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Here are the most important Canadian telecom stories of 2021

Aerial view of mobiel phone cell tower over forested rural area of West Virginia to illustrate lack of broadband internet service

2021 was a busy year for the Canadian telecommunications industry.

From new deals to expansions, to a sense of uncertainty for the future, a lot happened. Here’s MobileSyrup’s list of the most important telecom stories this year.

The Rogers-Shaw merger

The merger takes the first spot on this list because of all the controversy surrounding it. While the deal is yet to be approved by various government bodies, the chatter surrounding the merger has stayed strong ever since Rogers proposed acquiring Shaw.

Competing telecom companies were quick to raise concerns. This was put on the record at a week-long hearing with the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) in late November.

Bell, which also tried to purchase Shaw but was outbid, argued the deal wasn’t the best for Canadians. Smaller broadcast corporations focusing on local broadcasts raised concerns about what the merger would mean for them. The hearing also featured organizations that were in favour of the new deal.

This hearing, which exclusively focused on the broadcast aspect of the deal, is the only insight Canadians had on the merger. Telephone, wireless, and internet services are other important aspects of the deal, but discussion on them won’t be open to the public. These matters will be dealt with by the Competition Bureau and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, away from the public eye.

It also remains unclear what will happen with Freedom Mobile, which is currently under Shaw’s ownership. If regulators force Rogers to sell the mobile business, Anthony Lacavera wants to buy it back. Lacavera founded Wind Mobile and sold it to Shaw in 2016 for $1.6 billion. The company was renamed Freedom Mobile in 2016.

Image credit: CRTC (screenshot)

Rogers family drama

Ted Rogers left an empire for his children to build on. But his kids, all of whom work with the company in some form, had different ideas on how to continue their father’s legacy. On one side was Edward Rogers, who tried to oust former CEO, Joe Natale and replace him with chief financial officer, Tony Staffieri. On the other were his two sisters, Martha Rogers and Melinda Rogers-Hixon. They opposed the plan and thought Natale was a fitting CEO. Edward Rodger’s original move to remove Natale, and a number of directors from the board, failed. In response, he was ousted as the board chair but remained on as a director.

At the time it appeared like two boards were operating on behalf of the company. In the end, Edward Rogers got his way when a judge ruled his actions were valid. It remains unclear whether the drama will impact the Rogers-Shaw merger.

5G expansion 

2021 also marked the year 5G began to be widely implemented in Canada. The fifth-generation wireless technology that fuels cellular networks was quick to come to major cities, and a number of providers worked on bringing it to smaller communities as well. 

Telus made expansions to several communities in British Columbia, Alberta. Rogers completed its core rollout of the network in late October, offering service to Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver. Rogers also made expansions in Nova Scotia and Quebec. SaskTel deployed its network in Saskatchewan.

Xplornet launched the first rural 5G standalone network in the country. It also entered a partnership with the Manitoba government to bring access to a number of communities in the province.

While the expansion is a step in the right direction, it hasn’t resulted in significantly faster internet speeds, given that current technology is based on 4G networks. Most 5G benefits won’t be felt until carriers launch 3,500MHz spectrum. This is considered crucial for the success of 5G in Canada as networks using it will offer faster speeds and lower latency compared to the 4G network.

3,500Mhz auction

In order to give telecom companies access to 3,500MHz spectrum, the government auctioned licenses between July 15th and July 23rd. Canadian telecom giants will be able to use 3,500MHz spectrum to start building out mid-band (a.k.a. Sub-6) 5G networks.

A total of $8.91 billion was collected from the sale of 1,495 licenses to 15 companies. Rogers, Bell, Telus, and Vidéotron bet the most, making up $8 billion in sales. Licenses dictate how much service companies must provide.

“The 3,500MHz auction is a key step in our government’s plan to promote competition in the telecom sector, improve rural connectivity, and ensure Canadians benefit from 5G technologies and services,” said François-Philippe Champagne, minister of innovation, science and industry, at the time.

Image credit: SaskTel

Huawei’s future in Canada

We still don’t know the state of Huawei’s future in Canada as government officials decide whether to ban Huawei technology from the country’s 5G network.

Concerns arose when a leaked government report claimed there was an increase in cyberattacks through Huawei devices. This was following Canada’s detainment of company executive, Meng Wanzhou, in Vancouver back in 2018 over fraud charges in the U.S. Wanzhou was recently released.

Canada is part of the “Five Eyes,” an intelligence alliance with Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the U.S. Each of these countries has levelled its own sanctions against Huawei’s 5G devices.

Reports have indicated telecom companies, including Bell and Telus, have requested the Liberal government fund the removal of Huawei equipment from their networks if a ban is approved. Global News has reported telecom companies spent more than $700 million installing the required equipment. 

Efforts to block spam calls

Few things are more annoying than spam calls. So when the CRTC ordered carriers to implement STIR/SHAKEN technology, tools that would help block these calls, the news was positively received. 

Secure Telephony Information Revisited (STIR) helps providers validate calls. When a call is made from the originating carrier, a digital signature is created outlining who the caller is. The provider of the person receiving this call verifies the signature. 

Signature-based Handling of Asserted information using TOKENs (SHAKEN) is the framework used by carriers when STIR information is missing or incorrect. 

After being delayed, the final deadline for implementing the technology was November 30th. But the deadline has come and gone, and some carriers need more time to implement the technology.

Bell Canada also made its own efforts to permanently block fraudulent calls through its own network after receiving final approval from the CRTC in December. The watchdog reported 1.1 billion calls were blocked by the network between July 2020 and October 2021.

Despite these stories being the most important of the year, they aren’t ending in 2021. Discussions around these topics are happening every day and MobileSyrup will have you covered with all the latest developments in 2022.

Header image credit: Shutterstock

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Shaw CEO saw his paycheck nearly double this year

Bradley Shaw has had a good year.

According to The Globe and Mail, the company bearing his name paid Shaw $11.94 million in its 2021 fiscal year, almost double from what he made last year. That amount sat at $6.87 million.

Shaw is the executive chair and CEO of Shaw Communications.

Roughly $3.3 million of the increase came from pension accounting. His bonus was also increased to $6.12 million this year from $5.27 million last year. Shaw also received $2.88 million in stocks.

Rogers is currently in the process of buying out Shaw for roughly $26 billion. The transaction needs to be approved by Innovation, Science and Economic Canada (ISED), the Competition Bureau, and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

The CRTC held the only public hearing into the merger last month. On the first day, Shaw said the merger was a necessity for spreading wireless services in Canada.

“By joining Rogers, we will expand and accelerate the multi-generational investments needed to close the digital divide and compete more effectively across Western Canada, while expanding competition to communities that currently have little or no choice,” he said.

A decision by the CRTC will likely come early next year.

Image credit: CRTC (screenshot)

Source: The Globe and Mail

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Mobile Syrup

Shaw’s Boxing Day offers include discounts on iPhone, Pixel and more

Like many other carriers, Shaw is offering early Boxing Day deals. Its “Boxing Week” extravaganza includes several deals on phones, which you can check out below:

As for plans, Shaw Mobile has the same offers as before, which include three plan tiers with pricing that differs based on which Shaw internet package customers subscribe to:

  • By The Gig plan, $0 – $15/mo: includes unlimited Canada-wide calling and global text (customers can buy 1GB of rollover data for $10).
  • Unlimited plan, $25 – $85/mo: includes unlimited Canada-wide calling, global text, and 25GB of LTE data.
  • Unlimited + U.S. & Mexico plan, $35 – $95/mo: same as Unlimited, but with 2GB of data and calling in U.S. and Mexico.

You can check out Shaw Mobile’s plan Boxing Day offers here.

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The CRTC set a deadline to ID spam callers, but some question if companies followed the rules

It’s a common occurrence for most cellphone users when the familiar ring tone of an incoming call is paired with a strange and unknown number popping up on a screen. There might be a slight pause as the owner takes a moment to contemplate whether or not to answer the phone.

There’s little choice for those waiting for some sort of call back, have it be job-hunters, receptionists, or any other professional who uses phone calls as a primary form of communication daily.

There’s an instant pang of regret when answered.

It’s not an interviewer or someone looking to book an appointment; it’s an unknown voice telling you something horrible has happened.

It might be automated, telling the listener their calling from the Canada Border Service Agency about trouble with a recent border crossing. Or one claiming to be from a phone company with an outstanding bill.

It could also be a live person on the other end, telling a tale of a family member in trouble or that an account has been hacked, and personal details or money is needed to recover information.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) promised to make a change. They ordered carriers to implement the use of STIR/SHAKEN technology.

It’s a two-part system that authenticates callers. Secure Telephony Information Revisited (STIR) allows providers to validate an incoming call. Signature-based Handling of Asserted Information using Tokens (SHAKEN) is the larger framework used by network providers.

After several delays, November 30th, 2021, was set as the day the change would come into effect and was celebrated by the CRTC and carriers alike.

“This new caller ID technology will empower Canadians to determine which calls are legitimate and worth answering, and which need to be treated with caution,” Ian Scott, CRTC’s chairperson, said of the new technology. “As more providers upgrade their networks, STIR/SHAKEN will undoubtedly reduce spoofing and help Canadians regain peace of mind when answering phone calls.”

The sentiment of the second part of Scott’s quote wasn’t widely shared; not all wireless mobile customers would see the benefits of this technology right away. In fact, many of them will have to wait for an unknown period of time.

Delays are ‘betrayals,’ customer says

That’s where Sean Fordyce found himself. The Telus customer thought the deadline meant technology would be available on all devices, but when he continued to get spam calls, he gave his provider a call.

After speaking with customer service and tech support and realizing neither of them knew what he was talking about, an employee found an internal memo that said the change only applied to the Google Pixel.

“STIR/SHAKEN offered a real solution to businesses, people getting calls for work from unknown numbers, and the unemployed. This is a betrayal from the telecom [companies],” Fordyce said.

In response to a number of questions, Telus told MobileSyrup the new technology is available on next-generation homes phones and for “customers with a device that supports the technology in its factory setup and can receive Telus VoLTE service.” All agents were also made aware of STIR/SHAKEN and provided with resources they could use to help customers.

Questions asking Telus to explain what specific devices would be included did not lead to a response ahead of publication. MobileSyrup was told the technology applies to the “network core [and] the expectation is that all customers will receive some benefits from the addition of STIR/SHAKEN technology.”

On its website, Rogers shares that both the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro have the software to support the new technology, and the organization is working with manufacturers to ensure other phones can support the network.

Pixel devices already have the ability to screen calls before they were answered, long before the CRTC’s new rule, through its Screen Call feature. Users are allowed to screen a call if it’s coming from an unknown number using Google Assistant. Assistant screens the caller, while sharing details with the phone owner, and then gives them the option to jump in on the call.

It’s not clear if any provider claiming STIR/SHAKEN technology is available through Pixel is differentiating it from the phone’s original ability to screen spam calls.

According to the Canadian Secure Token Governance Authority’s (CSTGA) website, STIR/SHAKEN can only be implemented when a certificate is issued to a service provider, which is used to “verify the caller information.”

“This information is transmitted using a “digital signature” and is used by the called party, or their service provider, to verify the authenticity of the caller ID.” These certificates are granted by a Certificate Authority (CA).

In 2019, the CRTC approved a request from Canadian telecom companies to establish the CSTGA, which overlooks the certificate process.

“Bell Canada, Rogers Communications, SaskTel, Shaw Communications, Telus and Vidéotron are among the Founding members of the CSTGA,” the website notes.

It’s not clear if the CSTGA received applications from service providers to help secure STIR/SHAKEN technology.

Implementation in the U.S.

The technology has already been mandated in the U.S by the Federal Communications Commission. A letter announcing the implementation notes service providers are using the technology “in their IP networks.” There’s no mention of the success of the technology being tied to a specific phone.

Bell told MobileSyrup SHAKEN/STIR was implemented “across our mobile network.” Questions asking if this included specific devices were not answered.

A spokesperson for Shaw shared the company began rolling out the changes in November, but there could be delays because of “challenges associated with technical testing.” On its website, the company says the rollout will happen on a “launch date that is yet to be determined.” Questions asking if specific devices are compatible were not answered. The CRTC told MobileSyrup the new technology is “a condition of service” for providers.

“As we noted in our news release, not all calls are currently verifiable due to device and network compatibility requirements, including calls that are not entirely performed over an IP-voice network,” a spokesperson said.

The organization said it’s monitoring the implementation of this network.

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Only public hearing into Rogers-Shaw deal concludes with little change to original proposal

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s (CRTC) hearing into the Rogers Shaw merger has concluded.

The week started and finished with executives from Rogers and Shaw telling the CRTC why the transaction, valued at $26 billion, should be approved. Rogers presented that the merger would allow the growing divide between the country’s urban and rural areas to lessen by creating a competitive market, funding for Indigenous-specific content, and bringing forward more affordable options for consumers.

Rogers currently offers services in Ontario and the Atlantic Provinces and Shaw operates in the West, including B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

The three days following focused on presentations from interveners, many of them media organizations asking the CRTC to completely deny the merger or have Rogers make improvements to protect the rights of consumers, independent broadcasters, and the larger broadcasting system.

Blue Ant Media, MobileSyrup’s parent company, raised issues through a written intervention but did not take part in the hearing.

Independent programmers

The merger will impact financial support to numerous independent broadcasters. Included in this is Corus, which receives millions every year from Shaw. In 2020, the broadcaster received roughly $13 million for Global News.

On Friday, Pam Dinsmore, vice president of regulatory cable at Rogers, acknowledged the transaction will “have an indirect impact on independent programmers.”

Rogers negotiated renewal agreements with numerous programmers but didn’t have success with those who make up the Independent Broadcast Group (IBG). APTN, Hollywood Suite, and OMG Media Group are some of the organizations part of the group. Chris Fuoco, part of the IBG, said Tuesday Rogers ended the negotiations in the evening hours of November 22nd.

Rogers also proposed to carry 40 independent services over a three-year period, but discussions throughout the week heard interveners requesting that number be brought to 50. Rogers said Friday that was not possible. “A requirement to add independent services to Shaw Direct [SD] may actually force us to drop other services, reduce signal quality or convert certain HD services to SD. That would be an unacceptable outcome,” Dinsmore said. Rogers is willing to offer 45 “as a compromise.”

Rogers also said Monday it will take funding and direct it to CityTV, a network it owns, over Global News. “We do not agree that this money should be diverted to competing local television stations. This funding will ensure that CityNews provides a stronger and more competitive editorial voice in the West that rivals CTV and Global,” Susan Wheeler, a vice president at Rogers, said.

The move to IPTV

Wheeler further reiterated on Friday consumer needs are an important part of this transaction.

Numerous interveners throughout the week questioned if this was in fact true. On the third day of the hearing, representatives from the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) said Rogers plans to move cable-only and satellite TV subscribers from Shaw to its IPTV service, which will end up costing customers more.

Wheeler said this was a “misunderstanding” from the PIAC. “Our IPTV migration plan is based on providing incentives to consumers to encourage them to move to the Ignite platform and to do so seamlessly when the time is right for them.” She did not specify what incentives she was referring to.

PIAC, who presented alongside the National Pensioners Federation, said Rogers should offer Shaw customers using TV packages a price freeze, lasting three years, when they have to move to IPTV. Representatives from Rogers did not address this specific ask.

Bell and Telus

The two media giants asked the CRTC to deny the application for the merger, stating it isn’t in the best interest of Canadians.

Ted Woodhead, Rogers senior vice president, regulatory, said the concerns they presented at the hearing were “manufactured” and their real concern was Rogers being a “better competitor” in the markets they serve.

“Bell and Telus’ opposition to our application is obviously grounded in self-interest — not the public interest,” he said.

Bell also bid to take over Shaw when the opportunity originally arose.

In 2012, Bell approached the CRTC to acquire Astral, but its first application was denied. Representatives from Bell said Thursday this was because the commission couldn’t see the benefits of it, and the same thing can be said for Rogers plans to acquire Shaw. Bell’s application was reviewed and eventually approved.

Woodhead argued this claim was “patently false.”

“Bell and Astral both operated television services in the most popular genres and held exclusive rights to many of the most-watched programs and programming services in Canada. It was that exclusivity that compelled the Commission to issue its denial.”

The five-day hearing was the only opportunity for the public to gain insight into the inner workings of the deal. This hearing specifically dealt with the aspect of broadcast. Telephone, wireless, and internet services are also large parts of the deal but will be dealt with separately through hearings with the Competition Bureau and Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada. Those hearings will not be open to the public.

The CRTC asked Rogers to send in written submissions with further details to some of their questions by the end of December. A decision before the new year is unlikely.

Image source: CRTC (screenshot)

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Telus calls on CRTC to deny application merging Rogers and Shaw

Executives from various media groups across the country met in a Gatineau boardroom to continue the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s (CRTC) hearing into the merger of Rogers and Shaw.

The day focused on interveners, organizations raising various issues with the proposed merger.

Telus has been vocal about their opposition since day one. At the hearing, executives asked the CRTC multiple times not to approve the merger, targeting Rogers regarding the promises made during its presentation the day prior.

Stephen Schmidt, vice president of telecom policy at Telus, said Rogers failed to understand the harms this merger creates, including reducing competition and consumer choice. The scale the company will cover alone will give Rogers access to 47 percent of subscribers using the English language, and their network would pass 80 percent of English homes.

Telus also argues the scale will allow Rogers to determine what program would be available for English language consumers, whether or not they’re a Rogers customer, and secure exclusive foreign content.

The company says that the media giant failed to show the merger is in the best interests of Canadians and that the best proposal possible was presented.

Schmidt said the principle on non-exclusivity of programming was what the Canadian broadcasting system was built on to create “healthy competition.” But if approved, the merger will change that and give Rogers the ability to be the only provider to offer specific content and give consumers no other option but to subscribe to them.

“Denial of the application is the only response that is proportionate to the concerns that it raises,” Schmidt said.

The Global News fiasco

Another issue this merger creates is the funding associated with the Global News network that runs under Corus Entertainment. Shaw directs roughly $13 million towards Corus every year because of a federal rule that asks broadcaster distributors to redirect five percent of revenue towards Canadian content and local news.

Zainul Mawji, executive vice president of home solutions at Telus, said Rogers should continue to provide this funding, over redirecting it to its network, CityTV, because many Western Canadians rely on the network. She shared CityTV has roughly one percent viewership and Global about 20 percent.

Lecia Simpson, a director at Telus, said Corus might have to turn to the independent local news fund if the funding is pulled. $13 million is more than half of what the fund has, she shared.

“Further having listened yesterday to Rogers and response to their questions, or the questions you posed to them, there were no guarantees made, no actual firm commitments on how they would be spending the $13 million,” Simpson said.

Need for safeguards

The executives say the current safeguards offered aren’t enough, and Rogers hasn’t proposed any of their own, a concern raised by many others as well.

“Denial of the application is the only response that is proportionate to the concerns that it raises,” Stephen Schmidt, vice president of telecom policy, Telus

The Canadian Communication System Alliances represents dozens of broadcasting and telecommunications providers, specifically in rural and remote areas. Representatives raised concerns the merger could impact the investments and affordability of the services they offer. While they were clear to note they do not oppose the transaction, they say it will impact many people unless safeguards are implemented.

“We do not believe that the safeguards in your current toolbox are adequate to do the job. And we fear that, even if you impose the right safeguards, you will not adequately and effectively enforce them. Unfortunately, our own experience says that you won’t,” Jay Thomson, the organization’s CEO, said to the panel of CRTC representatives.

The Independent Broadcast Group also raised similar issues.

“Without clear enforceable safeguards, this transaction will make things much worse – if it can be – for independents. A combined Rogers-Shaw entity will set the market and, based on their current approach to independent services, it is going to be a choppy ride. The situation for many, if not most of us, is dire,” Brad Danks, CEO of OUTtv and OMG Media Group, said.

Blue Ant Media, the parent company of MobileSyrup, has also raised an intervention with the merger.

Executives from Rogers were on hand Monday and said the merger would be the best for Canadians. On behalf of Shaw, representatives from Rogers will be back Friday to answer questions raised throughout the week.

Image source: CRTC (screenshot)

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First day of CRTC hearing on Rogers-Shaw merger emphasizes need for expansion to serve Canadians

Canadians got their first look into a $26 billion transaction that will impact the broadcast and telecommunications industries as a whole.

Representatives from Shaw and Rogers met in front of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) Monday to make their case on why a joint merger is the best for Canada.

Ian Scott, CRTC’s chair, started the first day of a five-day hearing with a statement reminding representatives the hearing will only deal with the broadcasting aspects of this deal. Companies against the transaction have voiced concerns the merger will give Rogers unprecedented power to negotiate fees to carry these channels.

Interventions have been filed by numerous organizations, including Blue Ant Media, which owns MobileSyrup.

While telephone, wireless, and internet services are an important part of the merger, they will be dealt with by the Competition Bureau and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. Concerns have been raised the merger would reduce the competition in the wireless market.

“It doesn’t appear there would be increased competition in those communities…I’m not getting your point that a combination of Rogers and Shaw will create more competition.” – Ian Scott, CRTC chair

This is the only hearing that will be open to the public.

Sat in the front row after a fresh round of family drama, Edward Rogers, the chairman for Rogers board of directors, shared a statement as part of the opening remarks but didn’t speak publicly after that.

Along with Brad Shaw, the CEO of Shaw, the two broadcast heirs promised to stay committed to a deal they say will close the digital divide between rural and urban communities.

“By joining Rogers, we will expand and accelerate the multi-generational investments needed to close the digital divide and compete more effectively across Western Canada, while expanding competition to communities that currently have little or no choice,” Shaw said.

Rogers currently offers services in Ontario and the Atlantic Provinces. Shaw operates in Western provinces including B.C, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

Despite Scott’s earlier warning, some talk outside of the broadcast realm did occur.

Dean Prevost, president of Rogers Connected Home, said the merger would allow them to build 5G networks across the nation, spreading to areas each company had not ventured in on its own.

The details

Prevost said there has been a growing divide between the country’s urban and rural areas, specifically in Indigenous communities, and in order to overcome these challenges, there’s a need to invest in “competitive network infrastructure.” This will be done through four contributions.

The first is to enhance competitiveness. He says many in smaller communities in B.C and Alberta, Telus is the only option and there is no competition. The second is to bridge the digital divide by investing funds in Indigenous-specific content. The third and fourth pillar is to offer more affordable options and allow everyone to transition to the “digital world.”

But Scott questioned how more competition would be created in the target communities. “Where is the competition enhanced,” he questioned. “It doesn’t appear there would be increased competition in those communities…I’m not getting your point that a combination of Rogers and Shaw will create more competition.”

“[It] happens in the fringes of Shaws network today,” Ted Woodhead, Rogers senior vice-president of regulatory said. With a larger scale, the company will be able to expand services from the “fringe” to areas only addressed by a few broadcasters. He emphasized not all Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) services are the same and the one offered by Rogers is “unique.”

Executives also promised the network would invest in community journalism, create opportunities for Indigenous content creators, and carry 40 independent programming services for three years. At this time, more than 100 companies are carried collectively by Shaw and Rogers. “We felt it was fair, it was reasonable,” Pam Dinsmore, vice president regulatory, said on the three-year timeline.

Image source: CRTC (screenshot)

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Shaw donates $500,000 to BC flood relief efforts

Shaw has announced it will donate half a million dollars to the Canadian Red Cross and various grassroots organizations working on the growing needs in the area.

The province’s association of food banks, Food Banks B.C., will also receive funding. It’s not clear how much will go towards each organization.

The company also shared impacted customers utilizing internet, TV, and home phone services will have credits applied to their accounts.

Network technicians are also working on repairing damaged internet and wireless infrastructure. Customers can track service updates and outages here.

“We are thinking of everyone impacted by this natural disaster and, like so many, we are deeply grateful to the emergency response teams and the organizations who continue to manage the devastating impacts of the past week’s storms,” Brad Shaw, the company’s CEO, said in a press release.

A number of other telecommunications companies have also donated funds towards the disaster. Bell donated $25,000, and Telus and Rogers donated $1 million each.

Source: Shaw

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Shaw donates $500,000 to BC flood relief efforts

Shaw has announced it will donate half a million dollars to the Canadian Red Cross and various grassroots organizations working on the growing needs in the area.

The province’s association of food banks, Food Banks B.C., will also receive funding. It’s not clear how much will go towards each organization.

The company also shared impacted customers utilizing internet, TV, and home phone services will have credits applied to their accounts.

Network technicians are also working on repairing damaged internet and wireless infrastructure. Customers can track service updates and outages here.

“We are thinking of everyone impacted by this natural disaster and, like so many, we are deeply grateful to the emergency response teams and the organizations who continue to manage the devastating impacts of the past week’s storms,” Brad Shaw, the company’s CEO, said in a press release.

A number of other telecommunications companies have also donated funds towards the disaster. Bell donated $25,000, and Telus and Rogers donated $1 million each.

Source: Shaw

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CRTC considering request to delay Rogers-Shaw hearing

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is considering postponing the upcoming hearing about the Rogers-Shaw merger.

The news comes after Rogers responded to calls to delay the hearing from Bell, Telus and the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) and the National Pensioners Federation (NPF). In short, the telecom companies and advocacy groups requested that the CRTC postpone the Rogers-Shaw hearing slated for November 22nd because of the ongoing issues with Rogers’ executives as Rogers family members vie for control of the company.

According to a tweet from the National Post’s parliamentary reporter Anja Karadeglija, the CRTC responded to Rogers’ to give the company until Monday, November 8th at 1pm to provide supplemental information. You can read the CRTC response sent to Rogers’ senior vice president Ted Woodhead shared by Karadeglija below:

“The Commission is in receipt of a letter containing a procedural request from the Public Interest Advocacy Centre and the National Pensioners Federation (PIAC-NPF) dated 1 November 2021. In that letter, PIAC-NPF requests that the Commission adjourn the public hearing initiated by Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2021-281, scheduled to begin on 22 November 2021.

“Commission staff acknowledges that Rogers has already replied to PIAC-NPF’s procedural request, but will provide the opportunity for Rogers to submit any supplemental information it wishes before the panel renders a decision on the PIAC-NPF request. Rogers will have until Monday, 8 November 2021 at 1 p.m. EST to provide the supplemental information. A copy of this letter and all related correspondence will be added to the public record of the proceeding.”

In other words, the CRTC is considering the delay but we likely won’t hear a final decision until after the November 8th deadline.

Rogers says the family is “aligned” on the Shaw deal

Proponents for the delay argue that it’s not clear which of the two boards currently has authority for the company’s affairs. There are also concerns that changes to company leadership caused by the family feud may impact whether Rogers will hold to assurances it made in the Shaw acquisition.

Rogers previously countered those arguments in a filing, noting that the Rogers family is “aligned” on the Shaw deal and pledging to honour any commitments “regardless of any changes” to leadership.

Meanwhile, Edward Rogers (son of the late company founder, Ted Rogers) had lawyers in a Vancouver court this week arguing that B.C. law allows him to change the board in the way he did. Company lawyers, however, say that those kinds of changes necessitate a shareholder meeting.

You can read a full timeline of the Rogers family drama here.

Source: Anja Karadeglija (Twitter)