The CRTC and Statistics Canada have announced an initiative to cut down on the amount of government paperwork required from telecommunications service providers in Canada.

Both government bodies currently require filings from carriers.

Under a new inter-agency Memorandum of Understanding, their annual telecommunications surveys have been harmonized to reduce regulatory burden and make data collection more efficient.

Beginning with this year’s filings, there will be only one annual telecommunications survey, submitted through the CRTC’s web-based Data Collection System.

Nice to see the walls coming down!

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CRTC, Statistics Canada

There wasn’t lots in the federal budget for telecommunications – which is not necessarily a bad thing. Most of us prefer a hands-off approach.

I noticed that no one in Ottawa has yet picked up on my suggestion for a refundable tax credit tied to driving increased broadband subscriptions among lower income earners. I tend to think that this is the best approach for governments that want to stimulate broadband use and availability.

I did note one item in the budget speech. The government plans to put $21M into establishing global research chairs, one of which is in Information and Communications Technologies.

This funding will allow each Chair to assemble outstanding research teams and undertake cutting-edge research in areas of strategic importance to Canada.

If there is an election coming in the next year, when will telecommunications and technology become a more prominent issue?

The headline on the Victoria Times Colonist website reads “CRTC boss skeptical about proposed $52-billion BSE takeover.”

As in bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad-cow disease.

OK – so the Sean Silcoff story questions whether Bell should be as heavily regulated as it is – but Silcoff didn’t go so far as to suggest that anyone involved in the hearings was suffering from BSE.

We’ll see how long that headline lasts!

I am taking a few days break, so posting on the blog will be light this week, and possibly non-existent, depending on the quality of broadband access.

Maybe some of my more frequent commenters will fill the void by providing commentary on the Bell hearings or my weekend musings on Canadian Content regulations / user fees for new media.

In the meantime, let me remind you that early bird rates for The Canadian Telecom Summit end this week – March 1.

Registrations are running well ahead of last year’s record pace, so we encourage you to take advantage of the best pricing for the top gathering of telecom professionals in Canada. Book your place now!

As I mentioned on Friday, the CRTC will be webcasting the audio feed from its hearings examining the BCE privatization.

The hearings will open with a panel from Bell, led by COO and CEO-designate George Cope, Regulatory Affairs Chief Mirko Bibic, Chief Legal Officer Martine Turcotte and Expressvu president Gary Smith. They will be joined by Jim Leech, the President and CEO of Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. Also part of the panel are a host of internal and external lawyers, representatives of Providence Equity Partners, Merrill Lynch (both are equity participants with Teachers), KPMG (the valuators) and supporting executives.

Following the applicant’s panel, there are presentations from intervenors – mainly friendly, until Catalyst Asset Management will try to convince the CRTC to deny approval and get the BCE board of directors to look at a different approach. It is a long shot – a really far out long shot – but it is certain to make for entertaining listening.

The agenda is rounded out by Bell with a chance at the final word – its reply. The CRTC could have its decision out by the end of March.