NL Short Takes

Group Telecom moves into National Capital regionToronto-based CLEC GT Group Telecom Inc is continuing its expansion with the opening of an office in downtown Ottawa. Initial investment is $20 million and 30 jobs, with an additional $10 million and 20 positions promised within the next year. Sprint expands data services to business customersSprint Canada Inc, a division of Call-Net Enterprises Inc, is broadening its data services to medium and large business clients. The changes to the ATM network will permit the company to offer customers one solution for voice, video and data needs. British Columbia to get third area code, 10-digit dialingNext November residents in the lower mainland of BC will be given the 778 area code for new telephone numbers. It will be part of an overlay with Vancouver’s 604 area code. The change will require all local calls to employ 10-digit dialing by November 3, 2001. Transatlantic network completed by 360networksVancouver fibre builder 360networks Inc has installed its final cable landing station for its 360atlantic fibre optic network. Located at Lynn MA, near Boston, the station will be the entry point for the company’s 11,700-km cable. The firm also announced it is deploying a MPLS-based global IP network. 360networks will use technology from Cisco Systems Inc. Bell to get satellite network from Telesat and HughesOttawa’s Telesat Canada, a subsidiary of BCE Inc, has joined with Hughes Network Systems of Germantown MD to provide a satellite-based telephone network to Bell Canada. The new infrastructure will permit the telco to provide uniform service to its satellite remote customers. Linmor to manage DSL and video networks for TelusLinmor Technologies Inc of Ottawa has won a contract from Telus to manage the telco’s DSL and video conferencing networks. The ILEC already uses Linmor’s Nebula PM software with its ATM network. High-speed services arrive in Yukon TerritoryNorthwestel Inc has brought high-speed data communications services to the communities of Haines Junction, Watson Lake, Teslin, Beaver Creek, Destruction Bay and Carcross. Those towns should be online by next month with Old Crow joining the network next year. The BCE subsidiary is moving ahead with plans to have Internet access available to other parts of the Yukon by the end of next summer. The upgrade is part of a $20 million five-year initiatiave -- called Connect Yukon -- project to advanced networks and services to the territory. The lion's share of the project, $17 million, is being provided by the Yukon government. Maybe they’ll offer the customers cell phonesThe Canadian International Trade Tribunal has overruled a previous decision and awarded Telus a contract to supply phone cards in federal penitentiaries. Correctional Services Canada had originally given the multi-million contract to Bell Canada, but the western telco appealed to the CITT. Monty says BCE wanted Telus, but government was leeryBCE Inc considered putting in an offer for Telus two years ago but feared the government would block such a move, BCE chair Jean Monty revealed recently. The telecom giant held talks with Telus parent GTE Corp but ultimately decided the federal competition board would never permit the re-monopolization of the industry. BCE interactive division slashes workforce by 25 %ExtendMedia Inc, a Toronto-based developer of interactive TV products, is cutting 25% of its workforce, or about 40 jobs. The company, which is 26% owned by BCE, produces the television programs Drop The Beat, Our Hero and Dish It Out and has interactive web sites. Sympatico breaks barrier of one million subscribers Bell Canada’s ISP Sympatico has announced it has surpassed the one million-subscriber threshold. About 80% are using dial-up, with the rest employing high-speed access. This is in line with a recently released report from PricewaterhouseCoopers that found that 22% of Canadian Internet clients are using high-speed technology. Internet penetration is at 48.2% across the nation, the study reported. Eicon products compatible with Copper Mountain gearMontreal’s Eicon Technology Corp announced its ADSL products have been deemed compatible with the ADSL line card made by Copper Mountain Networks of Palo Alto CA. Customers using Copper Mountain’s DSL solutions may also buy technology from Eicon without damaging their systems. NHC moves into convention centre market in the U.S.NHC Communications Inc of Montreal has sold its copper cross connect system to PCS World for voice and data networks for convention centres and other sites. It is expected PCS World will install the Canadian product in the Jacob Javits Center in New York City. NHC has also sold the technology to Delhum Technology & Service Corp of Taipei Taiwan. You can ignore the rush hour and have a casual wardrobeThe Canadian Telework Association is promoting November 22 as Canadian Telework Day, urging employees to work from home that day. The group says telecommuters are up to 20% more productive. It offers no suggestions on how to keep the kids and pets out of your hair, however. Telus sells office towers in western CanadaTelus Corp has sold its headquarters building in Burnaby BC to ICBC Properties Ltd, a subsidiary of the Insurance Corp of British Columbia, for $98.25 million. The telco has also sold the double towers of Telus Plaza in Edmonton to a pension fund for $94 million. The firm will continue to rent space in the buildings. The company is also offering golf tee-time reservation services through its wireless Internet portals MyBC Mobile, Alberta.com Mobile and myTO Mobile. Bell limits unlimited long distance calling planBell Canada is making changes to its First Rate LD plan. Where customers once received unlimited calls, they are now restricted to a maximum of 800 minutes each month. Canada to take part in Mexican telecom trade showThe Canadian embassy in Mexico City is looking for participants in EXPO COM, Mexico’s largest telecommunications trade show. The event will take place in the Mexican capital from February 6-9. Interested parties are asked to contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Bell to put film online with webcasts from Toronto festivalBell Canada has started webcasting short films featured at the Toronto International Film Festival. The Preludes program features shorts made by such Canadian artists as Atom Egoyan and David Cronenberg. NBTel promotes literacy for young childrenNBTel is launching a program entitled "A Book About Me" to encourage children from five-to-seven years old to read. The literacy series features a personalized reader for each youngster, and a optional teacher and parent guide. NBTel is part of Aliant Inc, itself a subsidiary of BCE Inc.

NL Short Takes

News | 11/20/2000 5:00 am EST

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