TAGGED AS ARAVINDA GALAPPATTHIGE
Rogers-Shaw CRTC hearing now has ‘extra element of intrigue’: analyst
Media | 11/17/2021 11:49 am EST
The Tuesday night announcement of the departure of Rogers Communications Inc. CEO Joe Natale and the appointment of once-ousted chief financial officer Tony Staffieri as...
Shaw wireline losses are part of a strategy: McAleese
telecom | 01/13/2021 5:47 pm EST
While Shaw Communications Inc. posted a substantial loss in wireline subscribers for the three months ending Nov. 30 of last year, executives encouraged those scrutinizing the numbers to cut the company some slack, and recognize the long-term strategy Shaw is pursuing to...
2021 will see wireless boost: analyst
telecom | 01/07/2021 5:57 pm EST
The wireless sector will be buoyed in 2021 by the likely end of the competitive skirmishes brought about by the introduction of unlimited data across the industry, according to Canaccord Genuity analyst Aravinda Galappatthige. ...
Shaw Mobile’s early gains to come at expense of Rogers, Bell: analyst
telecom | 07/30/2020 2:45 pm EDT
Shaw Communications Inc.’s new wireless brand is likely to initially...
Rogers profits down 53% in ‘most volatile’ quarter
Media | 07/22/2020 6:04 pm EDT
Rogers Communications Inc. posted a 17 per cent fall in revenue and a 53...
Q3 ‘very tough’ for Corus as ad revenues plummet
Media | 06/26/2020 3:27 pm EDT
The financial impacts of COVID-19 induced lockdowns led to a “very tough quarter” for Corus...
2020 a ‘lost year’ for telecom growth: analyst
telecom | 04/20/2020 5:35 pm EDT
The telecommunications sector will have an "irrelevant" first quarter and will "write off" the second quarter, according to a preview note published Monday by RBC Capital Markets analyst Drew McReynolds.
Investors will be focused on an anticipated recovery in the second...
Quebecor ‘not worried’ about COVID-19 impact on capacity
Media | 03/12/2020 5:09 pm EDT
Quebecor Inc. says COVID-19 is not expected to have a “material financial...
Telus savages gov’t price directive, others more circumspect
telecom | 03/06/2020 5:30 pm EST
Analysts have provided nuanced reactions to the government’s plan to...
Telus International to go public after $1.3B acquisition
telecom | 12/05/2019 2:04 pm EST
Telus Corp.’s outsourcing and call centre operation Telus International...
Telus subscriber adds offset slight ARPU pressure
telecom | 11/07/2019 5:39 pm EST
Despite the summer’s volatility in the wireless market, with a rush of new offerings in “unlimited”...
Telus purchase of Canadian ADT business a good move: analysts
telecom | 10/01/2019 2:32 pm EDT
Telus Corp.’s announcement that it is buying ADT Security Services Canada, the Canadian arm of the U.S. home security services company, for $700 million is a wise move that will position Telus for...
Liberals, Conservatives promise new rules for Netflix
Media | 09/30/2019 5:27 pm EDT
The Liberal Party platform, released Sunday, includes promises of new regulations for Canadian content on...
Eric Ellenbogen in as DHX CEO
Media | 08/30/2019 2:54 pm EDT
DHX Media Ltd. announced Thursday night that Michael Donovan would step down as CEO of the Halifax-based...
Freedom plans could drive big three back to subsidies: analysts
telecom | 07/26/2019 5:33 pm EDT
The launch of new plans from Shaw Communications Inc.’s Freedom will...
Freedom answers to ‘unlimited’, offers $0 phones on select plans
telecom | 07/25/2019 6:41 pm EDT
Shaw Communications Inc.’s Freedom is responding to the wireless industry’s recent moves toward removing data caps and offering $0 upfront financing plans by throwing-in...
‘Unlimited’ plans leading to 50% more data use, Rogers says
telecom | 07/23/2019 5:26 pm EDT
Rogers Communications Inc.’s CEO Joe Natale said there has been a 50 per...
‘Unlimited’ deals give Freedom price advantage: analyst
telecom | 07/22/2019 6:18 pm EDT
Canaccord Genuity analyst Aravinda Galappatthige said the wireless frenzy unleashed by the new no-overage plans will negatively impact Rogers Communications Inc. and Telus Corp., while benefiting Shaw...
Bigger, cheaper data plans thanks to us: Shaw
telecom | 06/27/2019 5:41 pm EDT
The price of data is coming down and the size of data packages is going up, all thanks to market pressure...
Corus asked BTLR to immediately change foreign ownership rules
Media | 05/30/2019 4:19 pm EDT
Corus Entertainment Inc., the only major Canadian broadcaster refusing to...
Shaw selling Corus shares worth $548M
Media | 05/15/2019 1:34 pm EDT
Shaw Communications Inc. is getting rid of $548 million in shares in Corus Entertainment Inc.
The company said in a press release that after the deal closes -- which is expected to happen on May 31 -- the company will no longer have an equity interest in the...
Analysts surprised by Bell’s lack of 600 MHz, incumbent spend
telecom | 04/11/2019 5:57 pm EDT
BCE Inc. walking away from the 600 MHz spectrum auction with no licences,...
Corus’ turnaround partly propelled by ads returning to linear
Media | 04/05/2019 6:36 pm EDT
Corus Entertainment Inc. said it will see TV ad growth in the third quarter...
Incumbent competition ‘very aggressive’ against Fizz at launch
telecom | 03/13/2019 4:25 pm EDT
Quebecor Inc.’s company brass says its Fizz flanker brand is picking up...
Huawei ban wouldn’t delay BCE’s 5G rollout: Cope
telecom | 02/07/2019 10:19 am EST
The head of BCE Inc. says he doesn’t expect that a ban on Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.’s equipment...
Freedom says data strategy attracting higher-value customers
telecom | 01/14/2019 6:30 pm EST
Shaw Communications Inc. says its wireless business has reaped the fruits...
Telus posts wireline gains at expense of Shaw
telecom | 11/08/2018 5:51 pm EST
Telus Corp. ended its third quarter with 187,000 new customers, reporting growth that beat expectations...
Shaw feels the competitive heat on wireline
telecom | 10/25/2018 6:04 pm EDT
Shaw Communications Inc. reported wireline results for the fourth quarter that analysts characterized as...
Cogeco hires lobbyist with wireless spectrum expertise
telecom | 07/03/2018 11:54 am EDT
Amir Bigloo, who has a history of successful spectrum purchases as CEO of...
Cogeco could opt for ‘hybrid’ arrangement with new spectrum: Canaccord
telecom | 06/22/2018 2:40 pm EDT
An announcement Thursday that Cogeco Inc. has bought more spectrum makes it clear the company is “exploring a viable economic model for a wireless service,” Canaccord Genuity analyst Aravinda Galappatthige said in a Friday note. Cogeco bought $8 million worth of the 2500 MHz paired spectrum band in a deal approved this week, after acquiring $24.3-million worth of 2300 and 2500 MHz spectrum in May. Galappatthige noted that the company’s position on wireless has previously been...
Historia, Series+ sale blocked in surprise move
Media | 05/28/2018 5:51 pm EDT
The Competition Bureau has blocked the $200 million sale of the Historia and Series+ channels from Corus...
New CEO announced for Cogeco, Audet vows family to retain control
Media | 05/15/2018 7:36 pm EDT
MONTREAL — Despite a generational change at the helm of Cogeco Inc., the...
Rogers bounces back on wireless with 95,000 postpaid ads
Media | 04/20/2018 4:33 pm EDT
Rogers Communications Inc. reported increases in wireless revenue and subscribers in the three months ending March 31, which it said drove its overall revenue up eight per cent over the year to $3.63...
Few surprises in 600 MHz auction framework: analysts
telecom | 03/29/2018 4:15 pm EDT
Innovation Canada has released its framework for the 600 MHz spectrum auction, now scheduled for March 2019, and it will set aside 43 per cent of spectrum for “regional competitors and potential new market entrants,” according...
Analysts welcome regulatory certainty after WiFi MVNO decision
telecom | 03/23/2018 4:12 pm EDT
The CRTC decision Thursday not to mandate roaming for WiFi-first mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) brings predictability for large telecoms, financial analysts said. “At the highest level, we believe the CRTC struck a very supportive tone with respect to facilities-based competition and ensuring the wireless industry has continued regulatory certainty,” wrote RBC Capital Market analyst Drew McReynolds in a note late Thursday evening. Instead of mandating WiFi-based players, the CRTC directed large telecoms to offer low-cost data-only plans, in addition to setting new roaming...
25% of Shaw workforce takes voluntary buyout, CFO leaving
telecom | 02/15/2018 2:13 pm EST
Shaw Communications Inc. has revealed that 3,300 employees, or a quarter of...
Bell, Telus report wireless sub gains from December promos
Media | 02/08/2018 6:27 pm EST
BCE Inc. and Telus Corp. both reported quarterly results for the three...
With the iPhone, Freedom like a ‘new business’: Mehr
telecom | 01/11/2018 5:47 pm EST
Shaw Communications Inc.’s wireless brand may see its strongest quarter...
As its TV ad revenue drops, Corus says ad tech is the future
Media | 01/10/2018 6:05 pm EST
Corus Entertainment Inc. executives emphasized their optimism about future...
Analysts expect Freedom subscriber boost in Q1
telecom | 01/08/2018 5:54 pm EST
After a rollicking December, analysts say Shaw Communications Inc.’s Freedom Mobile has potential to...
Rogers’ flinch potential source of the $60/10 GB plan standoff: analyst
telecom | 12/18/2017 5:31 pm EST
Rogers Communications Inc. appears to have blinked — which caused a cascade of $60 for 10 GB bring-your-own-device wireless plans — in its ongoing battle for Toronto-based wireless subscribers,...
Rogers potential sale of Blue Jays, other assets could net $4B: Canaccord
Media | 12/06/2017 2:09 pm EST
The sale of non-core assets Rogers Communications Inc. said it is...
Bell’s low-cost Lucky Mobile a hit with government
telecom | 12/01/2017 5:26 pm EST
BCE Inc’s move to open a low-cost, prepaid carrier is “well-timed” and positioned to support the...
Corus focuses on content over broadcast with Historia, Séries+ sale
Media | 10/18/2017 6:16 pm EDT
Corus Entertainment Inc. announced Tuesday it is selling two French-language specialty channels, Historia and Séries+, to BCE Inc.’s Bell Media in a deal valued at...
Analyst reaction largely positive to DHX review
Media | 10/02/2017 5:42 pm EDT
An announcement by DHX Media Ltd. Monday that it is launching a strategic review that could see its board...
Bell Apple Watch advantage unknown: experts
telecom | 09/15/2017 4:06 pm EDT
Wearable use in Canada and around the world is trending up, but the numbers for smartwatches are still...
Shaw poised for boost from new iPhones
telecom | 09/12/2017 5:17 pm EDT
Apple Inc.’s new iPhone X, iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, announced Tuesday, are compatible with spectrum bands...
New OTT offerings pose threat to BDUs, opportunity for producers
Media | 08/17/2017 4:47 pm EDT
A proliferation of new streaming TV competition in Canada is set to benefit...
Telus’ record low wireless churn difficult to sustain: CEO
telecom | 08/11/2017 4:20 pm EDT
Telus Corp. took some analysts by surprise when it reported postpaid wireless gains that leapfrogged its rivals in its second-quarter earnings Friday, with a record low 0.79-per-cent churn rate that the company’s president and CEO Darren Entwistle said would be difficult...
Disney going it alone with planned streaming services
Media | 08/09/2017 5:17 pm EDT
Walt Disney Co. will end its partnership with Netflix Inc. and launch two of its own separate...
Bell subs feel impact of ‘aggressive’ cable competition in Q2
telecom | 08/03/2017 2:22 pm EDT
BCE Inc. is hoping the second half of the year results in a boost for its...
Cogeco expands U.S. biz with MetroCast buy
telecom | 07/10/2017 1:08 pm EDT
Cogeco Inc. is again expanding its U.S. footprint, with the announcement Monday that it would purchase...
Spectrum buy to improve Shaw network, but benefits will take time: analysts
telecom | 06/13/2017 5:40 pm EDT
Shaw Communications Inc. announced Tuesday that it has purchased 700MHz and 2500MHz spectrum from Quebecor Inc. for $430 million, in what Shaw described as “a significant milestone towards...
AWS-1 sale unlikely to set precedent for 700MHz: Canaccord
telecom | 06/12/2017 1:53 pm EDT
The sale last week of Videotron’s AWS-1 spectrum by Quebecor Inc. to Rogers Communications Inc. isn’t likely to have implications for the company’s 700MHz spectrum, according to Canaccord...
Quebecor spectrum sale has ‘broad implications’: Barclays
telecom | 06/09/2017 11:56 am EDT
Quebecor Inc. has sold Videotron's AWS-1 spectrum in the Greater Toronto...
Freedom debuts LTE in Calgary and Edmonton
telecom | 05/18/2017 3:18 pm EDT
Shaw Communications Inc.’s Freedom Mobile has expanded its LTE network into Calgary and Edmonton, the company announced Wednesday. “The launch of our powerful new LTE network furthers our commitment to providing Freedom...
Bell’s Alt TV can ‘turn the tide’ against competitors: Canaccord
Media | 05/16/2017 3:54 pm EDT
While the primary goal of BCE Inc.’s new television product is to tackle TV sub losses, it could also be used as an “offensive tool”...
Shaw looking to sell ViaWest: report
telecom | 05/01/2017 7:31 pm EDT
Shaw Communications Inc. wants to sell its ViaWest data centre division, according to a Reuters report, a move analysts had been predicting would help it focus on its wireless business. Shaw bought the Colorado-based company in 2014 for $1.2 billion, and it is now seeking a higher sale price, the Reuters said Friday, citing anonymous sources. Shaw declined to comment on the report Monday. In a Monday note, Desjardins Capital Markets' analyst Maher Yaghi, who suggested in January that Shaw consider selling ViaWest to focus on Freedom Mobile, said Shaw...
Shaw promises more integration with Freedom under new COO
telecom | 04/12/2017 9:10 pm EDT
Shaw Communications Inc. said Wednesday that its Freedom Mobile division will have a new chief operating officer, as Paul McAleese takes over from Alek Krstajic. CEO Brad Shaw...
TV subscriber losses steady, wireless adds at record high in 2016
telecom | 03/16/2017 9:10 pm EDT
Following a year in which cord-cutting increased sharply, the trend seems to have levelled out somewhat in 2016, with Canada’s publicly traded telecoms losing 220,990 TV subscribers, compared to...
Péladeau confirms he won’t bring change to Quebecor
Media | 03/15/2017 9:08 pm EDT
After analyst speculation about whether Quebecor Inc.’s returning CEO would affect the strategic direction of the company, Pierre Karl Péladeau confirmed on a conference...
Péladeau’s return to Quebecor shouldn’t affect business: analysts
Media | 02/16/2017 10:20 pm EST
The man who led Quebecor Inc. for 14 years but left to join provincial politics will return as head of the company Thursday, though despite the change in leadership, analysts expect...
Bell-MTS deal receives final approval, includes Xplornet in ‘surprise twist’
Media | 02/15/2017 3:07 pm EST
The introduction of Xplornet Communications Inc. into Manitoba’s wireless market was a “surprise twist” to the story of BCE Inc.’s $3.9-billion acquisition of Manitoba Telecom Services Inc., analysts said Wednesday in reaction to the proposal receiving final regulatory approval from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and the Competition Bureau. In a press release, the bureau said its investigation of the deal first announced...
Impact of wholesale rates, pick-and-pay will be felt in 2017: Canaccord
Media | 01/05/2017 10:09 pm EST
The initial pinch of the CRTC’s decisions on two important issues in 2016 — wholesale rates and pick-and-pay — will be felt in the new year, according to Canaccord...
CRTC gives go-ahead to Bell-MTS BDU licence transfer
Media | 12/20/2016 5:39 pm EST
The CRTC has granted approval for Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. to transfer its broadcast distribution licences to BCE Inc. as part of an overall $3.9-billion acquisition of the provincial provider. In a...
Rogers killing of in-house IPTV good move in long term, analysts say
Media | 12/16/2016 8:33 pm EST
Rogers Communications Inc. has abandoned the development of its own IPTV platform and will instead launch an IPTV service using a platform from Comcast Corp., a plan analysts...
Limited handsets a concern as Wind rebrands: analyst
Media | 11/21/2016 9:41 pm EST
Shaw Communications Inc.’s Wind Mobile will be rebranded as Freedom Mobile and its LTE roll-out will come sooner than expected in two cities, the company’s CEO said Monday. The move comes despite some analyst...
Family Channel advertising OK ‘clearly positive’: Canaccord
Media | 11/03/2016 8:35 pm EDT
DHX Media Ltd. announced Thursday it received approval from the CRTC to allow broadcast advertising on its specialty Family channel, a move that one analyst describes as “clearly...
AT&T, Time Warner deal shows VI trending in opposite directions: analyst
Media | 10/24/2016 9:18 pm EDT
A potential merger between AT&T Inc. and Time Warner Cable Inc. highlights a move by United States-based companies toward vertical integration, just as developments in Canada...
Some concern about delay in Natale start date: analysts
Media | 10/18/2016 9:38 pm EDT
It could be mid-2017 before former Telus Corp. head Joe Natale takes over as CEO at Rogers Communications Inc., according to financial analysts, some of whom said Tuesday that...
Analysts optimistic about Natale at Rogers after Laurence’s surprise exit
Media | 10/17/2016 9:37 pm EDT
In an unexpected move, Rogers Communications Inc. has announced Guy Laurence is no longer CEO of the company and will be replaced by former Telus Corp. CEO Joe Natale, a choice...
As Shomi shuts down, experts point to strong competition in OTT
Media | 09/26/2016 9:55 pm EDT
Shomi, the joint Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc. over-the-top (OTT) video service, will shut down on Nov. 30, the service announced Monday afternoon, in a move some industry experts said wasn’t completely out of the blue. “The business climate and online video marketplace have changed markedly in the last few years,” David Asch, Shomi’s senior vice-president and general manager, said in a press release. “Combined with the fact that the business is more challenging to operate than we expected, we've decided...
Data consumption, competitive pressures headline investor conference
Media | 09/21/2016 9:17 pm EDT
Canada’s biggest telcos told investors Wednesday that they are seeing growth in wireless data usage on the first of a two-day conference hosted by CIBC World Markets. BCE Inc....
Wireline competition, pick-and-pay could pressure telecoms in 2017: Canaccord
telecom | 09/20/2016 3:46 pm EDT
Certain events leading into 2017 could spell increased pressure on telecommunications companies, but there’s “not much to be excited about” otherwise, according to Canaccord Genuity....
‘Aggressive’ handset subsidies helped boost wireless subscriptions: analysts
telecom | 08/12/2016 6:11 pm EDT
The significant number of new postpaid wireless customers reported by service providers in the second quarter of 2016 can partly be explained by the aggressive push toward handset subsidies as new phones enter the market and drive demand, according to analysts. Wireless providers reported...
Bell buys Q9 amidst increasing data centre competition: analysts
telecom | 08/08/2016 9:16 pm EDT
BCE Inc. announced Monday it is buying out its fellow investors in Q9 Networks Inc., a data centre operator in which it currently holds a 35.4-per-cent stake, in a move that analysts...
Telus could face broadband ‘price war’: Barclays
telecom | 08/08/2016 8:48 pm EDT
Telus Corp. could face increasing broadband pricing competition in western Canada as competitors undercut their prices, according to Barclay’s Capital. "We are beginning to see signs of the broadband price war spreading from Ontario to Telus' footprint in western Canada," analyst Phillip Huang said in a Friday note following the release of Telus’ second-quarter earnings. He said that pricing pressure on the company is coming from competitors like Shaw Communications Inc., which launched its WideOpen Internet 150 package at a 12-month discount last month, as Shaw looked to “lock subscribers” into contracts while Telus continues its fibre expansion. “We expect fixedline competition to intensify in [the second...
Rogers’ Laurence emphasizes Internet ‘need for speed’
Media | 07/21/2016 8:57 pm EDT
Rogers Communications Inc. made it clear that Internet speeds are a key focus for the company on a conference call Thursday, stating Rogers' strategy is to get consumers to a baseline 100 Mbps service in order to encourage future scaling to its gigabit service. “We need to focus on the need for...
Wind hits 1M subscribers in first quarterly report since 2014
telecom | 07/15/2016 10:46 pm EDT
On Friday, Shaw Communications Inc. released Wind Mobile’s first quarterly results since it acquired the wireless company earlier this year, which showed revenues of $132 million for the...
Sports, conventional TV tame Corus gains on Shaw deal
Media | 07/13/2016 9:35 pm EDT
Corus Entertainment Inc.’s first quarterly report since it bought Shaw Media showed the acquisition drove a significant increase in overall revenues, profits and expenses, despite a fall in the division’s revenue due...
Wind faces short-term turbulence, long-term opportunity: Canaccord
telecom | 07/05/2016 9:07 pm EDT
Canaccord Genuity analyst Aravinda Galappatthige said in a research note Tuesday that Shaw Communications Inc.’s Wind faces “volatility and uncertainty over the short run,” though it also has a “genuine and sizable long-term opportunity.” However, in notes issued ahead of...
Rogers shows off IPTV service to investors
Media | 06/17/2016 8:14 pm EDT
Rogers Communications Inc. unveiled its new IPTV service to investors Thursday, according to analysts’ notes, though company spokesman Aaron Lazarus declined to comment Friday. Canaccord Genuity analyst...
Doug French replaces John Gossling as Telus CFO
telecom | 05/16/2016 4:51 pm EDT
Telus Corp. said Monday it has appointed Doug French as executive vice-president and chief financial officer, while former CFO John Gossling is leaving the company to “seek other opportunities.” Though the move...
Sirius XM to go private
Media | 05/16/2016 2:04 pm EDT
Sirius XM Canada Holdings Inc. is going private in a move it plans to close by the end of the fourth quarter of 2016, the company announced Friday. “SiriusXM and certain Canadian shareholders will form a new company to acquire shares of Sirius XM Canada not already owned by them pursuant...
Experts say approval of Bell’s MTS acquisition likely
telecom | 05/02/2016 2:12 pm EDT
BCE Inc. announced Monday morning that it will purchase Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. in a $3.9 billion transaction that, if approved, will see the number of players in Manitoba’s telecom...
DHX launches multi-platform network subsidiary
Media | 04/26/2016 7:20 pm EDT
DHX Media Ltd. has launched a new subsidiary, Wild Brain Family International Ltd., which “operates a Multi-Platform Kids Network dedicated to connecting content owners with advertisers on platforms such as YouTube, Dailymotion and others,” the company said in a press release. Cannacord Genuity analyst Aravinda Galappatthige said in a research note that the function of multi-platform networks is “is to build a content-rich platform by consolidating as much quality content as possible and monetizing it more effectively through YouTube’s (and other...
NFL to stream on Twitter, Canadian OTT rights still up for grabs
Media | 04/05/2016 9:22 pm EDT
The National Football League (NFL) announced Tuesday a new deal with Twitter Inc. to stream NFL games on the social media platform, and though Canadians won’t have access,...
Exec cites ‘tipping point’ in customer demand as Sportsnet goes OTT
Media | 03/31/2016 10:46 pm EDT
Rogers Communications Inc. will begin offering its Sportsnet channels without a TV subscription for $24.99 per month, the company announced Thursday. Scott Moore, president of Sportsnet and NHL...
Catalyst opposition unlikely to affect Shaw Media sale: analyst
telecom | 03/07/2016 10:24 pm EST
The pressure Catalyst Capital Group Inc. has been applying on Corus Entertainment Inc. shareholders to vote down a proposal to purchase the media division of Shaw Communications Inc. isn't likely...
Shaw to keep Wind’s current strategy in place: exec
telecom | 02/09/2016 9:51 pm EST
As it takes ownership of Wind Mobile, Shaw Communications Inc. will continue positioning Wind as a cheaper option compared to the big three national wireless carriers, according to the company’s chief operating officer....
Tangible benefits unclear for Corus-Shaw deal: expert
Media | 01/13/2016 8:18 pm EST
Regulatory approval of Corus Entertainment Inc.'s planned purchase of Shaw Communications Inc.'s media division shouldn't be a problem since there's no real change in who's controlling the assets, said one consultant, though there is some question as to how tangible benefits will apply in this deal. As a condition of approving acquisitions in the broadcasting industry, the CRTC generally requires the purchasing company to contribute a proportion of the value of the sale toward initiatives that benefit the broadcasting sector. For transactions in the TV industry, that...
Shaw-Wind deal means no Rogers merger on horizon: analysts
Media | 12/17/2015 11:00 pm EST
Financial analysts said Thursday that the surprising move by Shaw Communications Inc. to buy Wind Mobile means any potential merger between Shaw and Rogers Communications Inc. won’t happen any...
HBO deal bolsters CraveTV against Shomi, Netflix: experts
Media | 11/20/2015 10:15 pm EST
BCE Inc.’s move to acquire exclusive rights to HBO programming on all platforms and become the sole operator of HBO Canada will make its CraveTV over-the-top (OTT) service more competitive...
Liberals to be ‘less aggressive’ on 4th-player policy: analyst
Media | 10/20/2015 8:21 pm EDT
Canaccord Genuity analysts Aravinda Galappatthige and Sanford Lee said Tuesday that they expect a Liberal majority government, as elected Monday, to take a “softer pro-wireless new entrant...
Darren Entwistle as Telus CEO is ‘less complicated’: analyst
telecom | 08/10/2015 6:18 pm EDT
After a little more than one year on the job, Telus Corp. announced Monday that Joe Natale has stepped down as president and CEO, and has been replaced by Darren Entwistle, who was Natale's predecessor in this job and has been the company's executive chairman ever since the previous changeover. In a press release,...
New CRTC wholesale rules won’t change telco FTTH strategies: analysts
telecom | 07/23/2015 8:59 pm EDT
A day after the CRTC said it would mandate wholesale access to fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) networks by small ISPs, financial analysts said the move likely won’t have a significant impact on...
Shopping Channel sale ‘makes sense’ for Rogers: analyst
Media | 07/13/2015 6:48 pm EDT
A potential sale of the Shopping Channel could net Rogers Communications Inc. $300 million, which Cannacord Genuity analyst Aravinda Galappatthige said is an “attractive price” for the...
Wireless price hikes affecting other telecom spending: report
Media | 07/09/2015 8:55 pm EDT
“Sharp” price hikes in wireless service over the past year are prompting people to reduce how much they spend on other telecommunications services, according to a Conference Board of...
Is government easing off on spectrum-transfer policy?
telecom | 06/22/2015 8:59 pm EDT
Speculation that the federal government is poised to approve the acquisition of Mobilicity and its spectrum by Telus Corp. or Rogers Communications Inc. has some observers disagreeing whether this would represent a major departure...
TV industry facing ‘significant pressure’ from OTT, unbundling: report
telecom | 06/04/2014 9:02 pm EDT
The growth of existing over-the-top (OTT) streaming services and the potential emergence of new ones, as well as a transition to an à la carte television distribution system, could place “significant pressure on the broadcast business model” in Canada, a new report from Cannacord Genuity says. The fact that cord-cutting hasn’t yet reached “material levels” in Canada has “nourished the notion that OTT is additive to the regular TV services rather than cannibalistic,” wrote Aravinda Galappatthige and Haesu Lee in the report, released Tuesday. “However, we believe that the emerging changes in this landscape will aggressively test this...