Consumers and business could see lower phone rates in 2010 unless CRTC intervenes

What may be good for consumers is not always good for the economy, it seems. The real prospect of economic deflation in 2009 could result in lower phone rates for consumers and businesses across Canada starting next June. In a petition filed with the CRTC last week, Bell Canada and two affiliates say the unintended consequences of a three-year-old price cap decision could undermine efforts by the Bank of Canada to stabilize the economy.

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Allowing ads on VOD and American programs could generate $500 million annually for TV industry: ACA

The Association of Canadian Advertisers (ACA) is urging the CRTC to open new revenue streams for the television sector by allowing advertising on local avails and on VOD platforms. The ACA says the move could pump as much as $500 million annually into the ailing television industry.

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Media union urges compensation for TV signals

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Copyright Board appoints acting secretary general

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SignUp Media signs viral video tracking deal

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CRTC denies Bell bid to share area code costs with other local telephone providers

A push by Bell Canada to share the costs of new area codes with other telephony providers was dealt a blow last week when the CRTC denied an application on the issue. But previous area code relief decisions show the commission is moving in the right direction with providing more preparation time and leaning towards lower-cost solutions to area code relief.

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Antenna order backlogs stall wireless broadband rollout in some rural communities

The recession is being blamed for a backlog of orders for antennas, which is delaying the rollout of broadband Internet in some rural communities. It comes at a time when Canada and the United States are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on WiMAX and other wireless broadband as part of ambitious broadband stimulus plans.

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Broadband data put spotlight back on application-specific traffic management

Two findings in Sandvine Inc.’s 2009 global wireline broadband report are stirring the traffic management debate: P2P filesharing has dropped by 25% as a share of total traffic, and peak hours condensed to 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. in 2009, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. in 2008. The biggest slice of the bandwidth pie these days, it seems, is being eaten by real-time video streaming.

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CFTPA seeks spending cap on foreign programs & new rules to make Canadian shows more profitable

The Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFTPA) wants the CRTC to cap the amount of money domestic broadcasters can spend on foreign programming, saying the savings will improve the industry’s bottom line and allow them to boost their investments in profitable Canadian shows.

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Telus suing Rogers over “false” speed claims

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