Tag: BCE

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Mobile Syrup

CRTC dismisses BCE’s complaint against Vidéotron

Canada’s broadcasting and telecom watchdog has dismissed BCE’s complaint against Vidéotron’s Vrai service.

Vidéotron launched the platform featuring lifestyle and reality content in August 2021. Initially only available to Vidéotron customers, it expanded to online direct-to-consumer (DTC) service in September 2021 and was available through the internet.

BCE filed a complaint in November 2021, alleging Vidéotron violated section 12 of the exemption order for video-on-demand undertakings (HVOD). The section states exclusive programming under HVOD services must also be available through the internet. BCE also said the company violated section 9 of the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations, which deals with “undue preference and disadvantage.”

BCE argued the service costs Canadians $15 if they purchase it online (through DTC), compared to $7 if purchased through Helix, a Vidéotron subscription service. They further alleged DTC subscribers can only access content one device at a time and are automatically directed to Vidéotron’s website and promotional offers, which isn’t true for Helif customers.

“According to BCE, by implementing a lower quality offering for consumers that are not subscribed to Helix and directing them to promotional offers for their products, Vidéotron intends to maintain de facto exclusivity for its BDUs and to use the Vrai service to increase the number of subscriptions to its BDUs,” the CRTC states in its findings. “BCE argued that Vidéotron is attempting to create a competitive advantage for its own BDUs.”

Vidéotron’s parent company Québecor argued customers could access Vrai through QUB, a platform with all their content, and people don’t have to subscribe to other services to access it. Speaking about the price difference, Québecor said. “BCE is not citing any specific regulatory provision and that BCE itself offers its Crave service at various prices.”

The CRTC ultimately ruled in Vidéotron’s favour.

“The Commission finds that Videotron did not contravene sections…of the HVOD exemption order or section 9 or the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations.”

Source: CRTC

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Mobile Syrup

Telecom company executives comment on Freedom Mobile’s potential sell-off

The chief financial officer of BCE says Freedom Mobile will have a hard time competing against other telecom companies if Shaw puts it up for sale.

According to the Globe and Mail, Glen LeBlanc believes there’s a “high probability” Rogers will sell Freedom Mobile to gain approval for its merger with Shaw. He made the comments at Scotiabank’s telecom, media and technology conference.

The statement comes on the heels of Innovation, Science and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne’s comments saying Rogers can’t require all of Shaw’s wireless licenses as doing so will decrease competition.

Numerous parties are interested in acquiring Freedom Mobile, including company founder Anthony Lacavera and telecom giant Québecor Inc.

Québecor released several statements since Minister Champagne made his comments, praising the government for wanting to create competition.

But as The Globe reports, LeBlanc believes Québecor purchasing the company could create distractions.

“It’s going to take their attention away from their core market in Quebec,” he said.

Minister Champagne’s comments came just before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry and Technology released a report outlining suggestions on the merger.

One of those was to launch consultations examining separating businesses that build infrastructure networks, and those that sell retail services, as doing so could increase competition.

Peter Nowak, vice-president of insight and engagement at TekSavvy, says the matter should’ve been discussed long ago.

“In the context of structural separation, one approach the government could take with the merger is to allow it, but only if Rogers and Shaw agree to split off their network operations into an entirely separate entity,” Nowak wrote in a blog post on the company’s website.

“This could set the table for a new and more competitive telecommunications marketplace in Canada, with other big companies following suit either voluntarily or through government requirements.”

Source: The Globe and Mail

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Mobile Syrup

Québecor Media asks CRTC to dismiss BCE’s complaint against Vidéotron’s Vrai service

Québecor Media says Bell Canada Enterprises (BCE) complaint against Vidéotron’s Vrai service is an inaccurate interpretation of the rules, according to documents filed with the Canadian Radio and television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and shared with MobileSyrup.

Québecor Media is the proprietor of Vidéotron. The document filed with the CRTC is in French.

In its application filed with the CRTC, BCE wants Vidéotron to remove its Vrai service. The feature allows users to watch original French productions and launched in August 2021.

BCE claims the feature violates the CRTC’s hybrid video-on-demand (HVOD) order by offering a flawed internet option that presents the service directly to consumers.

BCE says all Canadians should be able to access the service online, and while that is the case, the company argues Vrai’s internet option is more expensive. It costs Canadians $15 a month to purchase the service online. In comparison, BCE says if Vrai’s accessed through a subscription to Vidéotron’s services, the price tag will lower to $7 a month.

Québecor Media’s response

In its filing, Québecor Media argues the service is accessible through QUB, a platform that hosts all of the company’s content. Consumers don’t have to be subscribers of any of its other services or any other company to access the platform.

Québecor Media also argues Bell’s claim that Bell TV subscribers can’t participate in the Vrai service, stating it failed to mention that anyone can access the service through the QUB platform for free. The company says all consumers receive the same content, whether they access the Vrai platform through Vidéotron or the QUB.

Québecor Media says many customers who don’t subscribe to Vidéotron have already subscribed to the service in its free alternative manner.

In its application, BCE states customers who are viewing Vrai online can only access one stream at a time. But BDU subscribers, who can have access to a large number of programming services, can view up to five streams at a time.

Québecor Media says the differences in streams aren’t because one method of distribution is favoured over the other, but because of limitations surrounding the negotiations of content rights. The company argues Bell customers who subscribe to its streaming service Crave through the Fibe TV app will also only get one session at a time.

BCE says customers accessing Vrai without subscribing to Vidéotron can only do so through the app or website and can’t access the service in other formats. Vidéotron subscribers, in comparison, can access through Apple TV and Android TV, BCE says.

Québecor Media puts this claim in the “false” section, stating QUB works with Chromecast and Airplay. The company also says BCE’s claim that subscribers accessing the service online are redirected to subscriptions for Vidéotron’s services is false. It says customers can access Vrai through the applicable options, and one option isn’t favoured over the other.

Québecor Media is asking the CRTC to dismiss BCE’s application. BCE has until February 15th to reply.

Source: CRTC

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Mobile Syrup

Québecor Media asks CRTC to dismiss BCE’s complaint against Vidéotron’s Vrai service

Québecor Media says Bell Canada Enterprises (BCE) complaint against Vidéotron’s Vrai service is an inaccurate interpretation of the rules, according to documents filed with the Canadian Radio and television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and shared with MobileSyrup.

Québecor Media is the proprietor of Vidéotron. The document filed with the CRTC is in French.

In its application filed with the CRTC, BCE wants Vidéotron to remove its Vrai service. The feature allows users to watch original French productions and launched in August 2021.

BCE claims the feature violates the CRTC’s hybrid video-on-demand (HVOD) order by offering a flawed internet option that presents the service directly to consumers.

BCE says all Canadians should be able to access the service online, and while that is the case, the company argues Vrai’s internet option is more expensive. It costs Canadians $15 a month to purchase the service online. In comparison, BCE says if Vrai’s accessed through a subscription to Vidéotron’s services, the price tag will lower to $7 a month.

Québecor Media’s response

In its filing, Québecor Media argues the service is accessible through QUB, a platform that hosts all of the company’s content. Consumers don’t have to be subscribers of any of its other services or any other company to access the platform.

Québecor Media also argues Bell’s claim that Bell TV subscribers can’t participate in the Vrai service, stating it failed to mention that anyone can access the service through the QUB platform for free. The company says all consumers receive the same content, whether they access the Vrai platform through Vidéotron or the QUB.

Québecor Media says many customers who don’t subscribe to Vidéotron have already subscribed to the service in its free alternative manner.

In its application, BCE states customers who are viewing Vrai online can only access one stream at a time. But BDU subscribers, who can have access to a large number of programming services, can view up to five streams at a time.

Québecor Media says the differences in streams aren’t because one method of distribution is favoured over the other, but because of limitations surrounding the negotiations of content rights. The company argues Bell customers who subscribe to its streaming service Crave through the Fibe TV app will also only get one session at a time.

BCE says customers accessing Vrai without subscribing to Vidéotron can only do so through the app or website and can’t access the service in other formats. Vidéotron subscribers, in comparison, can access through Apple TV and Android TV, BCE says.

Québecor Media puts this claim in the “false” section, stating QUB works with Chromecast and Airplay. The company also says BCE’s claim that subscribers accessing the service online are redirected to subscriptions for Vidéotron’s services is false. It says customers can access Vrai through the applicable options, and one option isn’t favoured over the other.

Québecor Media is asking the CRTC to dismiss BCE’s application. BCE has until February 15th to reply.

Source: CRTC

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Mobile Syrup

Bell added 109,726 mobile phone net subscribers in Q4 2021

BCE released its Q4 2021 earnings on February 3rd, adding 109,726 total net new postpaid and prepaid mobile phone subscribers. That’s up 77.8 percent from 61,716 added in Q4 2020.

For all of 2021, Bell reported total postpaid and prepaid mobile phone net additions were up 54.6% to 294,842.

Further, for Q4 2021, Bell said postpaid new subscriber activations accounted for 109,527, while prepaid only accounted for 199 additions.

Mobile postpaid churn — the rate at which customers stop subscribing to Bell — increased to 1.08 percent for Q4, which the carrier noted was “consistent” with an overall pick-up in market activity compared to last year. For all of 2021, churn was “essentially stable” at 0.93 percent compared to 0.92 percent in 2020.

At the end of 2021, Bell’s mobile phone base totalled 9,459,185, up 3.2 percent over 2020. That breaks down into 8,630,045 postpaid and 829,140 prepaid customers.

Bell reported a 3.3 percent increase to blended average revenue per user (ARPU), bringing it to $58.61 in Q4 2021. ARPU for full-year 2021 was $57.66. It’s also worth noting that as of Q4 2021, Bell will no longer report mobile phone blended average billing per user (ABPU) and switched to ARPU to “align with industry peers.”

Finally, BCE reported total operating revenue in Q4 was about $6.21 billion, up 1.8 percent over Q4 2020. For full-year 2021, BCE reported operating revenue of $23.45 billion. Wireless operating revenue was $2.48 billion in Q4 2021, and $8.99 billion for all of 2021.

You can find BCE’s full earnings page here, or check out the company’s Q3 2021 earnings here.

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Bell added 109,726 mobile phone net subscribers in Q4 2021

BCE released its Q4 2021 earnings on February 3rd, adding 109,726 total net new postpaid and prepaid mobile phone subscribers. That’s up 77.8 percent from 61,716 added in Q4 2020.

For all of 2021, Bell reported total postpaid and prepaid mobile phone net additions were up 54.6% to 294,842.

Further, for Q4 2021, Bell said postpaid new subscriber activations accounted for 109,527, while prepaid only accounted for 199 additions.

Mobile postpaid churn — the rate at which customers stop subscribing to Bell — increased to 1.08 percent for Q4, which the carrier noted was “consistent” with an overall pick-up in market activity compared to last year. For all of 2021, churn was “essentially stable” at 0.93 percent compared to 0.92 percent in 2020.

At the end of 2021, Bell’s mobile phone base totalled 9,459,185, up 3.2 percent over 2020. That breaks down into 8,630,045 postpaid and 829,140 prepaid customers.

Bell reported a 3.3 percent increase to blended average revenue per user (ARPU), bringing it to $58.61 in Q4 2021. ARPU for full-year 2021 was $57.66. It’s also worth noting that as of Q4 2021, Bell will no longer report mobile phone blended average billing per user (ABPU) and switched to ARPU to “align with industry peers.”

Finally, BCE reported total operating revenue in Q4 was about $6.21 billion, up 1.8 percent over Q4 2020. For full-year 2021, BCE reported operating revenue of $23.45 billion. Wireless operating revenue was $2.48 billion in Q4 2021, and $8.99 billion for all of 2021.

You can find BCE’s full earnings page here, or check out the company’s Q3 2021 earnings here.

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Bell added 109,726 mobile phone net subscribers in Q4 2021

BCE released its Q4 2021 earnings on February 3rd, adding 109,726 total net new postpaid and prepaid mobile phone subscribers. That’s up 77.8 percent from 61,716 added in Q4 2020.

For all of 2021, Bell reported total postpaid and prepaid mobile phone net additions were up 54.6% to 294,842.

Further, for Q4 2021, Bell said postpaid new subscriber activations accounted for 109,527, while prepaid only accounted for 199 additions.

Mobile postpaid churn — the rate at which customers stop subscribing to Bell — increased to 1.08 percent for Q4, which the carrier noted was “consistent” with an overall pick-up in market activity compared to last year. For all of 2021, churn was “essentially stable” at 0.93 percent compared to 0.92 percent in 2020.

At the end of 2021, Bell’s mobile phone base totalled 9,459,185, up 3.2 percent over 2020. That breaks down into 8,630,045 postpaid and 829,140 prepaid customers.

Bell reported a 3.3 percent increase to blended average revenue per user (ARPU), bringing it to $58.61 in Q4 2021. ARPU for full-year 2021 was $57.66. It’s also worth noting that as of Q4 2021, Bell will no longer report mobile phone blended average billing per user (ABPU) and switched to ARPU to “align with industry peers.”

Finally, BCE reported total operating revenue in Q4 was about $6.21 billion, up 1.8 percent over Q4 2020. For full-year 2021, BCE reported operating revenue of $23.45 billion. Wireless operating revenue was $2.48 billion in Q4 2021, and $8.99 billion for all of 2021.

You can find BCE’s full earnings page here, or check out the company’s Q3 2021 earnings here.

Categories
Mobile Syrup

BCE launches new complaint against Vidéotron’s Vrai service

New York, USA – 18 March 2021: BCE company logo icon on website, Illustrative Editorial

BCE wants Quebec-based Vidéotron to remove its Vrai service, recently released documents from the Canadian Radio and television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) reveal.

Launched in August 2021, Vrai features original French productions that can be watched on-demand.

BCE claims Vrai isn’t operating in accordance with the CRTC’s hybrid video-on-demand (HVOD) order by offering a internet direct to consumer (DTC) option, according to a part 1 application the organization filed with the CRTC.

An internet DTC allows customers to directly purchase the service online.

According to the order, BCE says the service must also be available over the internet for all Canadians to access. While that can be done, the application states the current DTC option has a number of problems and isn’t compliant with the HVOD order.

The problems, according to BCE

When it was launched in August, Vrai was only available to Vidéotron customers. While that has since changed, and Vrai can be purchased by Canadians, BCE’s application states the offer is “designed not to sell.”

BCE says Vrai’s internet option is “significantly more expensive.” It’ll cost $15 a month to purchase online. If people were to access Vrai by subscribing to Vidéotron’s service, it would cost $7 a month.

Customers who access Vrai online can only get one stream at a time. In comparison, BDU subscribers can get up to five.

Online customers can only access the service through an app or website, and not on a larger screen. In comparison, Vidéotron subscribers can access the platform through multiple forms, including Apple TV or Android TV.

Customers who want to subscribe to the DTC are also automatically redirected to Vidéotron’s websites and TV subscription offers. Customers who refuse these offers, and don’t register with Vidéotron, won’t be able to access Vrai online.

“By providing such an inferior DTC offer for Vrai, Vidéotron is offering Vrai on an exclusive or otherwise preferential basis that is dependent on subscription to its own BDU service,” and is “contrary” to the policy set out by the CRTC, the application states.

The ask to CRTC

BCE says Vrai can’t operate as an HVOD service until it provides a “viable DTC option.” Until then, the CRTC must work quickly to “immediately order” Vidéotron to remove Vrai from its TV subscription offer.

A procedural letter from the CRTC confirms the request has been received. It states Vany interventions and Vidéotron’s answers must be submitted by February 10th. A reply from BCE is due February 15th.

Image credit: Shutterstock

Source: CRTC