Advocacy groups ask CRTC for subsidies, to ‘champion’ Internet access

telecom | 04/14/2016 8:02 pm EDT

GATINEAU, Que. — CRTC commissioners drilled into what should constitute a need versus a want when it comes to access to broadband Internet Thursday, during the fourth day of a three-week hearing into basic telecom services. The majority of Thursday’s session was consumed by members of the Affordable Access Coalition as they faced questions from the five-person panel. The coalition is comprised of five advocacy groups: the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), Association of...

As skinny basic arrives, experts doubt consumer appeal

Media | 03/01/2016 9:41 pm EST

On the day Canadian TV providers were required to make their skinny basic options available to consumers, experts expressed skepticism about how many Canadians will sign up for the new offers and their ability to improve the trend toward cord-cutting. Drew McReynolds, an analyst with RBC Dominion Securities, said in a research note Tuesday that the new options launched by the TV providers “are designed to protect profitability and/or incentivize households to largely stick with existing channel bundles, which in some cases have been improved.” The new offers are the...