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Accounting Policies, by Policy (Policies)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Revenue Recognition, Policy [Policy Text Block]

(a) Revenue recognition


The Company derives revenues from the provisioning of mobile phone and fixed Internet access services through its Ting website. These revenues are recognized once services have been provided. Revenues for wireless services are billed based on the actual amount of monthly services utilized by each customer during their billing cycle on a postpaid basis. The Company’s billing cycle for each customer is computed based on the customer’s activation date. As a result, the Company estimates the amount of revenues earned but not billed from the end of each billing cycle to the end of each reporting period. In addition, revenues associated with the sale of wireless devices and accessories to subscribers is recognized when title and risk of loss is transferred to the subscriber and shipment has occurred. Incentive marketing credits given to customers are recorded as a reduction of revenue.


The Company’s revenues are also derived from domain name registration fees on both a wholesale and retail basis, the sale of domain names, the provisioning of other Internet services, advertising, and other revenue. Amounts received in advance of meeting the revenue recognition criteria described below are recorded as deferred revenue.


The Company earns registration fees in connection with each new, renewed and transferred-in domain name registration and from provisioning other Internet services to resellers and registrars on a monthly basis. Service has been provided in connection with registration fees once the Company has confirmed that the requested domain name has been appropriately recorded in the registry under contractual performance standards.


Domain names are generally purchased for terms of one to ten years. Registration fees charged for domain name registration and provisioning services are recognized on a straight-line basis over the life of the contracted term. Other Internet services that are provisioned for annual periods or longer, are recognized on a straight-line basis over the life of the contracted term. Other Internet services that are provisioned on a monthly basis are recognized as services are provided.


Revenue generated from the sale of domain names, earned from transferring the rights to domain names under the Company’s control, are recognized once the rights have been transferred and payment has been received in full.


For arrangements with multiple deliverables, the Company allocates revenue to each deliverable if the delivered item(s) has value to the customer on a standalone basis and, if the arrangement includes a general right of return relative to the delivered item, delivery or performance of the undelivered item(s) is considered probable and substantially in the control of the Company. The fair value of the selling price for a deliverable is determined using a hierarchy of (1) Company specific objective and reliable evidence, then (2) third-party evidence, then (3) best estimate of selling price. The Company allocates any arrangement fee to each of the elements based on their relative selling prices.


In those cases where payment is not received at the time of sale, additional conditions for recognition of revenue are that the collection of the related accounts receivable is reasonably assured and the Company has no further performance obligations. The Company records costs that reflect expected refunds, rebates and credit card charge-backs as a reduction of revenues at the time of the sale based on historical experiences and current expectations.


The Company establishes provisions for possible uncollectible accounts receivable and other contingent liabilities which may arise in the normal course of business. Historically, credit losses have been within the Company’s expectations and the provisions the Company has established have been appropriate. However, the Company has, on occasion, experienced issues which have led to accounts receivable not being fully collected. Should these issues occur more frequently, additional provisions may be required.

Property, Plant and Equipment, Policy [Policy Text Block]

(b) Property and equipment


Property and equipment are stated at cost, net of accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is provided on a straight-line basis so as to depreciate the cost of depreciable assets over their estimated useful lives at the following rates:


Asset

 

Rate

 

Computer equipment

    30

%

Computer software

    100

%

Furniture and equipment

    20

%

Vehicles and tools

    20

%

Fiber network (years)

    15  

Customer equipment and installations (years)

    3  

Leasehold improvements

    Over term of lease  

The Company reviews the carrying values of its property and equipment for potential impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. If the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from the use of the group of assets and its eventual disposition is less than its carrying amount, it is considered to be impaired. The amount of the impairment loss recognized is measured as the amount by which the carrying value of the asset exceeds the fair value of the asset, with fair value being determined based upon discounted cash flows or appraised values, depending on the nature of the assets.


Additions to the fiber network are recorded at cost, including all material, labor, vehicle and installation and construction costs and certain indirect costs associated with the construction of cable transmission and distribution facilities. While the Company’s capitalization is based on specific activities, once capitalized, costs are tracked by fixed asset category at the fiber network level and not on a specific asset basis. For assets that are retired, the estimated historical cost and related accumulated depreciation is removed.

Derivatives, Policy [Policy Text Block]

(c) Derivative Financial Instruments


During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 and the year ended December 31, 2014 ("Fiscal 2014"), we used derivative financial instruments to manage foreign currency exchange risk. We account for these instruments in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 815, “Derivatives and Hedging” ("Topic 815"), which requires that every derivative instrument be recorded on the balance sheet as either an asset or liability measured at its fair value as of the reporting date. Topic 815 also requires that changes in our derivative financial instruments’ fair values be recognized in earnings, unless specific hedge accounting and documentation criteria are met (i.e. the instruments are accounted for as hedges). We recorded the effective portions of the gain or loss on derivative financial instruments that were designated as cash flow hedges in accumulated other comprehensive income in our accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. Any ineffective or excluded portion of a designated cash flow hedge, if applicable, is recognized in net income.


For certain contracts, the Company has not complied with the documentation standards required for its forward foreign exchange contracts to be accounted for as hedges and has, therefore, accounted for such forward foreign exchange contracts at their fair values with the changes in fair value recorded in net income.


The fair value of the forward exchange contracts are determined using an estimated credit adjusted mark-to-market valuation which takes into consideration the Company's and the counterparty's credit risk. The valuation technique used to measure the fair values of the derivative instruments is a discounted cash flow technique, with all significant inputs derived from or corroborated by observable market data, as no quoted market prices exist for the derivative instruments. Our discounted cash flow techniques use observable market inputs, such as foreign currency spot and forward rates.

New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]

In September 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2015-16, Business Combinations (Topic 805) ("ASU 2015-16"), which relates to the simplification of the accounting for measurement-period adjustments in business combinations. This standard update eliminates the requirement to account for measurement-period adjustments retrospectively. This standard update instead requires an acquirer to recognize the measurement-period adjustments in the reporting period in which the adjustments are determined. This standard update also requires that an acquirer record the effects on earnings of any changes resulting from the change in provisional amounts, calculated as if the accounting had been completed at the acquisition date. We will adopt this standard update during the first quarter of 2016. The adoption of this standard update is not expected to have a significant impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements.


In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers ("ASU 2014-09"), which is a comprehensive revenue recognition standard that will supersede nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance under U.S. GAAP.  The new standard provides a single principles-based, five-step model to be applied to all contracts with customers, which steps are to (1) identify the contract(s) with the customer, (2) identify the performance obligations in the contract, (3) determine the transaction price, (4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract and (5) recognize revenue when each performance obligation is satisfied. More specifically, revenue will be recognized when promised goods or services are transferred to the customer in an amount that reflects the consideration expected in exchange for those goods or services.  ASU 2014-09 was set to be effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016. On July 9, 2015, the FASB voted to defer the effective date by one year, such that the new standard will be effective for the Company for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017 (January 1, 2018 for the Company) and for interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017 (January 1, 2018 for the Company). Early adoption of the standard is permitted but not before the original effective date. Companies can transition to the standard either retrospectively or as a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the date of adoption. The Company does not intend to adopt the standard early and is currently in the process of evaluating the impact that the adoption of ASU 2014-09 will have on its consolidated financial statements and the selected method of transition to the new standard.


In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-03, Interest - Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs (“ASU 2015-03”). The amendments in ASU 2015-03 require that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. This guidance is effective for annual and interim reporting periods of public entities beginning after December 15, 2015, and early adoption is permitted. In August 2015, the accounting standard update related to the presentation and subsequent measurement of debt issuance costs associated with line-of-credit arrangements was issued. This standard adds SEC paragraphs pursuant to an SEC Staff Announcement that the SEC staff would not object to an entity deferring and presenting debt issuance costs associated with a line-of-credit arrangement as an asset and subsequently amortizing the costs ratably over the term of the arrangement. We do not expect the adoption of ASU 2015-03 to materially impact our consolidated financial statements.


In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-05, Customer’s Accounting for Fees Paid in a Cloud Computing Arrangement ("ASU 2015-05"), which provides guidance in determining whether fees for purchasing cloud computing services (or hosted software solutions) are considered internal-use software or should be considered a service contract.  The cloud computing agreement that includes a software license should be accounted for in the same manner as internal-use software if the customer has the contractual right to take possession of the software during the hosting period without significant penalty and it is feasible to either run the software on customer’s hardware or contract with another vendor to host the software. Arrangements that don’t meet the requirements for internal-use software should be accounted for as a service contract. ASU 2015-05 will be effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015 (January 1, 2016 for the Company).  Early adoption of the standard is permitted.  The Company is currently in the process of evaluating the impact that the adoption of ASU 2015-05 will have on its consolidated financial statements.


In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-11, Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory (Topic 330) (“ASU 2015-11”). The amendments in ASU 2015-11 require that inventory should be measured at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Net realizable value is the estimated selling prices in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable cost of completion, disposal and transportation. This guidance is effective for annual and interim reporting periods of public entities beginning after December 15, 2016 (January 1, 2017 for the Company) and early adoption is permitted as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. The implementation of the amendments in ASU 2015-11 are to be made on a prospective basis after the date of adoption. The Company is currently in the process of evaluating the impact that the adoption of ASU 2015-11 will have on its consolidated financial statements.