Well, 3 months ago, when the CRTC issued its Decision about Mobile TV, I suggested that XM and Sirius should be nervous about the new, unregulated competition.

Sure enough, TELUS and XM Canada announced TELUS Mobile Radio yesterday, Canada’s first streaming mobile radio service, “including 100 per cent commercial-free music and the best in comedy, talk and entertainment – all from their mobile phones.”

According to Stephen Tapp (President and COO of XM Canada):

This is another fantastic ‘first’ for XM Canada. The launch today represents the first time that satellite radio will be distributed in partnership with a wireless provider in Canada

As we noted in April, this service should fall under the CRTC’s blanket exemption for New Media.

Rogers has applied to put Sirius onto its cable network. It must go through a regulatory process to get permission to make these changes (and counter opposition from groups such as the Canadian Independent Record Producers).

For mobile services using IP delivery of the content, the CRTC has already ruled that these are new media, exempt from its oversight. Content could be available from all over the world and be targetting micro-markets.

Will Virgin tie in a suite of services to go with its Virgin Fest concert in September?

Update: A blog-shy colleague of mine writes that he does not think Rogers or Bell will need CRTC approval to include XM or Sirius services bundled with their high speed internet services, despite the need to apply for permission to carry the same services over conventional broadcast distribution technology.

One might ask what this means for technical neutrality and why voice over broadband is treated differently.

Alex, my research associate discovered an interesting site based out of China called TVU Networks that promises to be releasing a broadband video distribution service in the near future.

Current offerings include HBO Asia and the Hollywood film channel from Taiwan as well as a number of Chinese stations.

TVU? It is a peer-to-peer application with a specialized streaming video player, delivering live channels over the internet.

This is the kind of application that should help our understanding of a number of issues for new media. Look back at our comments on the CRTC’s Mobile TV Decision.

Implications on broadband access networks and broadcasters?

This may also increase sensitivities in respect of net non-neutrality behaviour by cable companies acting as broadband internet service providers. Already under fire for consumers believing that there is cable company interference with VoIP service, what will happen when there is traffic sculpting on a more bandwidth-intensive direct competitor for TV program distribution.

I want to know if the service will be live in time to let us watch the American commercials during the 2007 Superbowl.

Jeff Pulver says he was caught off-guard when the FCC ruled that VoIP should make payments to the Universal Service Fund (USF) in the US.

He comments:

Our only saving grace is that other governments from around the world DO NOT follow the lead of this FCC and mirror their disruptive policies towards VoIP in their respective countries.

I noticed an interesting juxtaposition of articles in the business section of Monday’s Toronto Star. Both articles look at the issues of government and the internet.

Michael Geist looked at Bell Sympatico’s changes to Section 7 of its user agreement. The clause advises subscribers that

your Service Providers have the right to monitor the Services electronically from time to time and to disclose any information as necessary to satisfy any law, regulation or other governmental request, to operate the Website or any of the Services properly, ensure compliance with the Terms of Use or to protect itself or its users in accordance with the Privacy Policies.

XXX may limit in any way, modify or refuse, all or part of the Services or your access to the Services without notice or liability if there is a breach or suspected breach of these Terms and Conditions or of XXX’s Service Policies or where XXX deems such limit, refusal or modification may be advisable to protect itself, its customers or its network. Without restricting the generality of this discretion, XXX may limit the amount of data transfer you are permitted or the hours you are able to access the Services in any manner with any Internet plan, and may limit the amount of storage and memory available to you. XXX is not obligated to, but may monitor your use of the Services electronically from time to time, and may use and disclose any information obtained from such monitoring as necessary to identify violations of or enforce these Terms and Conditions or XXX’s Service Policies, to satisfy any law, regulation or other governmental request, to operate or improve the Services, to protect itself, or its customers or its network.

The gist of the column is that regardless of the motivations for the change – whether harmless drafting amendments, lawful access, or network neutrality – the public and media reaction demonstrates how increased Internet surveillance is a political and business minefield that invariably stirs up vociferous opposition.

Geist suggests that Canadians want their ISPs not only to protect their data, but to actively support their privacy interests as well. I’ll accept that. But does that include ISPs actively defending client rights versus the government? Is there research that suggests that a majority of Canadians are more trusting of their ISP than their government to look after their security interests? Hard data that suggests, in the wake of domestic terror threats, that Canadians want ISPs to block lawful access to records by security services (by lawful access, I mean monitoring practices that are determined by parliament and/or the courts to conform with our national laws).

The second article on page C3 of Monday’s Star was celebrating Taiwan’s leading e-government initiative. The story was actually a week old piece that ran originally in the New York Times on June 26 [sure makes you think of the advertisements for 680News: If you read about it, it’s history, if you hear it, it’s news. Of course, what do you call it when 680News reads a story from the morning papers – is that an audio book? But I digress…].

The article says

To speed up delivery of these services, about one million citizens now have identification cards with chips inside that, when scanned, instantly provide personal data.

Internet use has become an integral part of daily life, serving as the foundation for daily communication, commerce, education and entertainment for millions of Canadians.