Archive for March 9th, 2009

Storm Clouds Ahead for Canadian Wireless World

Public frustration over the state of the Canadian wireless industry has generally focused on consumer-oriented concerns including pricey data plans, misleading system access fees, and text message charge policies.  Given the consumer focus, the effect on Canadian business is rarely discussed.  My weekly technology law column (Toronto Star version, homepage version) argues that that is set to change as one of Canada’s leading media companies has stepped forward with explosive allegations about how the wireless industry is engaged in practices that stifle innovation by privileging access or controlling content on their networks.

The claims can be found in a recent submission to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission by Pelmorex Media, the owner of the Weather Network in Canada.  While Pelmorex is not a household name, the Weather Network's websites rank at the top of Canadian media websites for online visitors.

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March 9, 2009 14 comments Columns

Storm Clouds Ahead for Canadian Wireless World

Appeared in the Toronto Star on March 9, 2009 as Storm Clouds Ahead for Wireless World Public frustration over the state of the Canadian wireless industry has generally focused on consumer-oriented concerns including pricey data plans, misleading system access fees, and text message charge policies.  Given the consumer focus, the […]

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March 9, 2009 Comments are Disabled Columns Archive

RIM’s Recordings

Several RIM employees (and former employees) have written about reports that the company records all employee conversations in an effort to protect its intellectual property.  The employees claim that the surveillance is not widely known within the company. Update: Several have noted that RIM has denied this story.  Details here.

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March 9, 2009 2 comments News

Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation Sets Up Its Own Bittorrent Tracker

Several sites have noted that the Norwegian state broadcaster has decided to set up their own BitTorrent tracker and start offering content through this form of distribution on a more regular basis. The tracker is based on the same OpenTracker software that the Pirate Bay has been using for the […]

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March 9, 2009 Comments are Disabled News

Consumer Groups Seek Tighter Rules on ‘Premium’ SMS Charges

The CBC reports that Union des consommateurs, a non-profit group based in Montreal, is preparing a submission that must be filed with Canada's telecommunications regulator by Monday as part of the group's request for strict rules concerning "premium" text messages.

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March 9, 2009 3 comments News