TAGGED AS SMARTPHONES
Wireless prices down in Canada, but also everywhere else: report
telecom | 10/30/2019 6:29 pm EDT
Canadian mobile wireless data prices are falling precipitously, according to a new report from Finnish consulting company Rewheel — which also found Canada remains amongst the most expensive countries in the world.
“While the Canadian median gigabyte price in...
Singh says telecom affordability among number of priorities
telecom | 10/30/2019 3:13 pm EDT
OTTAWA — NDP leader Jagmeet Singh said Wednesday that lowering wireless prices is on his list of priorities when Parliament resumes, though the first two issues the party plans to take on are pharmacare and the appeal of a ruling on First Nations compensation.
“We...
New StatCan survey details a heavily connected Canada
telecom | 10/29/2019 4:09 pm EDT
Eighty-eight per cent Canadians have a smartphone, 45 per cent of Canadians check their smartphones at...
Bureau says three-year device financing will harm competition
telecom | 10/18/2019 12:20 pm EDT
In its intervention to the CRTC’s consultation on the emergence of...
PIAC says 3-year device plan review could force Wireless Code change
telecom | 08/30/2019 5:26 pm EDT
If the CRTC finds that device financing options beyond two years do not...
Wireless service prices dipped with ‘unlimited’ plans: StatCan
telecom | 08/26/2019 2:37 pm EDT
The price of wireless plans is going down slightly, but the price of phones is skyrocketing, according to Consumer Price Index data released last week by Statistics Canada. In July, telephone...
Fido gets in on no-overage plans by capping data
telecom | 08/12/2019 2:10 pm EDT
Rogers Communications Inc. said its flanker brand Fido would begin offering what the company is calling data overage protection, joining the flagship brands that have all launched some level of plan doing away with overage charges in recent months.
Rather than the...
Telecom prices down, household spending up: CRTC
telecom | 08/09/2019 3:30 pm EDT
Prices for communications services are on a downward trend, according to new data from the CRTC, but spending on those goods are also on the rise. Those services are made up of mobile wireless (with unlimited voice and SMS...
‘Unlimited’ plans, financing options reducing need for regulation: Entwistle
telecom | 08/02/2019 4:38 pm EDT
Removing wireless data caps and giving customers the option of financing...
CRTC reviewing 36-month device financing plans
telecom | 08/02/2019 4:33 pm EDT
The CRTC said Friday afternoon that it thinks the 36-month smartphone financing plans that have entered...
Three-year financing an ‘affront’ to Wireless Code, Shaw says
telecom | 08/01/2019 4:24 pm EDT
Shaw Communications Inc. is blasting the move by the wireless industry’s...
Telus now offering 36-month device financing
telecom | 07/30/2019 4:39 pm EDT
Telus Corp. has followed in the footsteps of rival Rogers Communications Inc. in making its device...
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...
‘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...
Eastlink intros device switching after one year
telecom | 07/15/2019 5:45 pm EDT
Bragg Communications Inc.’s Eastlink is bringing in a program that encourages customers to upgrade their phones after 12 months -- bucking an industry trend of switching at the end of the standard two-year contract term. The “easyUP” program will allow users to return their existing device and upgrade to another after a year on a two-year contract. The eligible phones are Apple Inc.’s iPhone XS Max, XS and XR and the Samsung Corp.’s 9, 10, 10+, 10e, A20, A50, A70 and Note9. The devices cost $0 up-front on contract. The new offer comes after Rogers Communications Inc. last...
‘Unlimited’ plans could negatively impact industry: analyst
telecom | 06/27/2019 11:33 am EDT
Rogers Communications Inc.’s decision to introduce "no overage" plans will likely negatively impact all wireless carriers, Scotiabank’s Jeff Fan said in a new report. “In this dynamically...
Ultimate impact of new ‘unlimited’ plans unclear: industry-watchers
telecom | 06/13/2019 6:29 pm EDT
As BCE Inc. and Telus Corp. reacted to Rogers Communications Inc.’s offer of a new wireless data plan with no data overage charges, analysts and experts had difficulty predicting how the new plans...
CRTC denies PIAC clarity on phone unlocking
telecom | 05/23/2019 6:00 pm EDT
The CRTC has denied a request by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) to state that CRTC policy...
Bell-branded wireless hits sub-1% churn, continuing industry trend
Media | 05/02/2019 5:46 pm EDT
The expected focus by the country’s largest wireless service providers...
Ahead of next alert test, cities group says texts lack specificity
telecom | 04/26/2019 5:13 pm EDT
Before a second wireless emergency alert test went out in November, a group consisting of major emergency management agencies across Canada sent a letter to Public Safety...
Singh vows to ‘stand up to the rich telecommunication companies’
telecom | 03/22/2019 4:47 pm EDT
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh is putting cell phone and internet affordability...
Samsung readying 5G PR blitz in Canada: internal comms
telecom | 02/21/2019 5:23 pm EST
Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. is embarking this year on a massive...
CRTC approves telecoms’ proposed low-cost data plans
telecom | 12/17/2018 6:14 pm EST
The CRTC has chosen not to make changes to lower-cost data plans suggested...
Verizon to offer Samsung 5G phones in U.S. next year
telecom | 12/03/2018 1:18 pm EST
U.S. telecom Verizon Communications Inc. plans to have device manufacturer Samsung Electronics Co.’s 5G-compatible smartphones in the U.S. market within the first half of next year, the two companies announced Monday. That...
Lack of scale, device lineup challenges for Xplore Mobile
telecom | 11/16/2018 6:34 pm EST
New Brunswick-based internet provider Xplornet Communications Inc. started...
Ottawa struggles to stop prisoners from using illicit mobile devices
telecom | 10/26/2018 5:07 pm EDT
The federal government is offering a contract for a company to come up with...
Fewer phones than expected emergency alert compatible: official
telecom | 09/24/2018 5:48 pm EDT
OTTAWA — Those in charge of the wireless emergency alert system...
Class action filed against Facebook over Android metadata collection
Media | 09/17/2018 12:35 pm EDT
Facebook Inc. is facing another class action suit in Ontario over how it...
New iPhones to use eSIMs
Media | 09/12/2018 4:27 pm EDT
Apple Inc.’s upcoming iPhones will have dual SIM capability, with a physical nano SIM and an embedded SIM, or eSIM.
The company announced Wednesday the features would be available on the new iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max.
It said on its website that will allow customers to use two cellular plans with one phone -- having separate numbers for business and personal use, adding a local data plan when travelling internationally, or having separate voice and data plans, for example.
BCE Inc. is the only Canadian...
Ottawa conducting security tests on Huawei equipment: report
Media | 09/07/2018 4:04 pm EDT
The federal government has quietly been testing the security of communications equipment used by Chinese-owned telecommunications company Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., The Globe and Mail reported...
Traffic stimulation in front of CRTC again with Iristel, Telus fight
telecom | 08/08/2018 5:22 pm EDT
Iristel Inc. and Telus Corp. are sparring in a pair of Part 1 applications...
Big Three face lawsuit over 911-location tech
telecom | 08/07/2018 4:05 pm EDT
A Colorado-based company is suing BCE Inc., Telus Corp. and Rogers Communications Inc. for allegedly violating its patents involving technology used to locate mobile phones for 911 service. TracBeam LLC filed a statement of...
Phone unlocking requirement has increased theft: Bell, Rogers
telecom | 07/31/2018 5:12 pm EDT
Rules that force providers to unlock smartphones have led to an increased...
Still lots of room for industry growth in wireless: Rogers CEO
telecom | 07/19/2018 2:36 pm EDT
Explaining the relentless pace of growth in Canada’s wireless industry, Rogers Communications Inc.’s CEO Joe Natale said Canada still hasn’t reached its peak potential for subscribing Canadians.
Natale noted that Canada is still only at 87 per cent penetration for...
Canadians watching more livestreams: IAB
Media | 07/10/2018 5:11 pm EDT
Nearly three quarters of Canadians, or 73 per cent, reported having ever watching livestreamed video, according to an Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) study published in June. The activity is trending up, as half of the...
Time online split nearly evenly between computers, smartphones: Comscore
telecom | 07/04/2018 5:05 pm EDT
Canadians are still spending a good amount of time on computers to access...
Canadians more likely to turn to WiFi on smartphones: report
telecom | 07/03/2018 6:03 pm EDT
In May, Canada’s smartphone users relied on an average of 2.7 GB in mobile data, but ended up using an average 8.4 GB of WiFi data, according to new results from Tutela Technologies Inc. network...
CRTC wants details from providers on phone unlocking
telecom | 07/03/2018 2:31 pm EDT
The CRTC is asking wireless service providers to outline their current practices on phone unlocking, following an application asking the regulator to require carriers to unlock all devices, even if the individual isn’t a...
Don’t opt for alternative low-cost plans, carriers warn CRTC
telecom | 06/29/2018 4:40 pm EDT
The big three wireless providers doubled down on their proposed low-cost,...
Payfone-EnStream partner on ID authentication platform
telecom | 06/18/2018 5:42 pm EDT
A joint venture of the big three telecoms announced a partnership on Monday with U.S.-based Payfone Inc. to support the Canadian roll out of an app that could replace passwords in the future....
‘Rare’ music industry consensus on key issues at Copyright Act review
Media | 06/15/2018 4:49 pm EDT
The House industry committee heard some familiar suggestions from a number...
Low-cost data plans need higher caps, lower prices, CRTC hears
telecom | 06/14/2018 4:45 pm EDT
The Competition Bureau is among those who are telling the CRTC that mandated low-cost, data-only plans should have more data on offer, in a move that raises the stakes of the regulator’s proceeding...
Industry should know Canadians concerned about sales practices: Bains
telecom | 06/14/2018 1:35 pm EDT
OTTAWA — Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains said Thursday afternoon that he heard directly from both consumers who say they experienced aggressive sales tactics by telecoms...
ACTRA backs Music Canada asks on copyright reform
Media | 06/13/2018 5:14 pm EDT
The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) asked a parliamentary committee...
Freedom expands WiFi calling availability
Media | 06/11/2018 3:34 pm EDT
Shaw Communications Inc.’s Freedom Mobile said more phones with Apple Inc.’s iOS and Alphabet...
Canadians using multiple devices, but adoption leveling off: MTM
Media | 06/08/2018 6:29 pm EDT
According to the latest data from CBC/Radio-Canada’s Media Technology Monitoring (MTM) project, 35 per cent of English-speaking internet users in Canada continue to own four types of electronic...
Too many emergency alerts could lead to ignorance: telecom consultant
Media | 06/06/2018 12:14 pm EDT
TORONTO — An amber alert that resulted in three emergency texts sent to...
CRTC backtracks on aspects of NG911 decision
telecom | 05/28/2018 4:18 pm EDT
The CRTC has changed its mind when it comes to a distinction it initially drew between primary and secondary public safety answering points (PSAPs), following opposition from a group of police departments and emergency authorities.
More than 50 PSAPs, or 911 call centres...
Telus says smartphone-specific adds at least on par with competitors
telecom | 05/18/2018 2:54 pm EDT
When paring the first quarter numbers down, Telus Corp.’s smartphone plan...
Border device search constitutionality case can proceed: U.S. judge
telecom | 05/18/2018 2:13 pm EDT
A federal judge in the United States has denied an attempt to dismiss a...
Security, data concerns drive two-phone phenomenon: Bell CEO
Media | 05/16/2018 11:16 am EDT
As stories about security and personal data breaches make the headlines,...
Big Gig-spawned deals ‘artificially’ inflated churn for Telus
Media | 05/10/2018 6:58 pm EDT
The holiday season caused a dramatic inflation of Telus Corp.’s defection...
PIAC asks CRTC to mandate occasional-use wireless plans
telecom | 04/16/2018 5:17 pm EDT
The CRTC should ensure telecoms offer plans for consumers who only need wireless service on an occasional basis, according to the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC). The consumer group filed a...
Freedom on new, ‘sustainable’ trajectory after record sub adds: Shaw
telecom | 04/12/2018 4:46 pm EDT
On the heels of record wireless subscriber growth in its second quarter,...
CRTC consulting on NG911 network efficiency
telecom | 03/26/2018 1:29 pm EDT
The CRTC said Monday it is asking for input on next-generation 911 (NG911) network design efficiencies...
No slow-down for increases in data usage: telecoms
telecom | 03/23/2018 5:18 pm EDT
Executives from Rogers Communications Inc. and Telus Corp. don’t see demand for wireless data slowing down, they told an investors conference earlier this week. “We’re still seeing significant data growth in the wireless...
Low-cost data plans ‘superior alternative’ to WiFi-first MVNOs: Scott
telecom | 03/22/2018 4:23 pm EDT
Having facilities-based carriers offer low-cost data-only plans is a better way to fulfill the government’s goals of more affordable wireless options for consumers than mandating roaming access by WiFi-first mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), CRTC chairman Ian Scott said Thursday. “The data-only plans fulfill the same objective, and [have] other attributes that make it a superior alternative in our view,” he said in a call with reporters. “It will be available nationally. It...
Citing nat’l security, Trump blocks attempted Qualcomm takeover
telecom | 03/13/2018 4:54 pm EDT
Microchip producer Broadcom Ltd.’s proposed takeover of chipmaker Qualcomm Inc. was blocked Monday via an executive order by United States president Donald Trump. The order referred to...
UofO teases consumer tools for wireless services
telecom | 03/07/2018 8:06 pm EST
OTTAWA — Tools to better inform consumers of their rights when purchasing wireless services are under...
BlackBerry targets Facebook with patent infringement lawsuit
telecom | 03/06/2018 4:38 pm EST
Citing its early developments in timestamp interfaces, encryption...
LTE open to numerous security flaws: paper
telecom | 03/06/2018 4:03 pm EST
Researchers at American universities have found a number of security vulnerabilities on the 4G LTE network, which could expose citizens to tracking, impersonation and fake text messages. The paper, which was presented at a...
Apple gives MPs few answers on iPhone slowdown
telecom | 03/02/2018 4:09 pm EST
OTTAWA — Representatives from Apple Inc. faced down members of the House committee on industry, science and technology on Thursday afternoon, telling MPs that while the company didn’t mean to mislead consumers about its slowing down of some older smartphones, it had...
Budget’s cybersec plans invoke questions about transparency: professor
telecom | 02/28/2018 7:08 pm EST
As the federal government announced schemes to bolster Canadian...
Big Three leveraging wireless networks for digital ID business
telecom | 02/28/2018 3:52 pm EST
Canada’s major telecoms are among the leading players in the creation of...
Videotron launches free WiFi calling, texting for travellers
telecom | 02/26/2018 1:13 pm EST
Customers of Quebecor Inc.'s Videotron can now make free voice calls and ...
Worldwide smartphone sales dip in Q4: Gartner
telecom | 02/22/2018 2:13 pm EST
Global smartphones saw a year-over-year decline in sales for the first time in the fourth quarter due to...
U.S. IC chiefs issue warning against Huawei, ZTE devices
telecom | 02/16/2018 5:43 pm EST
The United States Senate Intelligence Committee heard from six high-ranking...
Bell to unlock all wireless devices on request
telecom | 02/05/2018 5:11 pm EST
BCE Inc. said it will unlock all devices that are restricted to its network, helping relieve concern among consumer groups who are currently asking the CRTC to clarify that policy in the new Wireless Code. Bell spokeswoman...
Canada to test border ID system using blockchain, biometrics
telecom | 01/29/2018 12:59 pm EST
Canada and the Netherlands are teaming up to test a system for identifying...
‘Technical issue’ hurt Rogers churn during Dec. wireless promos: CEO
telecom | 01/25/2018 4:54 pm EST
Rogers Communications Inc.’s systems had a technical glitch that...
Canadian IP, tech targets during gov’t travel: CSIS
telecom | 01/15/2018 1:48 pm EST
In an instructional guide released to government employees, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) recommended high levels of vigilance in protecting personal information during international travel. Originally reported on and accessed through an information request by the Globe and Mail, the guide states that both other governments and criminals will target Canadian travellers and diplomatic status isn’t enough to mitigate the risks. It also noted Canada’s technology-sharing relationship with the U.S., which gives it “privileged access to advanced U.S. technologies few...
FCC investigating false wireless emergency alert in Hawaii
telecom | 01/15/2018 12:39 pm EST
A false wireless emergency alert that saw residents of Hawaii receive a...
NDP calls on Apple to justify software slowdown to MPs
telecom | 01/12/2018 5:39 pm EST
The NDP says silicon valley giant Apple Inc. should speak to a...
Samsung to unlock FM chip in new smartphones
Media | 01/12/2018 3:47 pm EST
Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. will unlock FM chips in its newer smartphones, according to a press release...
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...
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 continue its 2017 momentum, though the full impact of its aggressive wireless offers may not be apparent in this week’s quarterly results.
Freedom announced overhauled...
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,...
House committee backs stricter border device search rules
telecom | 12/15/2017 4:06 pm EST
A parliamentary ethics committee is recommending the government enact into...
Canadian ‘tale of two internets,’ as 25% get online wirelessly: Deloitte
Media | 12/12/2017 6:39 pm EST
The number of Canadians who get their internet access wirelessly — either...
Basic wireless plans cheaper, bigger data buckets more expensive: report
telecom | 12/12/2017 6:38 pm EST
While Canadians saw prices for basic mobile phone subscriptions fall, data released by Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada on Tuesday indicated that high-end mobile phone plan...
CBC digital expansion ahead of schedule
Media | 12/11/2017 2:58 pm EST
CBC/Radio-Canada has achieved its goal of doubling its digital reach more than two years early, the...
SCC text message ruling clarifies privacy in digital communications
telecom | 12/08/2017 10:32 am EST
OTTAWA — The Supreme Court of Canada said Friday that a sender of a text...
Smartphone unlocking shouldn’t be limited to current customers: PIAC
Media | 12/07/2017 5:49 pm EST
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) is urging the CRTC to mandate service providers to unlock devices even if the customer doesn’t have an active account with the provider, in a Part 1...
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...
New wireless-extending tech a ‘paradigm shift’ for 5G: federal researchers
telecom | 11/30/2017 9:04 am EST
OTTAWA — A federal research lab on the outskirts of Canada’s capital has developed a technology that could extend the signals fundamental to ubiquitous wireless...
Don’t count on Freedom’s $0 iPhone X offer for long: analyst
telecom | 11/22/2017 4:29 pm EST
Shaw Communications Inc.’s Freedom Mobile announced in a press release...
Telus joins Rogers in Wireless Code extension ask
telecom | 11/20/2017 6:12 pm EST
Several telecoms are backing Rogers Communications Inc.’s request for an extension to implement certain...
CRTC consulting on new nuisance call blocking proposals
telecom | 11/17/2017 3:00 pm EST
The CRTC launched a consultation Thursday requesting comment on new proposals for how its order to telecoms to block some nuisance calls should be implemented. A year ago, the regulator ordered...
ISED investing in energy-efficient chips for wireless devices
telecom | 11/16/2017 5:41 pm EST
Innovation Canada is putting up $2.2 million for clean technology that is...
90% of Canadians own two or more devices: StatCan
telecom | 11/16/2017 1:47 pm EST
Statistics Canada released its latest General Social Survey (GSS) on Tuesday, which showed that 76 per cent of Canadians now own a smartphone. Titled Canadians at Work and Home, the survey conducted in 2016 included analysis of different facets how technology and internet have affected the day to day lives of Canadians. That statistic is in line with other surveys that put smartphone penetration among anglophone Canadians at 80 per cent. As well, multiple device usage is high, with 90 per cent of Canadians saying they own two or more electronics like a laptop, mobile phone or tablet....
Qualcomm rejects Broadcom offer
telecom | 11/13/2017 12:33 pm EST
The board of directors of mobile chipmaker Qualcomm Inc. has unanimously rejected an unsolicited proposal to be purchased by Broadcom Ltd. “It is the Board’s unanimous belief that Broadcom’s proposal significantly...
Broadcom puts up $130B US offer for chip maker Qualcomm
telecom | 11/06/2017 5:04 pm EST
Networking giant Broadcom Ltd. announced a proposal to purchase all outstanding shares of mobile chip maker Qualcomm Inc. on Monday morning. It could be one of the largest tech deals ever,...
Cell phone only households predict modern behaviour: MTM
telecom | 11/03/2017 4:21 pm EDT
Cell phone only households, meaning those that use only mobile phones and no landline, are growing across Canada and are a good indication of a series of modern habits, said a report published...
Freedom set to support older iPhones with spectrum rejig, deployment
telecom | 10/26/2017 5:37 pm EDT
Shaw Communications Inc. announced Thursday that it would move to redeploy...
Rogers unfazed by Freedom ‘Big Gig’ offer: CEO
telecom | 10/19/2017 4:34 pm EDT
Joe Natale isn’t worried about Shaw Communications Inc.’s move to offer its Freedom customers 10...
iPhone X, component shortages lowering phone demand: report
telecom | 10/17/2017 8:39 pm EDT
A new report from Gartner Inc. is predicting the Nov. 2017 release of Apple Inc.’s iPhone X combined with component shortages will cause a dip in ability to meet smartphone demand in 2017 and push...
Mobile video viewing at 70%: Ericsson report
Media | 10/12/2017 1:27 pm EDT
Today, approximately 70 per cent of consumers watch TV and video content on their smartphone devices, double the number from 2012, according to the eighth edition of Ericsson AB’s annual ConsumerLab TV and Media report. The...
Bring border privacy issues under NAFTA: Geist
telecom | 10/02/2017 3:23 pm EDT
Because some aspects of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) raise privacy concerns, the...
Bell warns about some Apple Watch 911 capabilities
Media | 09/25/2017 4:17 pm EDT
BCE Inc. issued a press release Friday to let customers with Apple Inc.’s new Apple Watch know that “their longitude and latitude location may not be supplied to 9-1-1 operators when the device is not paired with their iPhone via Bluetooth.”
The watch is...