Telus to invest $1.1B in Ont. by 2016

Telus Corp. said Wednesday it will invest $1.1 billion in technology infrastructure in Ontario between now and 2016.

It said in a press release that the money will go toward expanding its wireless network, bringing fibre-optic connections to businesses and advancing its health-care network.

Telus said $500 million would be spent this year as part of an existing three-year plan that was to end in 2014. It said a new commitment was made to invest $600 million in Ontario in 2015 and 2016.

‘Abuses’ exist due to wholesale wireless ‘oligopoly’: Wind

Canada’s wholesale wireless market is “dominated by an oligopoly” and is not competitive enough to “stem abuses” from the three incumbent wireless providers, Wind Mobile told the CRTC in an intervention it filed as part of the regulator’s review of wholesale wireless services.

Wireless device installment plans could come to Canada: analyst

A telecom analyst with BMO Capital Markets says Canadian wireless carriers will “very likely” start offering installment plans to cover the cost of mobile devices as an alternative to the upfront subsidies carriers typically use to lower or eliminate the purchase price of phones.

Tim Casey, in a research note issued Monday, said these so-called equipment-installment plans (EIPs) have already gained traction in the United States, and have potential benefits for carriers and consumers.

William Yan becomes Icognito’s new COO

Incognito Software said Tuesday that William Yan is its new chief operating officer.

The Vancouver-based maker provider of broadband-device management technology said in a release that Yan had previously been its senior vice-president of worldwide sales.

It said Yan has more than 20 years of management experience in the technology industry, including positions at companies such as Allot Communications and PhyFlex Networks.

Google buying BYOD support company

Google Inc. is purchasing Divide, a company that provides technology and services for workers who bring their own mobile devices to work.

Divide posted a notice on its website on Monday that said it is “thrilled to be joining Google.” Terms of the deal were not released.

AT&T reaches deal to buy DirecTV

AT&T announced on Sunday it has reached a deal to buy cable- and satellite-TV provider DirecTV for a total consideration of $67.1 billion US.

The direct purchase price of about $48.5 billion US is about a third in cash and two-thirds in stock, AT&T said in a press release. AT&T is also assuming around $20 billion US in debt from DirecTV, AT&T said.

Bell warns against CRTC interference in wholesale wireless market

BCE Inc.'s Bell Mobility unit, in an intervention filed in the CRTC’s review of wholesale wireless services, said that meddling in the rates carriers charge to let other carriers use their network could affect the “vigorous competition” that exists in the wireless market.

In its filing, made Thursday, Bell said the CRTC must strike “the right balance” between encouraging infrastructure owners to invest in new technologies and allowing competitors to access those networks at reasonable rates.

France favours 3, not 4, wireless carriers

In contrast to the Canadian government’s efforts to help a fourth wireless carrier take hold across the country, the government in France is explicitly calling for a contraction in that country’s wireless sector to three carriers from four.

A Bloomberg article on Friday quoted French Economy Minster Arnaud Montebourg as saying in an interview with RMC radio: “What I can tell you is that the government favours and encourages the return to three operators.”

CRTC should have more authority in telecom, PIAC lawyers say

A recent paper from the lawyers representing the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) calls for changes in government structure that would give the CRTC more uncontested authority in governing the telecommunications sector.

French carrier Orange, Competition Bureau intervene in wholesale review

Orange Horizons, an arm of French telecom giant Orange SA tasked with exploring new markets, said in a CRTC filing on Wednesday that it is taking a close look at the Canadian wireless market.

Google opens up Glass sales to U.S. public

Google Inc. said Tuesday any resident of the United States is invited to sign up for the opportunity to purchase its Glass technology, which is still in development.

“We’re still in the Explorer Program while we continue to improve our hardware and software, but starting today anyone in the U.S. can buy the Glass Explorer Edition, as long as we have it on hand,” the company said in a blog posting.

Wind claims Q1 ‘best quarter ever’

Wind Mobile said the first quarter of 2014 was its “best quarter ever” as it gained more than 25,000 subscribers and saw its average revenue per user jump to 12 per cent more than it was a year earlier.

The company issued a statement by email on Wednesday that said: “It’s been a tremendous start to the year for Wind Mobile, and we’re very pleased to report that we’ve experienced our best quarter ever.”

Wind added that it will “continue our growth as Canada’s fourth national carrier.” 

Mobile TV is not a broadcast distribution service: CNOC

Mobile-TV services, such as that offered by BCE Inc.'s Bell Mobility subsidiary, are not broadcast distribution services, critics said in final reply letters that were due this week in a case before the CRTC regarding the legality of exempting those services from customers’ regular data caps.

MTS squeezes more profit out of less revenue

Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. said Tuesday that its first-quarter earnings were up as expenses declined in the face of lower revenue.

The company’s financial statements indicated it had net income of $41.9 million in the three months ended March 31, up from $30.9 million a year before. Its revenue was $401.5 million for the period, down 1.3 per cent from the previous year. Operating expenses, combined with depreciation and amortization costs, fell to $327.4 million from $343.3 million in the first quarter of 2013.

Roam Mobility products available at Staples

Roam Mobility Inc. said Tuesday that Staples Canada would start carrying its SIM cards and unlocked phones, geared toward those travelling to the United States, through both its retail and online operations.

According to a press release, Roam Mobility has more than 100,000 customers with unlimited travel plans starting at $3 per day, billed separately from SIM cards that cost $19.95 and phones, such as one with a QWERTY keyboard, that go for $49.95.

Capping wholesale roaming rates at retail level not enough: study

While the federal government’s current plan for limiting wholesale roaming rates charged within the wireless industry is a “step in the right direction,” a new study from the SeaBoard Group said the move does not go far enough.

Telus promises $2.6B in Alberta investments

Telus Corp. said Monday it will invest $2.6 billion in new infrastructure and facilities in Alberta over the next three years.

The company said in a press release that the spending pledge includes $1 billion this year, as the last of a three-year plan announced in 2012, and another $1.6 billion in 2015 and 2016 “to build infrastructure, expand urban and rural Internet connectivity and capacity, and bring the world's fastest wireless technology to more Alberta communities.”

Most don’t recall government’s wireless ads: survey

Polling done for Industry Canada suggests most Canadians have not noticed the government's advertising campaign about the wireless industry.

Telus earnings up on wireless, Internet subscriptions

Telus Corp. on Thursday reported higher earnings for the first quarter of 2014, driven by subscriber growth for its wireless and high-speed Internet offerings.

The company reported $377 million in profit on revenues of nearly $2.9 billion, up from earnings of $362 million on revenues of $2.76 billion in the same period last year.

AT&T division registers to lobby Canadian government

Government to back up wireless code in court

The federal government will be making the case for the wireless code in a case launched in the Federal Court of Appeal against it by carriers such as BCE Inc., Telus Corp. and Rogers Communications Inc.

A letter from Department of Justice lawyer John Tyhurst to the appeal court, dated May 7, said the government would be bringing forth a motion seeking leave to intervene in the matter as soon as this week.

Federal Court date set for carriers vs. SOCAN

A Federal Court hearing has been set for Sept. 3 for the case in which Canada’s major wireless carriers are trying to retrieve $12 million back from the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) in relation to tariffs paid for downloaded ringtones between 2006 and 2012.

Mobile network investments result in financial gains: Ericsson

Wireless carriers should see financial gains as a direct result of boosting investments in their networks, according to a study commissioned by network equipment builder Ericsson AB.

The study, led by Raul Katz, director of business strategic research at Columbia University in New York, was based on an analysis of three years of quarterly data from mobile markets in the United States, Mexico and Brazil.

Cities in B.C., Quebec getting free WiFi

Two Canadian cities have been granted free WiFi in separate arrangements involving Shaw Communications Inc. and Cogeco Cable Inc.

Shaw said in a press release Wednesday that under a five-year agreement with the City of Penticton in British Columbia, its Go WiFi service will become available in the coming months to the general public in public locations, such as city hall, several parks and other community buildings.

Federal government’s approach to wireless has failed: study

The federal government’s meddling in the wireless market over the past seven years and its focus on bringing a fourth carrier into every region has failed to bring about meaningful competition, according to a new study from the Montreal Economic Institute.

The report’s authors, Martin Masse and Paul Beaudry, wrote that, in trying to promote competition, Industry Canada and the CRTC have ignored market realities and “lost sight of the ultimate goal of promoting the development of a dynamic, efficient industry.”

BCE earnings up as wireless, media divisions boost revenue

BCE Inc. improved its bottom line in this year’s first quarter as wireless data revenue surged and last year’s purchase of Astral Media contributed to its overall revenue.

Revenue was up 3.7 per cent from a year earlier to $5.1 billion, the company said in a press release. Net earnings rose to $615 million from $566 million in last year’s first quarter.

Telus to invest $1.3B in Quebec through 2016

Telus Corp. said Tuesday it will invest more than $1.3 billion in new infrastructure and facilities across Quebec between now and 2016.

It said in a press release that it would invest $640 million across the province as part of the final year of a three-year plan launched in 2012. Telus said it would spend another $700 million in 2015 and 2016 to build infrastructure.

Wind aiming to poach Mobilicity, Public Mobile customers

Analysts say a new advertising campaign by Wind Mobile that aims to pick up customers from Mobilicity and Public Mobile may be successful as the new-entrant carrier tries to capitalize on the woes of its peers.

John Lawlor rejoins DragonWave

DragonWave Inc. announced Monday that John Lawlor has rejoined the company to head its investor relations operations.

The company said in a press release Lawlor was its vice-president of investor relations between 2009 and 2013. Lawlor’s LinkedIn profile indicates he left DragonWave in April of last year and became vice-president of investor relations in March of this year at technology-focused investment firm Wesley Clover International Corp.

Telus to invest $2.8B in B.C. over 3 years

Telus Corp. said Monday it will invest $2.8 billion in infrastructure in British Columbia, much of it designed to improve Internet and wireless coverage across the province, between now and 2016.

It said in a press release that it would spend $1.2 billion across the province in 2014 as part of the final year of a three-year plan launched in 2012 and would be spending another $1.6 billion in 2015 and 2016.

Telecoms don’t give out customer info ‘willy-nilly’: Bell ombudsman

OTTAWA — Telecommunications companies don’t voluntarily give out confidential customer information to the government, said William Abbott, senior counsel and privacy ombudsman at BCE Inc.

“I do not know a single TSP [telecommunication service provider] that makes voluntary disclosures of confidential customer information to the government,” Abbott said, adding that the use of the word “warrantless” is misleading because companies provide that information to a lawful authority.

Global tablet market slower than expected: IDC

Preliminary data shows the worldwide tablet market saw lower-than-expected annual growth in the first quarter, according to a release from research firm International Data Corp.

Total shipments, including laptop-tablet hybrids, were 50.4 million units in the first quarter of the year, IDC said in a press release. That’s a decline of 35.7 per cent from fourth quarter of 2013 and a gain of 3.9 per cent over the same period a year before.

Toronto among 18 locations for new IBM mobile labs

Toronto is among 18 locations where International Business Machines Corp. announced this week it will be opening new labs for developing mobile applications.

IBM said in a press release Wednesday that with these labs, clients “can work side-by-side with IBM mobile professionals to quickly conceive, design, build and deploy working prototypes.”

The release did not specify the number of employees that would work at these labs or the exact timing of when they would open.

Snapchat adds instant messaging, video calling

Mobile picture-sharing service Snapchat has introduced instant messaging and video-calling capabilities to its application.

Snapchat has been known for being a way to share photographs between users on Apple Inc. iPhones or devices that run on Google Inc.’s Android software which is then automatically deleted unless users save them.

Government wireless policy blasted at telecom conference

OTTAWA — Participants at a conference discussion about the wireless industry on Thursday blasted the federal government for its approach in trying to bring more competition to the sector, and a consensus emerged that there is too much overlap between Industry Canada, the CRTC and the Competition Bureau in regulating the mobile-services industry.

Bell defends targeted ad program as ‘transparent’

BCE Inc.’s chief legal and regulatory officer told a Senate hearing on Wednesday night that his company’s targeted advertising program respects Canada’s current privacy laws.

Mirko Bibic repeatedly compared his company to Facebook Inc. and Google Inc., which he said have access to richer and more personal data than Bell, and said his company needs the targeted advertising program to compete with those “global players.”

Court strikes out parts of CRTC filing on wireless code

The Federal Court of Appeal has struck out parts of a memorandum the CRTC filed in response to the case in which wireless carriers are challenging the commission’s authority to make the wireless code apply to all contracts, regardless of when they were signed, as of June 2015.

Bell Aliant first-quarter financials dip

Bell Aliant Inc. on Tuesday reported declines in both first-quarter revenue and profit.

The company’s financial records indicated that revenue came in at $675.7 million, down 1.2 per cent from the previous year. Net earnings for the quarter were $76.7 million, down from $89.3 million in the first quarter of 2013.

Privacy czar calls for greater powers on telecom data sharing

Interim Privacy Commissioner Chantal Bernier said Tuesday that new legislation is needed to compel Canada’s telecom companies to disclose when they hand over subscribers’ private information to other parties, including government agencies, without a warrant.

Bernier, speaking at a Senate transport and communications committee hearing into privacy and data collection policies at BCE Inc., said her office is unaware how many government requests are made for customer data or how many of them are fulfilled.

Carriers make case for getting ringtone money back

Mobile carriers have filed a memorandum in Federal Court late last week that makes the case for why they want $12 million back from the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) in relation to tariffs paid for downloaded ringtones between 2006 and 2012.

Usage-based insurance marks beginning of M2M changes

For many Canadians, signing up for insurance that monitors the way they drive is the first direct interaction they will have with machine-to-machine communications (M2M).

Microsoft’s Nokia acquisition closes

Microsoft Corp. announced in a press release Friday that it has completed the acquisition of the Nokia Corp.’s devices and services business.

Former Nokia CEO Stephen Elop will report to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, and serve as executive vice-president of the Microsoft Devices Group, it said.

Mobilicity debt holders could sue government: Ghose

A financial market analyst covering the telecommunications sector says the federal government could cause harm to those with a stake in Mobilicity, and possibly even face a lawsuit, if it continues to thwart attempts by Telus Corp. to purchase the startup wireless carrier.

CRTC extends deadline on wholesale-wireless review

The CRTC said Friday that the deadline for initial interventions in its review of wholesale wireless services has been extended to May 15 from May 1.

Other dates, such as the Aug. 20 deadline for further interventions and the public hearing date of Sept. 29, have been left unchanged.

Verizon Wireless tracking users’ home Internet usage for ads

Verizon Communications Inc.’s so-called relevant mobile advertising program is being expanded to use information about wireless customers’ home Internet habits in order to help its marketing partners target ads to individual users.

The U.S. telecom firm’s mobile arm, Verizon Wireless, has a notice on its website about an “enhancement” of that program that will “help marketers reach you with messages that may be more interesting to you. “

Verizon numbers up on wireless growth

Verizon Communications Inc. said earnings and revenue were up in the first quarter largely on strength from the wireless side of the business.

The company’s financial figures released Thursday showed revenue was up 4.8 per cent from a year earlier to $30.82 billion US for the three months ended March 31. Net income was $6 billion US for that period, up from $4.86 billion US a year earlier.

Verizon said in a press release the results included the impact of taking full ownership of Verizon Wireless in February.

AT&T reports fastest revenue growth in years

AT&T on Tuesday said its first quarter featured its strongest year-to-year revenue growth in more than two years.

The U.S. telecommunications company said in a press release that revenue in the three months ended March 31 was $32.5 billion US, up 3.6 per cent from a year earlier. It said it now expects full-year revenue growth of four per cent or more.

Net income for the quarter stayed the same as a year earlier, at $3.7 billion US.

TV, basic services, payphones among CRTC’s upcoming priorities

For the coming year, CRTC has prioritized issues including the ongoing review of Canada’s television-broadcasting system and looking into what telecommunications services should be accessible to all as well as determining how important a role payphones still play in people’s lives.

SaskTel expands fixed wireless LTE

SaskTel is making its fixed-wireless, fourth-generation LTE service available on its remaining 43 wireless broadband Internet (WBBI) towers, the company said in a release Monday.

Telus-Mobilicity deal to test government powers: expert

The $350-million bid by Telus Corp. for Mobilicity could set up a test of Industry Canada’s regulatory power over the sale of wireless spectrum and competition within the wireless industry, according to one expert.

Rogers’ quarterly financials show decline

Rogers Communications Inc. took a hit in this year’s first quarter in both revenue and profit numbers, according to results released Monday.

The company said it had $3.02 billion in operating revenue for the three months ended March 31, down slightly from $3.03 billion a year earlier. Net income was at $307 million in the quarter, down from $353 million in the same quarter a year before, it said in a press release.

Telecom industry looking for growth in health care

The announcement this week by BlackBerry Ltd. that it would invest in a U.S.-based health-care technology company is the latest effort by a company in Canada’s wireless sector to look to the health-care market in an attempt to find new sources of revenue outside the maturing wireless market.

Rogers gets going on 700 MHz deployment

Rogers Communications Inc. said Thursday it has deployed its new 700 MHz spectrum in parts of Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver.

Rogers said the launch of the spectrum means customers in these locations will have an easier time accessing the Internet and streaming video in spots that have typically had bad reception, such as elevators, basements and buildings with thick concrete walls.

Google reports higher earnings, sales

Google Inc. said its first quarter revenue was $15.42 billion US, a gain of 19 per cent from a year earlier.

In a press release Wednesday, Google said net income was $3.45 billion US for the three months ended March 31, up from $3.35 billion US in the first quarter of 2013.

"We got lots of product improvements done, especially on mobile,” Google CEO Larry Page said in the press release. “I'm also excited with progress on our emerging businesses."

Rogers paid almost $40 million to CEOs last year

The incoming and outgoing CEOs of Rogers Communications Inc. racked up almost $40 million in total compensation last year, according to an information circular filed ahead of its annual general meeting next week.

That included a retirement package worth more than $17 million in cash and stock for Nadir Mohamed, who was replaced by Guy Laurence on Dec. 2. Added to that was about $1.1 million in salary for Mohamed, $5 million in shares and options, $1.5 million in annual incentive plans and $1.9 million in pension for total payments worth $26.8 million.

Twitter ramping up app advertising

Twitter Inc. said Thursday it is opening up more opportunities for developers to promote their mobile applications to Twitter users, and up to a billion others not on the social network through a mobile-ad exchange.

The company said in blog post Thursday that it can arrange for ad developers to have simultaneous access to its 241 million active users, as well as about a billion mobile devices connected to a mobile advertising exchange called MoPub Marketplace.

Former BlackBerry boss ranked third-highest paid wireless exec

Former BlackBerry Ltd. CEO Thorsten Heins was the third-highest paid executive in 2013 among wireless companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges, according to the website FierceWireless.

Based on filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the website said Heins received total compensation of $22 million US in 2013. That included a base salary of $3 million US, plus bonuses, stocks and other supplemental pay of $19 million US, the website said. It more than doubled his previous year’s compensation of $10.3 million US, the article said.

Google working on smartphone with replaceable parts

Google Inc. on Wednesday finished a two-day developer conference about its plans for a smartphone with replaceable parts.

An article published Tuesday on the PCWorld website said the phone, dubbed Project Ara, will have removable parts such as a processor, a display, battery and camera.

An article appearing Wednesday on the website for Wired said having removable components could lead to longer lifespans for the smartphones. 

Telus looking to fill 360 jobs

Telus Corp. said on Twitter Tuesday it is hiring for 360 jobs.

Scientists dismiss study downplaying wireless health effects

Two scientists are criticizing a report released this month that downplayed the potential health risks to humans from wireless radiation.

Rogers offers new overseas roaming packages

Rogers Communications Inc. on Tuesday announced some new overseas roaming deals, including a data-only plan for $9.99 a day.

Raj Doshi, Rogers’ senior vice-president of products, said in a press release: “Our customers have told us they want simpler solutions when travelling, no matter where their travels may take them.”

Rogers’ website shows that the $9.99 daily deal will give Rogers customers 20 MB of data for the day in Europe, 10 MB in places such as Asia, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Latin America, and 3 MB in Africa.

Google Glass available in U.S. for one day

Google Inc. will make its Glass wearable device available to the general public in the United States in a one-day sale on Tuesday.

The device will sell Tuesday for $1,500 US, the company said in a blog post last Thursday.

Since last year, the device has been available to a select group of developers, contest winners and invitees as the company tests the product ahead of its mass-market availability.

Telus protests TBayTel’s wholesale rate hike

Telus Corp. is asking to CRTC to side in its favour over a proposed retroactive rate hike it said TBayTel is trying to impose for access to TBayTel's digital network in northern Ontario.

Telus said TBayTel sent it a letter on Jan. 15 that informed the bigger carrier of its sought-after rate increase, though Telus said to implement this increase would contravene CRTC regulations regarding a “phase-out” period of such services to a competing telecom company.

‘Small risk’ of Heartbleed to BBM users on Android, iOS

BlackBerry Ltd. said Monday that there is an “extremely small” risk to the security of BBM communications from the Heartbleed bug on devices powered by Apple Inc.’s iOS software or Google Inc.’s Android system.

Rising wireless prices mean lower subscription growth: analyst

Many Canadians are being turned off by the higher wireless prices rolled out by the incumbents over the past nine months, according to Scotiabank analyst Jeff Fan.

In a research note Monday, Fan said he was downgrading expectations for Telus Corp. and Rogers Communications Inc. to the sector average, from outperform, because of a mature and satured wireless market and “the market's inability to absorb higher wireless prices.”

Telus ordered to pay back text charges: report

Telus Corp. has been ordered by a Quebec court to pay back $2.6 million in charges it applied to customers in that province for incoming texts, the Canadian Press reported Friday.

The Quebec Superior Court found that Telus unilaterally changed contract terms for 177,425 wireless customers when, between 2008 and 2011, it charged them 15 cents per incoming text, the article said. Each customer is due a reimbursement of about $15, CP reported.

Rogers releases mobile wallet application

Rogers Communications Inc. launched an application called the "suretap wallet" on Friday that allows customers to make payments using Rogers’ prepaid MasterCard and gift cards from select merchants.

“With the suretap wallet, customers can safely store eligible payment cards on their smartphone and make purchases by simply holding it up to contactless payment terminals, just like they do today with plastic credit and debit cards,” the company said in a release.

BlackBerry CEO says no plans to sell handset business

BlackBerry Ltd. CEO John Chen wrote a blog post on the company’s website Thursday that said an article suggesting he would consider getting out of the handset business took his comments “out of context.”

Telus turns internal transformation into consulting business

Telus Corp. is branching out into management consulting.

On Wednesday, the company announced the launch of Telus Transformation Office, an operation in which the company said it will apply lessons learned from a seven-year corporate makeover to helping other organizations with employee engagement and overall performance.

Daniel Pontefract, who holds the title of “chief envisioner” at Telus, and was previously its head of learning and collaboration, said in a phone interview on Wednesday the company wants to share what it has learned.

China approves Nokia-Microsoft cellphone sale

Nokia Corp. said Wednesday that authorities in China have approved its deal to sell Microsoft Corp. most of its devices-and-services business, which includes cellphones and patents.

Nokia said it has now received the required regulatory approvals from China, the United States, the European Commission and several other jurisdictions, and that the transaction is expected to close this month.

Ontario wireless code comes into effect

A provincial consumer protection bill covering wireless services in Ontario that echoes the federal wireless code is now in force.

The provincial government said in a press release last week that the Wireless Services Agreement Act would apply to “new contracts, as well as existing contracts that are amended, renewed or extended as of April 1, 2014.”

Rogers offers deep mobile discount in Quebec

Rogers Communications Inc. slashed its prices by more than 40 per cent on one of its wireless plans in Quebec after the recent announcement that Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron would begin offering the Apple Inc.’s iPhone, an industry analyst has noted.

Wearables bring together techies in Toronto

There are a few hundred people in Toronto who are, in a manner of speaking, wearing their passion and belief in the potential of wearable technology on their sleeves.

A group, comprised largely of people in related professional areas, has started to gather on a monthly basis to discuss the potential, opportunities and issues that could arise in this emerging field.

The group, which initially started out in January as Wearable Wednesday with the idea of having a meeting on the last Wednesday of every month, has since rebranded itself as We Are Wearables.

CRTC questions service providers in mobile-TV case

The CRTC has sent out a series of questions to be answered by telecommunications service providers at the centre of a complaint over undue preference in providing mobile-TV services for flat fees.

Telus closes financing to repay auction debt

Telus Corp. said Friday it has closed a $1-billion offering of senior unsecured notes, which it said in a press release “will be used to repay bank indebtedness incurred to pay for the 700 MHz spectrum licences and for general corporate purposes.”

Wednesday was the deadline for payment for spectrum licences bought in the 700 MHz wireless spectrum auction, which began Jan. 14 and for which results were announced Feb. 19.

Government’s long-awaited digital strategy ‘nothing new’: analyst

A document released by Industry Minister James Moore Friday that outlines the government’s long-promised digital strategy includes “nothing new and nothing bold,” according to telecom analyst Jean-Francois Mezei of Vaxination Informatique.

The government has already put in place many of the measures included in the strategy, Mezei said, making the document “more of a report card than a vision for the future.”

Wind reports subscriber base at 700,000

Wind Mobile said Thursday that its subscriber numbers have hit 700,000, as it also announced what it called a “plethora” of new unlimited mobile plans.

That subscriber figure is a jump of more than 50,000 from the 649,000 Wind's Amsterdam-based majority owner VimpelCom Ltd., said in its last quarterly earnings for the end of last year.

NHL contract was factor in Rogers’ 700 MHz auction bidding

Rogers Communications Inc. made it clear Thursday that there was a connection between the several billions of dollars it spent separately on National Hockey League content and wireless spectrum in recent months.

EU votes to enshrine net neutrality, end roaming charges

The European Union voted on Thursday to end roaming charges by December 2015 and enshrine net neutrality in all 28 member nations as part of its efforts to build a “connected continent,” according to a statement.

The vote in the European Parliament closed loopholes in proposed legislation critics said would have created a two-tier Internet, according to media reports.

CRTC’s consumer focus not at odds with industry: Blais

GATINEAU, Que. — The reviews the CRTC will be holding over the coming year, which include proceedings covering wholesale access to wireless and fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) networks, the future of television and commercial radio, could set the direction for the CRTC over the next decade, said CRTC Chairman Jean Pierre Blais.

Canadians replacing PCs with mobile phones for browsing: ComScore

Canadians are among the most active Internet users in the world and are replacing traditional desktop computers with mobile phones for consuming online content, according to a new report from consumer data tracker ComScore Inc.

According to data compiled by ComScore between December 2012 and December 2013, Canadians spent 17 per cent less time using desktop computers to browse the Internet and viewed 21 per cent fewer webpages than the year before on such devices.

BlackBerry won’t renew contract with T-Mobile

BlackBerry Ltd. said in a release issued late Tuesday that it will not renew T-Mobile US Inc.’s licence to sell BlackBerry products after it expires on April 25.

BlackBerry CEO John Chen said in the release: “Regretfully, at this time, our strategies are not complementary and we must act in the best interest of our BlackBerry customers. We hope to work with T-Mobile again in the future when our business strategies are aligned."

Videotron launches Illico iPhone streaming app

Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron unit said Thursday it has launched a new app that allows users of Apple Inc.’s iPhone 4 or 5 access content through its Illico program for online video content.

It noted in a press release that this launch coincides with the recent availability of iPhones on Videotron’s mobile network, though the Illico app works on phones with any carrier.

Low risk from radio frequencies, more study needed: panel

An expert panel that reviewed Health Canada regulations that limit human exposure to radio-frequency energy resulting from wireless communications, such as WiFi or mobile phones, said in a report released Tuesday there is no concrete evidence of adverse health effects occurring at exposures less than the regulations’ limits.

Still, the panel assembled by Royal Society of Canada, at the request of Health Canada, said the issue should be studied further.

Wholesale roaming rate caps detailed by government

The government has released details of its plans for a clamp down on the domestic roaming rates Canada’s carriers charge one another for the privilege of moving between networks.

Darren Entwistle leaves Telus ‘in good hands’

The man who led Telus Corp.’s evolution from a Western Canada-focused home-phone services provider to what one analyst called “arguably the most successful wireless carrier in North America” is stepping down as CEO.

The company said in a press release Monday that Darren Entwistle will leave his post as president and CEO of Telus on May 8, the date of Telus’ annual general meeting, and be replaced by Joe Natale, who is currently chief commercial officer and executive vice-president.

Ice Wireless upgrades mobile network in Yellowknife

Ice Wireless, a subsidiary of Iristel Inc., said Friday it has upgraded its mobile network in Yellowknife to HSPA+ and called it “the most advanced 3G network in Northern Canada.”

The carrier said in a news release that with this upgrade customers can now access wireless Internet speeds of up to 21 Mbps, use new smartphones and tablets on the network, and make better quality phone calls.

Public Mobile name not going anywhere: Telus

The Public Mobile brand will remain active for the foreseeable future despite a move to abandon the network its customers are using, a Telus Corp. spokesman said Friday.

“The brand continues and the name continues,” said Telus’ Shawn Hall in a phone interview. “The rate plans, largely, continue as they have been. What really is changing is the network. And customers will, once they make the transition, immediately start enjoying a national network with much faster data speeds.”