Technology

CRTC takes action to help reduce roaming fees for Canadians

Published

4 hours ago

October 7, 2024

OTTAWA, ON and GATINEAU, QC, Oct. 7, 2024 /CNW/ – Today, the CRTC is taking action to help make cellphone use more affordable when Canadians travel internationally and within Canada.

When it comes to international travel, the CRTC has heard that Canadians pay too much in roaming fees. The CRTC conducted a review to examine these fees. To inform the review, the CRTC obtained and analyzed confidential information from Canadian cellphone companies. It also considered the findings of a number of studies and reviewed public information on roaming.

The CRTC found that Canadians often end up paying high fees when roaming. Roaming fees for Canadian travelers are often inflexible, causing consumers to pay a flat fee of $10 to $16 per day regardless of how much they use their cellphone. The CRTC’s priority is to ensure that Canadians have the flexibility to choose an affordable plan that best meets their needs.

To address these concerns, the CRTC is calling on large cellphone companies to take immediate action to provide affordable roaming options. Companies must inform the CRTC by November 4, 2024, of the concrete steps they are taking to respond to these concerns. If the CRTC finds that sufficient progress is not made, it will launch a formal public proceeding.

The CRTC is also taking steps to help make it more affordable for Canadians to travel within Canada. Domestic wholesale roaming rates are the fees that cellphone service providers pay when their customers travel outside of the provider’s coverage area. These fees are a key factor that providers use when setting prices for cellphone plans.

Many agreements that set the wholesale roaming rates between cellphone service providers are several years old with rates that do not reflect today’s market. The CRTC is therefore requiring providers to set new rates through timely negotiations with each other. If cellphone providers cannot come to an agreement, the CRTC will set the rates using a process known as final offer arbitration. The CRTC expects this will result in lower prices.

The CRTC will continue to actively monitor roaming rates.

Quote

“Canadians need to stay connected when they travel, but often come home to high cellphone bills. The CRTC is taking action to help reduce roaming fees and is ready to launch a formal public proceeding if Canadians’ concerns are not addressed.”

– Vicky Eatrides, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, CRTC

Quick facts

The CRTC is an independent quasi-judicial tribunal that regulates the Canadian communications sector in the public interest. The CRTC holds public consultations on telecommunications and broadcasting matters and makes decisions based on the public record.Under the CRTC’s Wireless Code, service providers cannot charge more than $100 for domestic and international data roaming within a month or per billing cycle. Service providers must also notify users when they are roaming internationally.

Associated links

Secretary General Letter – Telecom – Offering Canadians more competitive, flexible, and affordable international roaming options Comparative Analysis of International Mobile Wireless Roaming Rates of Canadian Wireless Service Providers and International Counterparts Telecom Decision CRTC 2024-233 – Wholesale roaming service – Review of rates and rate-setting approach Telecom Information Bulletin CRTC 2024-234 – Practice and procedure for final offer arbitration to determine wholesale roaming rates Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2024-235 – Show cause and call for comments – Available footprint for Bell Mobility Inc. and TELUS Communications Inc.’s wholesale roaming services

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SOURCE Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

Technology

NASA Welcomes Dominican Republic as 44th Artemis Accords Signatory

Published

30 mins ago

October 7, 2024

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Dominican Republic is the latest nation to sign the Artemis Accords and joins 43 other countries in a commitment to advancing principles for the safe, transparent, and responsible exploration of the Moon, Mars and beyond with NASA.

“NASA is proud to welcome the Dominican Republic signing of the Artemis Accords as we expand the peaceful exploration of space to all nations,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “The Dominican Republic has made important strides toward a shared future in space and is now helping guide space exploration for the Artemis Generation.”

Sonia Guzmán, ambassador of the Dominican Republic to the United States, signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of the country on Oct. 4. The country also will confirm its participation in a high-level meeting of Artemis Accords signatories taking place Monday, Oct. 14, during the International Astronautical Congress in Milan, where furthering implementation of the principles will be discussed.

“This marks a historic step in our commitment to international collaboration in space exploration,” said Guzmán. “This is not just a scientific or technological milestone – it represents a future where the Dominican Republic contributes to the shared goals of peace, sustainability, and innovation beyond our planet. By joining the global effort to explore the Moon, Mars, and beyond, we are also expanding the opportunities particularly for our young Dominicans in science, education, and economic development.”

In 2020, the United States and seven other nations were the first to sign the Artemis Accords, which identified an early set of principles promoting the beneficial use of space for humanity. The accords are grounded in the Outer Space Treaty and other agreements including the Registration Convention, the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as best practices and norms of responsible behavior that NASA and its partners have supported, including the public release of scientific data.

The commitments of the Artemis Accords and efforts by the signatories to advance implementation of these principles support the safe and sustainable exploration of space. More countries are expected to sign in the coming weeks and months.

For more information about NASA’s programs, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/

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SOURCE NASA

Technology

PetSafe® Announces Exciting Deals for Amazon Fall Prime Day

Published

30 mins ago

October 7, 2024

Discover Unbeatable Savings on Training, Containment, and Care Products for Your Beloved Pets This Fall Prime Day!

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — PetSafe®, a leader in pet products and training solutions, is thrilled to share that pet owners can enjoy exclusive discounts on a wide selection of PetSafe® products during Amazon’s Fall Prime Day this October 8th and 9th. This is a fantastic opportunity for pet parents to invest in high-quality training tools and pet care solutions that enhance the lives of their furry companions.

Among the special offers are lightning deals on three featured products: the SportDOG Brand FieldTrainer 425X Remote Trainer, originally priced at $179.95, will be available for just $119.95; the PetSafe Wireless Pet Fence, which typically retails for $289.95, can be purchased for $199.95; and the PetSafe 1-Piece Sliding Glass Pet Door (Large), regularly $179.95, will be available for $129.95.

Additionally, PetSafe® will offer significant discounts on various best-selling items. Customers can find deals on the PetSafe® Easy Walk® Harness, available in multiple sizes and colors, along with the Deluxe Easy Walk® No Pull Harness. Other products include the Invisible Fence Brand Power Cap Battery, the Easysport Harness, and a range of bark control solutions, pet mats, and ramps designed to provide comfort and safety for pets.

These exclusive deals will be available during Amazon’s Fall Prime Day event, allowing pet owners to invest in their pets’ well-being while enjoying fantastic savings. For more details and to explore the full range of products, visit the PetSafe® storefront on Amazon.

For more information, visit PetSafeBrands.com or follow us on social media for the latest updates.

About PetSafe®
PetSafe® is the flagship retail brand of PetSafe Brands™, the world’s leading cat and dog products supplier. As a family of consumer brands that also includes Invisible Fence Brand®, SportDOG®, Kurgo® and Premier Pet®, PetSafe Brands™ is dedicated to unleashing joy for pet families everywhere by keeping pets healthy, safe and happy for a lifetime.

Contact:
Janna Chollet
917-826-8511
JChollet@PetSafe.net

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/petsafe-announces-exciting-deals-for-amazon-fall-prime-day-302269318.html

SOURCE PetSafe®

Technology

CHAI launches API for Social AI after strong Q3 growth hitting 1.2M DAU

Published

30 mins ago

October 7, 2024

CHAI is a Palo Alto based startup that is growing quickly, hitting over 40% growth in Q3 2024. Their team currently consists of 12 engineers and they are aggressively hiring and planning massive expansion

PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — CHAI initially had an app which is used by 1.2 million people a day, but has decided to branch out to offering B2B and B2C API after large demand from companion apps, chat apps, and social platforms.

The API is priced to compete with OpenAI gpt-4o-mini.

CHAI has demonstrated their model has significant uplift in retention and monetization rates for their AI, which has been optimized to be more entertaining, engaging and fun. Whereas most other AI API in the space are still focusing on accuracy and reasoning.

Press Contact:
Tom Lu
+1 (626) 594-8966

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chai-launches-api-for-social-ai-after-strong-q3-growth-hitting-1-2m-dau-302269326.html

SOURCE Chai