" for these customers without adequate notification.

Wind offering cellular service in Toronto subway

Wind Mobile is the first wireless carrier to provide its customers with cellular service in the Toronto subway system, the company said in a press release Wednesday.

Wind customers will have immediate “access to cellular service on [Toronto Transit Commission] platforms throughout all areas of St. George, Bay and Bloor- Yonge stations with additional connectivity on the downtown 'U' and Spadina stations going live by the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games,” it said.

60% of mobile data on WiFi by 2019: Juniper Research

Almost 60 per cent of the data generated globally by smartphones and tablets will be offloaded to WiFi networks by 2019, Juniper Research Ltd. said Tuesday.

Juniper said in a press release that more than 115,000 petabytes from mobile devices will be offloaded in 2019, up from less than 30,000 PB this year.

Competition Bureau seeks info on iPhone pricing from carriers

The Competition Bureau has filed applications in Federal Court seeking information from wireless carriers about how they set prices for Apple Inc.’s devices.

Cellular IoT/M2M connections predicted to quadruple by 2019

The number of cellular Internet of Things (IoT) and machine-to-machine (M2M) connections globally will nearly quadruple between 2014 and 2019, technology research group 451 Research LLC said Monday.

451 Research said in a press release that the number of connections will reach 908 million in 2019, up from 252 million last year.

BlackBerry declines comment on Android report

BlackBerry Ltd. declined Friday to comment on a report that it was considering using Google Inc.'s Android software in an upcoming smartphone.

Reuters reported Thursday that four sources with knowledge of the matter said BlackBerry was considering using the Android operating system as a way to shift its focus more toward software and device management, and less on creating the actual devices.

Who to lobby on spectrum: Policy Map

With demand for wireless spectrum on the rise, policy around the finite natural resource in Canada has emerged as a major government file over the last decade.

Bell, Telus, SaskTel and Videotron rank highest in customer survey

A new survey from J.D. Power says wireless customers in Ontario gave the highest marks for network performance to BCE Inc. and Telus Corp., those in the West to Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. and customers in the East chose Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron.

The J.D. Power 2015 Canadian Wireless Network Quality Study, released Thursday, looked at the performance of wireless networks related to calling, messaging and data, the company said in a press release.

Telus to close Blacks stores

Telus Corp. said Tuesday it will close all Blacks retail outlets by Aug. 8.

The company said in an emailed statement that despite changes implemented over the last year at these photography-centric stores, it has been "unable to realize profitable growth and it would take considerable investment to adapt Blacks to ongoing change."

Telus said: "Technological innovations have changed the way Canadians take and share photographs, with fewer of us using retail photo outlets."

Com Dev announces satellite contract

Com Dev International Ltd. on Tuesday announced a multimillion-dollar deal to develop satellite equipment.

It said in a press release that it will develop multiplexers and switches that will be built over the next year in Cambridge, Ont. The initial work is valued at $4 million, and the full contract expected to exceed $9 million, Com Dev said.  

The buyer was not disclosed, though Mike Williams, president of products division, said in the release that it is "a long-standing customer."

OTT messaging struggling to monetize: Juniper

Over-the-top (OTT) messaging services are expected to see traffic levels triple globally by 2019 compared to last year's levels, but a lack of success in monetizing the product will lead to a decline in global revenue for the messaging industry overall, according to Juniper Research Ltd.

Telus announces 8,000 free WiFi hotspots for West

Telus Corp. announced on Monday that it will provide free WiFi at more than 8,000 hotspots throughout British Columbia and Alberta.

These are provinces where Telus competes with Shaw Communications Inc. in the provision of landline phone, Internet and television services. Shaw operates more than 60,000 hotspots in Western Canada, according to its website.

Shaw's hotspots are mostly for its own Internet customers, though it also partners with several municipalities to provide free WiFi to the general public.

Shopify teams with Pinterest to create new sales platform

Ottawa-based e-commerce company Shopify on Tuesday said it has teamed with social networking website Pinterest to provide businesses a new way to sell things directly to online audiences.

Shopify said in a blog post it has worked with Pinterest to create "Buyable Pins" that include a button users can click to purchase products using credit cards or Apple Inc.'s Pay software.

Time Warner Cable expands U.S. public WiFi

Time Warner Cable Inc. (TWC), announced Thursday that its outdoor WiFi hotspot network will expand to three more cities in the U.S.

It said in a press release that the addition of Dallas and San Antonio, Texas, and Raleigh, N.C., will grow its WiFi network to nearly 100,000 hotspots. It also said the Cable WiFi network, which it operates in partnership with other service providers, is at about 400,000 hotspots.

TWC said the service is available for no extra charge to customers of certain tiers of its home Internet service.

CRTC to hold public hearing to review CCTS

The CRTC said Thursday it will hold a public consultation to review the structure and mandate of the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS).

The consultation will include a public hearing, which will begin on Nov. 3, the CRTC said in a press release. It said it will look into whether the CCTS should oversee the proposed TV-service provider code of conduct, and whether the cooperation with CCTS by all TV-service providers should be made mandatory.

Canadian smartphone data to grow five times by 2020: Ericsson

The new Mobility Report published Wednesday by Ericsson predicted that Canadian smartphone data usage will grow five times between 2014 and 2020, the company said in a press release.

Ericsson said that average usage per smartphone user in North America will increase from 2.4 GB a month currently to 14 GB by 2020. Globally, it said smartphone subscriptions will more than double to 6.1 billion by 2020, accounting for 70 per cent of the world's population.

TekSavvy’s Abramson takes on incumbents at Telecom Summit

TORONTO — With a key decision from the CRTC on smaller service providers’ access to wireline telecommunications networks expected soon, three incumbents’ regulatory bosses took on their counterpart at TekSavvy Solutions Inc. over the issue at the Canadian Telecom Summit on Tuesday.

Mobile emergency alerts to move into testing phase

A working group operating under a CRTC committee has developed specifications that will be used to deliver emergency alerts to Canadians’ mobile phones, the CRTC said in a press release Tuesday.

“In the coming months, the wireless industry and emergency management community will test the technology and a public pilot project is planned for 2016,” the CRTC said.

Wearable apps to multiply in coming years: IDC

The number of third-party applications for smart wearable devices is expected to surge from 2,500 last year to 349,000 by 2019, International Data Corp. said Tuesday.

The research company said in a news release that most of these apps will be consumer oriented, though there is an opportunity for apps in the enterprise space. It said apps targeted specifically for enterprise-related tasks currently make up about 10 per cent of what’s available for smart wearables, and that is anticipated to grow to 17 per cent over the next four years.

Birch Hill invests in Sigma Systems

Sigma Systems announced Monday that it has received a major investment from Birch Hill Private Equity Partners Management Inc.

Sigma, which provides subscriber-management software, said in a press release said the new partnership between Sigma and Birch Hill will significantly improve product development plans and create advanced solutions for their customers. 

Tablet market to shrink this year: IDC

International Data Corp. said Thursday that worldwide shipments of tablets and 2-in-1 devices will decline in 2015.

It said in a press release that there will be an annual decline of 3.8 per cent from last year for 221.8 million units in 2015. That marks a downgrade from its previous forecast for 2.1 per cent growth.

Optimal Payment buys Montreal-based Fans

Optimal Payments PLC, an Isle of Man-based company that provides transactional technology, said Thursday it has bought Montreal-based Fans Entertainment Inc., which created a consumer mobile app for fans attending Montreal Canadiens games.

Prepare for 5G, says Huawei Canada boss

The president of Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.'s Canadian unit is calling for policy-makers, businesses and academics in Canada to come together and help prepare the country for the coming of 5G networking technology.

At a breakfast event hosted by the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce Thursday morning, Sean Yang was to call for the creation of a public policy group, comprised of various public- and private-sector players, to prepare Canada for this next stage in the evolution of communications technology.

Eastlink offers improved home-automation service

Eastlink on Tuesday announced it is offering a new and improved security-and-automation service for homes.

Among other things, the new service called Winston can detect when the home occupant is approaching the residence and prepare for their arrival by doing things things such as setting the temperature to preferred levels and turning on lights, Eastlink said in a press release.

The service also allows the occupant to provide unique codes to different people, such as kids or babysitters, and set parameters for when certain people can enter the home.

Canadian IP traffic to triple by 2019: Cisco

Canada’s data usage over Internet protocol networks will triple by 2019 in comparison to what it was last year, according to Cisco Systems Inc.’s latest Visual Networking Index report that was released Wednesday.

Misgivings expressed over proposed TV-service code

A number of Canadian broadcast distributors have taken issue with aspects of the CRTC’s proposed code governing the relationship between TV providers and their customers, including the requirement that distributors must notify customers when a channel changes its terms of service.

In interventions that had to be filed by Monday, Telus Corp. called that notification proposal a “bizarre requirement,” adding that there is “no reciprocal requirement for channels to alert TVSPs [television service providers] of any programming changes.”

Videotron rolls out Apple watch app for TV customers

MONTREAL — Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron has launched a new app for Apple Inc.’s smartwatch that the company hopes will increase discoverability of channels available though its cable packages and appeal to early tech adopters.

Facebook launches Amber Alerts in Canada

Facebook Inc. said Monday that its users in Canada will receive Amber Alert notifications to help find missing children.

Amber Alert notifications will be sent to residents living in the area where the child is missing, Facebook said in press release. Notifications will include photos and details about the missing child, and users will be able to share this information. 

The application was created in collaboration with police authorities in different provinces across Canada to help expedite the search faster, Facebook said.

Kevin Crull to join Sprint

Kevin Crull, former president of BCE Inc.'s Bell Media unit, will join Sprint Corp. as chief marketing officer at the end of this month, Sprint said Wednesday.

The company said in a press release that Crull will report to Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure and his responsibilities will include customer acquisition and retention, and digital and social efforts.

“Kevin did an amazing job at Bell Media and I expect him to do even better at Sprint,” Claure said in the release.

Spotify adds video content

Music streaming provider Spotify AB said Wednesday that it has added video to its offerings, along with several other features.

"We know there are times in the day you want to switch between music to catch up on the latest news, listen to your favourite podcast or simply watch something fun," Spotify said in blog post Wednesday. "And with a stellar range of entertainment to choose from, there’s something for everyone. Spotify will suggest video and audio shows for you to watch and learn what you love."

CGI teams incorporate usage-based insurance technology

IT-services company CGI Group Inc. said Wednesday it has teamed up with Baseline Telematics to use real-time vehicle metrics to help insurance company set their rates.

CGI said in a news release it would incorporate Baseline's platform, which tracks vehicle data such as location, mileage, speed, braking and acceleration, into CGI's own insurance-rating software called Ratabase.

Wireless code to apply to all consumer contracts June 3: court

The Federal Court of Appeal has dismissed a challenge by wireless providers regarding the date by which the CRTC’s wireless code will apply to all consumer cellphone contracts.

CRTC consulting on 30-day notice ban for telecom services

The CRTC said Wednesday in a notice of consultation that it is looking for comments on its elimination of 30-day notice requirements for cancelling telecom services, which has been in effect since January.

Will our next piece of ID be digital?

Showing a piece of ID to prove who you are has remained, for the most part, one stubbornly analog interaction in our increasingly digital world.

That’s now starting to change, in countries like Estonia and even some Canadian provinces. While the establishment of digital identification is still in its infancy, groups are starting to advocate for such systems and watchdogs are keeping a close eye.

Robert Dépatie resigns from Saint-Hubert

Robert Dépatie, former CEO of Quebecor Inc., is resigning as CEO of restaurant operator St-Hubert Group, the company said Wednesday.

News agencies to start publishing directly to Facebook

Facebook Inc. said Tuesday it has introduced a new feature to its mobile app that allows news and public affairs publishers to have content posted directly on Facebook feeds and appear 10 times faster than typically shared articles.

In a blog post on its website, Facebook product manager Michael Reckhow said most articles take an average of eight seconds to load on Facebook's mobile app, which is "by far the slowest single content type on Facebook."

CRTC consulting on roaming caps it wants repealed

The CRTC has issued a notice of consultation on domestic wireless roaming caps, despite its recommendation to the federal government that they be scrapped.

The regulator on Tuesday asked for “comments to assist it in administering the wholesale roaming caps regime set out in section 27.1 of the Telecommunications Act.” The deadline for intervention is June 9.

Quebecor adds spectrum, still non-committal on national expansion

Quebecor Inc. is still publicly sitting on the fence when it comes to expanding its wireless service throughout Canada despite bidding $187 million on 2500 MHz spectrum, including for licences outside Quebec, in an auction for which results were announced Tuesday.

After Telus Corp., Quebecor was the second-biggest spender in the auction, acquiring 18 licences in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia. Industry Canada said the purchases increased Quebecor's spectrum holdings by 28 per cent.

Verizon buying AOL for $4.4B US

Verizon Communications Inc. is buying AOL Inc. for an estimated $4.4 billion US, Verizon said in a press release Tuesday.

AOL will become a subsidiary of Verizon once the deal is completed, it added. Verizon noted AOL’s assets include its Internet subscribers, its portfolio of “content brands,” such as TechCrunch and the Huffington Post, its over-the-top “millennial-focused” original content and its “programmatic advertising platforms.”

Telus reports 5% decline in government info requests

Telus Corp., in its second annual transparency report, said the quantity of requests from government agencies for customer information fell 5.3 per cent to 97,938 in 2014.

Chinese smartphone market shrank: IDC

The Chinese smartphone market shrank in this year's first quarter, technology research company International Data Corp. said Monday.

IDC said in a press release that smartphone shipments in China were down four per cent from a year earlier to 98.8 million during the first three months of this year, marking the first time in six years there has been a year-to-year decline.

It said shipments were down eight per cent sequentially from 2014's fourth quarter as a "large inventory buildup" developed late last year.

Amazon launches online wearables store

Amazon.com Inc.'s Canadian unit on Monday announced the launch of an online shop for wearable technology.

Ciena announces new Ottawa campus

Ciena Corp. said Friday it is moving into a new campus in the west end of Ottawa on a property that was formerly used by BlackBerry Ltd.

Ciena, which is headquartered in Hanover, Md., said in a press release that employees will start moving into one building this year, and another two buildings will be constructed for occupancy in 2017. Together, they will form a 425,000-square-foot "centre of excellence," Ciena said.

Telus wireless operations drive higher Q1 results

Telus Corp. on Thursday reported higher profits and earnings from the year's first quarter, largely on the strength of its wireless business.

The company said in a press release its quarterly profit was $415 million, up from $377 million a year earlier. It said revenue grew 4.6 per cent to $3.03 billion.

MTS chops operations at Allstream

Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. said Thursday that, following a strategic review, it will make cuts to staff and capital spending at its Allstream division.

MTS's Allstream, which provides business communications services across the country, will cut 25 per cent of its staff, MTS said in a press release. That includes 100 people who left the company immediately and 400 more who have been notified their jobs are ending over the next year or so. It also said it will cut capital spending at Allstream by 20 to 30 per cent.

Wholesale decision positive for Bell, Rogers, Telus: analysts

Financial market analysts say Canada's incumbent wireless operators were generally left undamaged in this week's decision by the CRTC to regulate the rates they charge smaller domestic competitors for roaming access.

Scotia Capital analyst Jeff Fan said in a research note issued Wednesday that the CRTC ruling was "favourable to the Big 3," in reference to BCE Inc., Rogers Communications Inc. and Telus Corp.

CRTC should not mandate access to FTTH: report

The CRTC should not give small Internet service providers the right to buy wholesale space on fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) networks, a new report from the Montreal Economic Institute says.

Glentel sale to Bell approved by Competition Bureau

The Competition Bureau has approved the purchase of Glentel Inc. by BCE Inc., and will not attempt to prevent a deal that sees Rogers Communications Inc. taking a 50 per cent stake in Glentel from Bell, both Glentel and the Competition Bureau said in separate announcements Tuesday.

Incumbents could have fared worse in wholesale wireless decision: analyst

GATINEAU, Que. — Wireless incumbents are going to have to play by a different set of rules than smaller carriers when it comes to providing network access to competitors, though one industry analyst said it could have been worse for the major carriers.

The CRTC said Tuesday it will regulate the wholesale wireless rates BCE Inc., Rogers Communications Inc. and Telus Corp. charge smaller carriers, but the roaming rates of smaller carriers and rates the big three charge each other will be left to “market forces."

Government reducing rural satellite spectrum fees

Industry Canada said Tuesday that it is reducing licensing fees on spectrum for companies whose satellite technology provides telecommunications services to Canadians in rural or remote areas.

The department said in a press release that the new fee structure would take effect on April 1, 2016. Jake Enwright, spokesman for Industry Minister James Moore, said in an email that the changes would save satellite companies $5 million a year. How they would affect each operator depends on how many spectrum licences they have, he added.