NL Short Takes

Hydro One to deliver cross-border telecomHydro One Telecom Inc, a division of Ontario’s public utility, has signed a deal with Telergy Inc to provide cross-border telecommunications services. The firms will join their networks in Montreal and Buffalo NY to provide long haul and last mile connections to each others’ customers. United Telecom Council hires McCarthy TetraultThe United Telecom Council has retained McCarthy Tetrault as its Canadian regulatory counsel. The UTC recently formed sections representing eastern and western Canada as utility companies in this country explore the options of offering telecommunications services. CRTC releases interim contribution proceduresThe CRTC has released Order 2001-338, which creates interim procedures for the contribution regime initiated in Decision 2000-745. Time constraints meant that the Co-ordination Committee and the CRTC Interconnection Steering Committee did not have time to review the document before it was issued. Northwestel expands visual message waitingNorthwestel has expanded its visual message waiting service to two more communities. Residents of Yellowknife and Fort Nelson will see a red light flashing on their phones when a caller leaves a message. SaskTel adds $87M to provincial coffersProvincially-owned telco SaskTel paid a $87.3 million dividend in 2000 to the Crown Investments Corp, the parent of all crown corporations in Saskatchewan. The company had net income of $97 million, with a return on equity of 14.9% and a debt ratio of 38.7% last year. Spirent sells technology to BCITOttawa’s Spirent Communications is selling its Adtech and SmartBits products to the British Columbia Institute of Technology. The west coast research body will use the equipment in its Internet engineering lab, which works on projects for networks such as CA*net 3 and Internet2. Bell to share ownership of BellZinc portalBell Canada’s Bell ActiMedia division has inked an agreement with web portal company AllBusiness that will see the two firms share ownership of the Bell Zinc Corp. Bell will retain majority ownership, with both companies operating the BellZinc.ca portal. NHC sells products to overseas ILECsNHC Communications Inc of Montreal has shipped its ControlPoint product to an unnamed ILEC. The firm said it has also shipped goods to a European ILEC and two IXCs for evaluation. Shaw becomes anchor client for Total Telcom Fiber gridTotal Telcom Fiber Inc has signed a multi-million dollar deal with Shaw Cablesystems GP that will see Shaw become an anchor client of Total Telcom’s network from Edmonton to Fort St. John BC. Shaw will receive two dark fibres, connecting Dawson Creek and Fort St. John. Global Light affiliate connects fibre to MexicoARCOS—the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System—has received permission to light its network from the Caribbean to Cancun Mexico. Arcos is a subsidiary of Global Light Telecommunications of Vancouver. Battle in Hastings over free 911 mapsHastings County in eastern Ontario has decided it will no longer issue 911 atlases to municipal emergency services for free. Tweed-Hungerford reeve Doug Mumford convinced county council to charge authorities $50 to replace atlases that were lost or misplaced. Teleglobe speeds up distribution networkTeleglobe has purchased a software platform from XACCT Technologies Inc to increase the speed on its network. The BCE subsidiary also inked a deal with Sun Microsystems to expand Teleglobe’s hosting and content delivery systems. Bell Canada unveils simulation lab in OttawaBell Canada has inaugurated the first state-of-the-art network simulation lab in Canada. The new iTechCentre is based in downtown Ottawa and will test hardware and software for telecommunications networks. Bird On A Wire lands in Stream networkBird On A Wire Networks has signed an agreement with Stream Intelligent Networks Corp on the installation of a completely diverse, high-speed network. Stream used its STAR technology to lay the Gigabit Ethernet grid. From Regina with love, telco enters the spy worldSaskTel has increased its share of the surveillance market. It is buying 70% of Business Watch International, a company that makes programs for Internet crime prevention. SecurTek Monitoring Solutions Inc, a subsidiary of the provincial telco, has entered an acquisition and dealer agreement with Protec Security Systems of Kamloops BC. Nortel opens new offices in Puerto RicoNortel Networks has opened new facilities in Guaynabo Puerto Rico. The training space and laboratory are needed to reflect the expanded business in the American protectorate. Telecommuters get tax break in United StatesA pilot project in five American cities allows companies whose workers telecommute to get air pollution credits, which they could then sell or trade. The Environmental Protection Agency is offering the program in Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Washington DC. NewTel to award $360,000 in cultural grantsNewTel, the incumbent telco in Newfoundland and Labrador, has joined with the provincial arts council to endow the Cultural Innovation Fund. The ILEC will provide $360,000 in grants over the next three years.

NL Short Takes

News | May 7, 2001

Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need.

FREE TRIAL

SUBSCRIBE

Inside The Wire Report

Information

Hill Times Publishing

Get in Touch With Us