Spectrum policy issues are heating up as we approach the deadline for deposits for the 700 MHz spectrum auction. Will new entrants show up with deposits? Will rural Canadians actually benefit?

There is certain to be a lively discussion of wireless issues at a panel called “Unplugged: The next generation of wireless” at The 2013 Canadian Telecom Summit.

Earlier today, the moderator of the panel, Rita Trichur of the Globe and Mail, tweeted

Her story looks beyond the 700 MHz auction at the issues associated with the 3500 MHz band, spectrum that has been largely unused.

Internet service providers such as Xplornet Communications Inc. are accusing Rogers Communications Inc. and BCE Inc. of “hoarding” spectrum that they have held for years but failed to use. Now that those licences are up for renewal, Xplornet argues the companies’ ongoing control of those assets is stifling competition for Internet services in rural areas, to the detriment of some two million Canadians.

In an appearance on CBC’s The Lang & O’Leary Exchange, Open Media’s executive director, Steve Anderson, referred to Canada’s wireless policy as “incoherent”. [He went on to say things about Canada’s Industry Minister Christian Paradis, including unexpectedly colourful language from a registered lobbyist. Earlier in the interview, Mr. Anderson confused Former Industry Minister Jim Prentice, who led Industry Canada at the time AWS spectrum was set aside for new entrants, with Tony Clement, the Minister who preceded Paradis.]

As I have written before, the challenge Canadians face might be better described as drifting rudderless. Wireless competition and spectrum policy are among the areas that have suffered from the absence of a comprehensive national digital strategy. How does this impact investment in networks? How are Canadians competing in a global digital economy?

You need to be at The 2013 Canadian Telecom Summit, just 3 weeks away. Have you registered yet?

Continuing Professional Development: Some of the time spent attending sessions at The 2013 Canadian Telecom Summit may be claimed as “Substantive Hours” towards LSUC’s CPD requirements.

Register today! Download the complete conference brochure here.

Among the new panels being introduced this year at The 2013 Canadian Telecom Summit, we have a session called “The Customers Speak Out”:

What are some of the issues that bother small and medium businesses?

How are consumers being protected?

Is enough being done to safeguard against abuses?

What should service providers be doing to improve their customer relationships?

What will be the kinds of enforcement measures expected from the CRTC?

You need to be at The 2013 Canadian Telecom Summit, just 3 weeks away. Have you registered yet?

Continuing Professional Development: We have been advised that some of the time spent attending sessions at The 2013 Canadian Telecom Summit may be claimed as “Substantive Hours” towards LSUC’s CPD requirements.

Register today! Download the complete conference brochure here.

As you may have read last week, Industry Minister Christian Paradis was supposed to be delivering the closing address on June 5 at The 2013 Canadian Telecom Summit.

Over the course of the 3 day event, taking place June 3-5 at the Toronto Congress Centre, we will explore many areas that should provide guidance for moving forward, whether or not the government sets out a formal strategy.

For example, a panel on Wednesday June 5 will be looking at “Building an Innovation Economy”, exploring the issue from all angles.

Other panels are examining the next generation of wireless, looking at consumer issues (and available recourse for consumer complaints), the evolution of service provider business models and much, much more.

Once again, Canadians find ourselves drifting aimlessly with uncertainty guiding the evolution of Canada’s digital economy. It is a sector filled with activity. Wireless new entrants are in transition; investors are faced with changing rules and a lack of clarity about the transfers of spectrum. Consumers continue to increase their demand for flexible connectivity for voice, data, image and entertainment. Machine to machine communications means more devices talking to each other with significant impact on networks and security.

You need to be at The 2013 Canadian Telecom Summit, just 4 weeks away. Have you registered yet?

Continuing Professional Development: Some of the time spent attending substantive sessions at The 2013 Canadian Telecom Summit can be claimed as “Substantive Hours” towards LSUC’s CPD requirements.

Register today! Download the complete conference brochure here.

After a harsher than usual winter it is finally spring time in Toronto. The buds are showing the first signs of leaves returning to the trees in my neighbourhood. Toronto hockey fans have grown accustomed to trees being the only place to find a maple leaf at this time of year. But tonight, the Toronto Maple Leafs will play their first post-season game in nine years and Bloomberg says that this is a sign that the purchase of Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment is beginning to pay dividends for its owners, Rogers and BCE.

Each home game generates at least C$2 million in income alone for teams such as the Maple Leafs and the Canadiens, said Bruno Delorme, a professor of sports marketing at Montreal’s McGill and Concordia universities. NHL players aren’t paid salaries during the playoffs, meaning that all ticket revenue flows to the teams’ bottom line, said Delorme. Salaries on average account for 60 percent to 70 percent of a team’s operating costs, he said.

“For the owners, the playoffs translate into pure profits,” Delorme said in a telephone interview.

Of course, this doesn’t include the potential for additional revenues and strategic benefits from the delivery of the content across multiple screens. As an example, Rogers Buzz has a new post encouraging Canadians to “Stream the playoffs with Rogers Anyplace TV & CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada“.

A couple of sessions at The 2013 Canadian Telecom Summit will look at converged business models and the revolution of TV content anywhere and anyhow.

Will converged business models pay dividends? For shareholders and for the fans?

For those of us who were listening to the CRTC’s Mandatory Distribution hearing last week, we heard from a fascinating range of applicants as they defended their cases before the Commission. Some were representing well funded companies, with panels led by experienced regulatory professionals; others included personalities that made for entertaining exchanges with the Commissioners; other applicants were clearly not prepared. In an editorial today, the Globe and Mail refers to mandatory carriage as “misdirected tool of cultural engineering”. The proceeding continues this week.

As I listened to a number of the applicants, my impression was that many were stuck in a different era, when linear TV reigned supreme. I was struck by the apparent disconnect about the role of alternate forms of access for video content. More than one applicant spoke of curating user generated content on TV – effectively seeking to bring YouTube to basic cable. Is that really meeting an exceptional need?

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, at The 2013 Canadian Telecom Summit, we are looking at how TV content is being consumed across more platforms and networks. We have pulled together a panel that can look at the issues from every angle, including content creators, technology, distribution, market demand. The Revolution of TV: Content Anywhere & Anyhow will be on our main stage on Tuesday afternoon, June 4, 2013. On Monday afternoon, June 3, there is another relevant panel (also on our main stage), looking at Business Models in a Converged World.

The Canadian Telecom Summit opens in 5 weeks. This is where stakeholders in the communications and technology sectors get together to discuss issues in both a structured atmosphere of frank discussion and high-octane idea exchange, as well as schmooze in a more relaxed social setting of genial conversation. You should be there too.

To help with networking, at the conclusion of the first day, we hold our not-to-be-missed Cocktail Reception, sponsored this year by Ericsson. This is a chance to unwind, enjoy some delicious food & drink, catch up with colleagues and make new professional acquaintances.

Come meet with leaders from services and equipment suppliers, applications developers, policy makers, regulators and major customers.

Book your seat early. The Canadian Telecom Summit is the only event you need to attend.

Register now: www.telecomsummit.com. Prices increase May 1.