Telecom execs insist wireless prices going down as MPs voice concern over costs

The chief executives of Canada’s three largest telecom companies stressed that phone and internet prices are coming down during an appearance before MPs on Monday, noting that increased data usage and high spectrum costs may be some reasons Canadians feel otherwise. The three CEOs — Rogers Communications Inc.’s Tony Staffieri, BCE Inc.’s Mirko Bibic and … Read more

Watch out for flying fees: WestJet hikes checked bag cost, Flair adds credit card fee

Here’s the good news: Airfares have declined in Canada. The bad news? You might wind up paying more in added fees. WestJet and several U.S. airlines recently hiked their checked bag charges. Discount carrier Flair Airlines has raised some other fees, and added a surcharge when customers pay for their flight with a credit card.  Airlines often say they “unbundle” … Read more

Canadian contribution to private lunar lander could lead to a telescope on the moon

The first private spacecraft to softly land on the moon carries a Canadian instrument that will test the possibility of building an observatory at the Lunar south pole. The phone booth-sized lander by Intuitive Machines, named Odysseus, launched on Feb. 15 and touched down on Thursday near a small impact crater about 300 kilometers from the moon’s south … Read more

AI chatbots are sparking romance (with the chatbot, that is)

A few months ago, Derek Carrier started seeing someone and became infatuated. He experienced a “ton” of romantic feelings but he also knew it was an illusion. That’s because his girlfriend was generated by artificial intelligence. Carrier wasn’t looking to develop a relationship with something that wasn’t real, nor did he want to become the … Read more

Switch carriers? How? Ottawa gives mixed messages over rising mobile prices

Even as the minister responsible admitted there aren’t enough competitive options for mobile service in Canada, another federal official said consumers can and should search for other service providers when faced with price increases. That message — from Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada — came just hours after the Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said Canadians “still pay too much … Read more

Telecom services still too expensive, industry minister says

Canadians are still paying too much for telecom services, the industry minister said Thursday, one day after Rogers Communications said it was raising the cost of some of its wireless phone plans. Rogers said Wednesday it would hike the cost of some of its wireless plans for non-contract customers. Bell is also reportedly increasing some of its existing wireless phone … Read more

Rogers to increase price of some wireless phone plans

Wireless phone plans will be getting more expensive for some Canadians this year.  Rogers Communications Inc. will increase the cost of some of its plans in the coming weeks, the company confirmed to CBC News on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Bell is reportedly increasing some of its existing wireless phone plan prices in February, according to a report by Canadian … Read more

LifeLabs customers can now apply for up to $150 in compensation for data breach

Canadian residents whose personal data was compromised in a 2019 LifeLabs data breach can now apply for up to $150 in compensation from a multi-million dollar class action settlement approved in October.  The private medical diagnostics company and its subsidiaries were the target of a cyberattack on Dec. 17, 2019, that compromised patient data for around 15 million … Read more

30 years ago, astronauts completed the Hubble telescope’s first repair. Here’s how

Thirty years ago, an 11-day space shuttle mission involving seven veteran astronauts performed the first servicing mission to correct the Hubble Space Telescope’s blurred vision. The unprecedented flight involved five spacewalks and would not have been possible without the assistance of the shuttle’s robotic Canadarm. The multi-billion dollar Hubble Space Telescope was a crown jewel … Read more