Tag: weekly telecom roundup

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Mobile Syrup

Telecom news roundup: Cogeco buys Oxio [Feb. 18-24]

14Here’s a recap of everything that happened in Canada’s telecom sector this week.

Business

Cogeco has acquired the once-independent internet service provider Oxio. The company did not disclose the purchase price.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has launched a new consultation on telecom outages. Interested parties have until March 24th to provide comments.

Harsh weather conditions caused service problems for some Bell and Virgin Plus customers in Southern Ontario.

A recent report from Opensignal shows Bell, Rogers, and Telus offer similar 5G reach and availability.

The CRTC has directed wireless providers to launch consultations discussing plan needs with Canadians with various disabilities.

Québecor says it’s ready to expand its services outside of its home province of Quebec.

Government

Nova Scotia has invested $10.6 million in a high-speed internet project for Pictou County. The funds will benefit 4,700 homes and businesses.

Xplore and Bell have secured funding from the Government of Canada and the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador for high-speed internet projects.

Deals

Virgin Plus and Koodo revealed new double data deals on select plans when customers use their own devices.

Some Rogers customers might be able to access 10GB of additional data for 24 months at no extra cost. Customers should check their MyRogers account to see if the deal is available.

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Mobile Syrup

Telecom news roundup: the tale of the never-ending mergers [Feb. 11-17]

With Rogers, Shaw and Québecor’s self-imposed closing deadline coming and going once again, the companies say they’re still committed to their plans.

More details, and a recap of other telecom news this week, continues below.

Business

Nearly two years after Rogers announced plans to merge with Shaw, the companies are still not one. Innovtion Minister François-Philippe Champagne still has to approve Vidéotron’s acquisition of Shaw’s wireless licenses. But NDP leader Jagmeet Singh hopes this won’t end up being the case. In a letter, Singh said the transaction will lead to higher wireless bills for Canadians. Earlier this week, the Minister said he isn’t close to making a decision.

Rogers, Shaw and Québecor have increased their self imposed deadline for the mergers to March 31st.

Rogers and Québecor are also reportedly discussing domestic romaing costs.

In response to a letter from Minister Champagne and Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez, Vicky Eatrides say she will work as part of a team to “meet the needs of all Canadians.” The new Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) Chair also said the Commission is working to adress issues with timeliness, accessibility, and openness.

More on the CRTC, the Commission has a new set of policy directions, courtesy of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada. The policy tells the CRTC to focus on a number of issues, including wholesale internet and mobile wireless competition.

The new directions have been met with mixed reactions. While some organizations say they are hopeful of the changes the policy will bring, others are skeptical.

The CRTC laid out groundwork for improved pole access in a recent decision.

Eatrides announced the hiring of Leila Wright as the new executive director of telecommunications .

Saskatchewan based telecom provider SaskTel will soon start looking for a new president and CEO after the company’s board announced Doug Burnett will retire. Burnett joined the company in 1990 and has held the top roles since 2019.

The company also announced that it has started connecting the residents of Swift Current with 5G access.

Northwestel is making some changes to its internet offerings come March 1st. The company will lower the cost of the Internet 500 and 300 plans. A new tier, Internet 15, will also be available for $57.95/month.

Deals

Rogers is looking to win back former customers, offering some a $60/100GB plan with  Canada/U.S. calling, texting and data.

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Mobile Syrup

This week in Canadian telecom: all the best carrier Boxing Week deals [Dec.10-16]

With the holiday season in full swing, carriers have pushed out deals on devices and services. More information, and a roundup of telecom news in Canada this past week, is detailed below.

Business

Carriers are charging Canadians more for wireless plans now compared to the beginning of the year. An analysis by MobileSyrup’s news editor, Jon Lamont, found most plans saw a price increase between $2 and $5 each month. Read the feature here.

Eastlink has expanded its mobile network to Miramichi, New Brunswick. Under the company’s $26 million mobile expansion plan for the province, residents will have greater access to coverage and service options.

SaskTel has expanded its infiNET service to Lloydminster, Saskatchewan. The fibre optic network provides speeds up to 1Gbps and has expanded to various other communities this year.

The Competition Tribunal has concluded its hearing into the Rogers-Shaw merger. The companies faced a challenge from the Competition Bureau, which said the merger would lead to higher wireless bills. Rogers and Shaw hope to close the merge by year’s end.

Deals

Koodo rolls out a 40GB plan for $50/month. More details are available here.

Bell is offering discounts on the iPhone 14 and several Samsung and Motorola devices for the holidays. Check out the specifics here.

Telus is offering discounts on mobile plans and deals on devices. More information is available here.
Rogers is offering deals on various devices for Boxing Week, including the Samsung S22 for $0/month for 24 months. Check out all the deals here.
Freedom Mobile is offering various deals on devices, including the Pixel 7, which is available for $5/month.
Public Mobile rolls out 20GB of 4G data for $45/month for Boxing Week.
Fido has rolled out deals on various devices for Boxing Week, with savings on the Pixel 6a and the Galaxy S21 FE.
Eastlink is offering discounts on Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and iPhone SE for Boxing Week.
Virgin Plus is offering deals on Pixel and Galaxy devices. Plus, purchasing the Motorola Edge (2022) will score you free Verve Buds 120.
Chatr is offering 10GB of bonus data for 12 months on some plans. Details are available here.
Lucky Mobile is also offering a similar deal. Check out the details here.
Shaw is offering discounts on Google Pixel 7, and iPhone 13 ahead of Boxing Day.
SaskTel rolls out savings on the Galaxy Z Flip 4, various iPhone models, and more. Details are available here.
Vidéotron is offering discounts on data plans and home internet for Boxing Week.
Want MobileSyup’s take on the best carrier Boxing Week deals so far? Check out this article for all the specifics.
Image credit: Shutterstock 
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Mobile Syrup

This week in Canadian telecom: CRTC rejects Telus’ credit card processing fee [Dec. 3-9]

Here’s almost everything that happened in Canada’s telecom sector this week.

Business

5G could contribute up to $120 billion to Canada’s GDP by 2036, according to a report from Deetken Insight. Commissioned by Telus, the report found the performance upgrades of 5G over 4G will lead to economic growth and improved quality of life.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has rejected Telus’ request to charge customers paying bills with credit cards a processing fee. However, the ruling only applies to services regulated by the CRTC, mostly consisting of home phone services in smaller communities.

Government

Canada is among a group of government bodies to enter an agreement to collaborate on telecom supplier diversity. Along with the U.K., U.S., and Australia, Canada has outlined six initiatives they say will help them achieve their goal.

Deals

TekSavvy is offering customers a $10 monthly discount when they refer a friend. Details are available here.

Some Koodo customers can add 25GB of additional data to their plan for $25/month. The Telus flanker brand sent some customers the offer by text, and a direct response is needed to redeem. More information is available here.

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Mobile Syrup

This week in Canadian telecom: Black Friday deals and Rogers-Shaw hearing [Nov. 19-25]

While Black Friday might be officially over, according to our calendars, the deals are going strong. Various telecom companies are offering deals on devices, mobile plans and internet packages.

Of course, great deals aren’t the only thing coming from the telecom sector. As a recap, here’s almost everything that happened in Canada’s telecom sector this week.

Business

Innovation Canada announced it would auction several leftover spectrum licenses (2500MHz, 600MHz and 3500MHz) in the new year. Various telecom companies, including Rogers, Bell, and Telus, have applied to participate.

4 million Canadians will upgrade to 5G in the next 12-18 months, a recent report from Ericsson shows. 5G was first introduced in Canada in 2020, and its subscriber base has grown six times since then. However, awareness remains low, and there is room for ample growth.

Ian Scott, the Chair of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), says more competition in Canada’s wireless market is needed. Scott made the statement at the Canadian Telecom Summit (CTS) in what is likely his last public speech as Chair.

Without Rogers’ takeover, Shaw “didn’t see a viable path forward as a standalone company,” Trevor English, Shaw’s chief financial officer, said at the Competition Tribunal’s hearing. The tribunal is examining the Rogers-Shaw merger and has concluded its third week.

The hearing also revealed Rogers executives would receive bonuses once Rogers’ takeover of Shaw is completed. Dean Prevost, Rogers’ president of integration, accidentally revealed his bonus would be $2 million.

Government

The governments of Canada and British Columbia are funding seven high-speed internet projects in the province. CityWest will complete the projects worth $5.2 million to benefit more than 1,100 households on and around Vancouver Island.

Deals

Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals continue throughout the weekend.

Ice Wireless is offering discounts on its endless, prepaid, and home phone plans for 12 months. More information is available here.

TekSavvy is selling deals on various internet packages for some residents for Black Friday.

Koodo is offering a $45/50 GB plan for Black Friday.

Roger is offering a 100GB plan for $75/ month for Black Friday.

Public Mobile is offering a 20GB plan for $35/month. 

A round-up of all the best Black Friday deals can be found here. You can find all of the top deals at Canadian retailers here.

Image credit: Shuttetstock 

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Mobile Syrup

This week in Canadian telecom: Telus’ attempted to impact Rogers-Shaw merger [Nov. 12-18]

The Competition Tribunal has completed week two of its hearing into the Rogers-Shaw merger, and the public had a front-row seat. Chief Justice Paul Crampton started the week by addressing the hearing’s lack of transparency and unnecessary in-camera sessions, leading to once-confidential documents being available for public view. The move led to several revelations.

More on the merger, and other telecom news in Canada, is recapped below.

Business

Telus attempted to sway the outcome of the Rogers-Shaw merger. Details were shared in internal documents presented during the Competition Tribunal’s hearing. The project called ‘Project Fox’ included Telus meeting with politicians “to kill, shape and slow the deal.”

The hearing also revealed that Distributel wanted to buy Freedom Mobile and made two proposals to Rogers. Distributel made the offers before Bell announced plans to purchase the company (subject to regulatory approval).

SaskTel has added $100 million to its Rural Fibre Initiative. The project connects Saskatchewan residents with SaskTel’s infiNET Service, delivering internet speeds close to 1Gbps. The additional funds will connect 80 towns and villages.

As the demand for new phone numbers in Canada continues to grow, the Telecommunications Alliance is introducing new area codes across the country. Residents in Southwestern Ontario will see a new 382 area code in June 2023. The area code will serve areas that have access to 226, 519, and 548 area codes.

The federal government has ended its partnership with Bell Let’s Talk. The annual mental health initiative sees the telecom giant donate every time people use #BellLetsTalk on social media on the designated day.

Deals

With Black Friday around the corner, carriers have released deals on devices and services. A full rundown of all the deals is available here. Some of the discounts are highlighted below.

Freedom is offering savings on Samsung and Pixel devices for Black Friday. Learn more here.

SaskTel is putting discounts on its wireless and wireline services, including offering $100 in credit for new internet customers.

Fido’s Black Friday deals include various device discounts, such as the Google Pixel 6a 128GB with Fido Payment Program for $10/mo for 24 months. A list of discounts is available here. 

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Mobile Syrup

This week in Canadian telecom: Rogers-Shaw hearing [Nov. 5-11]

November 7th marked day one of the Competition Tribunal’s four (possibly five) week hearing into the Rogers-Shaw merger.

While dominating headlines, it wasn’t the only newsworthy story this week. As a recap, here’s almost everything that happened in Canada’s telecom sector.

Business

Starlink announced it would implement a data cap on residential plans. Customers will have 1TB of Priority Access during peak hours (7am to 11pm) per month. The company will move customers who go over to Basic Access, which offers slower speeds.

Telus is partnering with Énergir and Électrobac to provide Ukrainian refugees in Quebec with smartphones, wireless plans, and mental health consultations. The donation is valued at $218,000 and will support 300 families.

The first day of the hearing between Rogers, Shaw, and the Competition Bureau focused on the sale of Freedom Mobile. Lawyers from the bureau argued Freedom wouldn’t replace the competition Shaw brought. The opposing parties argued Freedom would work better under Vidéotron and serve as a more robust competitor than it was with Shaw.

Rogers also presented its third-quarter results for 2022. The company increased its revenue ($3.7 billion) and added thousands of new customers in the last quarter, despite its July outage that impacted wireless and wireline customers. Rogers paid $150 million in credits in response to the outage.

Government

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau added $475 billion to the Universal Broadband Fund (UBF). The fund pays for projects that expand high-speed internet access in rural communities across the country. The UBF has connected 900,000 homes so far, and the additional funds will help connect another 60,000.

The federal government and the Province of Alberta are working with Tsuut’ina Nation Telecommunications to connect 300 households in Tsuut’ina Nation with high-speed internet access. The two governments provided $2.6 million in funding.

Infrastructure

Rogers expanded 5G access to the Ontario communities of Maxville, Greenfield, Glen Robertson and Wendover. The expansion is in partnership with the Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) and focuses on improving cellular access in rural eastern Ontario. Under the partnership, Rogers will build more than 300 new telecommunications towers and upgrade 300 existing towers by 2025.

Deals

Lucky Mobile is offering 10GB of bonus data on select plans. The bonus will apply for one year and is only available on new activations. More details are available here.

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Mobile Syrup

This week in Canadian telecom: tis the season for quarterly reports [Oct. 29-Nov.4]

Several telecom companies announced results for their third-quarter earnings for 2022. While heavily focused on numbers, other issues were also addressed, including the merger of Rogers and Shaw.

Here’s almost everything that happened in Canadian telecom this week.

Business

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) hosted a meeting with international counterparts to discuss methods to combat scams. Representatives from Australia, Ireland, Hong Kong, and the U.S. were present at the meeting.

Telus has expanded its Mobility for Good program to include Indigenous women surviving or at risk of violence in Ontario. The program provides free smartphones and wireless services. Originally launched in 2021, the program has helped almost 1,000 people so far in Alberta and B.C.

Tesla has applied for a Basic International Telecommunications Service (BITS) licence with the CRTC. The company needs the license to provide various services in its vehicles, including infotainment and internet access.

The hearing between Rogers, Shaw and the Competition Bureau will begin next week. In an attempt to streamline the process, Chief Justice Crampton, who will oversee the hearing, asked the two sides to reach a compromise. The request led to a barrage of statements from each side, neither of them willing to make good on Crampton’s request.

In a report outlining its Q3 earnings for the year, Bell said its growth in the broadband sector set a new record. The company added 400,000 new activations across its wireless and wireline networks, representing a 50 percent increase year-over-year. The company reported over $6 billion in revenue.

Québecor also released its Q3 results this week. It saw minimal growth, with mobile customers increasing by two percent and internet customers increasing by three percent. The company reported overall revenue of $1.14 billion, which was a slight decrease year-over-year. Québecor will be one of the many companies listening closely to the anticipated hearing with the Competition Tribunal, especially given its subsidiary Vidétron is in line to acquire Freedom Mobile from Shaw.

For Telus’ Q3 earnings report, the company outlines it added 150,000 new mobile customers, setting a record of its own as it hadn’t seen similar growth since 2010. The company reports $4.7 billion in overall revenue, with $108 million coming from its mobile network.

Government

The federal government announced it will be investing nearly $16 million in EXFO to advance 5G telecommunications. EXFO develops and monitors various solutions for the telecom industry. The funding will go towards the 5G Center of Excellence in Montreal and create 50 jobs.

Deals

Bell is offering a $10 monthly discount on plans for 12 months if you bring in your own device. More details are available here.

Public Mobile will give 12GB of bonus data on all of its 4G plans. The best part is that the offer isn’t only available to new users, but existing customers as well.

Chatr is offering customers 10GB of bonus data for 12 months on some of its plans.

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This week in Canadian telecom: Rogers’ takeover of Shaw hits another roadblock [Oct. 22-28]

This past week was a busy one for telecom news in Canada. Government bodies announced high-speed internet projects, companies completed planned network expansions, and the Rogers-Shaw merger dominated headlines.

As a recap, here’s almost everything that happened in Canada’s telecom sector this week.

Business

Rogers CEO Tony Staffieri is confident the company’s deal with Shaw will close. In an interview with The Globe and Mail, Staffieri spoke on selling Freedom Mobile to Québecor’s Vidéotron. “Québecor will have a better cost structure than they would have had on their own.”

Innovation Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne laid out conditions that Québecor would need to implement for Champagne to accept Vidéotron’s acquisition of Freedom Mobile. The first is that Vidéotron must hold the acquired wireless licenses for 10 years. The second condition states wireless bills must drop by 20 percent, keeping in line with wireless prices seen in Quebec. In a press release, Québecor’s CEO said the company “intends to accept the conditions.”

In more merger news, the second round of meditative talks between Rogers, Shaw, and the Competition Bureau has failed. The Bureau filed to block the merger between the two companies, stating it would reduce competition. The Bureau also hasn’t reacted favourably to Rogers’ move to sell Freedom Mobile to Québecor. While Rogers says this will address concerns, the Competition Bureau has not gotten on board. The parties will now head to a hearing next month.

SaskTel has expanded its 5G network to several rural communities in Saskatchewan, including Crooked River, Quill Lake, and Cut Knife. Residents and businesses in the area will be able to access speeds up to 1.2Gbps.

Telus has completed PureFibre work in Leduc, Alberta, under a $45 million project. Connecting 13,000 homes and 2,000 businesses, residents will have access to faster upload and download speeds and various other features.

Bell has launched a new program focusing on funding projects that utilize its 5G and fibre networks to deliver new technological solutions. Named Bell Ventures, companies that receive investments under the program can access Bell’s “technological expertise” and use its network for cases.

Rogers has added speed caps to its 5G+ plans. Introduced earlier this year, the plans utilize the 3500 MHz spectrum. While similar plans were presented by Telus and Bell as well, Rogers is the last of the Big Three to add speed caps of 250Mbps or 1Gbps.

Telus and its international faction have acquired U.S. mobile app company WillowTree. The $1.2 billion (USD) deal will see the company absorbing WillowTree’s offices in 13 countries worldwide.

Government

The Governments of Canada and Ontario have invested $56 million in high-speed internet projects for eastern Ontario. Bell and Cogeco have been tasked with projects that will benefit 16,000 homes once completed. The investment is part of a July 2021 partnership between the two governments.

Deals

Koodo has launched ‘Pick Your Perk’ plans, allowing customers to select one free add-on to their plans. There are five options for customers to choose from, including options to roll over data or unlimited international SMS.

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Here are the biggest Canadian telecom stories of the week [Sept. 24-29]

Atlantic Canada was hit by Hurricane Fiona a week ago, impacting telecommunications services for thousands. Here’s a roundup of how carriers responded and other telecom developments over the last week.

Business

Spam calls are incredibly annoying, but the worst part is that there isn’t much people can do about it. While the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) mandated all service providers to implement STIR/SHAKEN technology to curb spam calls in November, various factors have stopped the technology from taking full effect. Unfortunately, until these factors are addressed (or people choose to implement third-party technology), Canadians will continue to receive unwanted calls.

Xplore is extending its fibre services in Quebec under the provincial government’s Operation Haute Vitesse program. The service provider is currently working on giving access to 6,000 homes and businesses.

Telus will use Palo Alto Network’s security software on its 5G network.

Several service providers, including Telus and Freedom Mobile, waived charges for long distance calls and texts to Iran as protests continue in the country.

Following Hurricane Fiona’s arrival on September 24th, several carriers offered impacted customers various forms of assistance. Bell gave customers 50GB of extra data, Eastlink applied free data overages and top-ups, and Telus waived long-distance charges for calls, text, and data overages.

Government

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston sent a letter to Minister François-Philippe Champagne complaining about the “poor participation and support” of telecom companies before, during, and after Hurricane Fiona made downfall. “I’m asking you, as the Minister who oversees these companies, to consider all potential legislative and regulatory means to hold telecommunications companies accountable for participating in emergency planning, preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery to the fullest extent possible,” Houston wrote. However, several companies have spoken up in their defence, stating they participated where possible.

Ministers Champagne and Chrystia Freeland met with telecom companies on the same day Houston shared his letter, according to a statement Champagne made on Twitter. It’s not clear if the parties met before or after Houston published the letter.

Deals

Rogers flanker brand Chatr is offering new activations 2GB of bonus data for 12 months. The bonus applies to most plans the brand offers and expires on October 3rd. You can find more details here.

Image credit: @TimHoustonNS/Twitter