NL Short Takes

Vidéotron Télécom sells off assets Vidéotron Télécom has sold its maintenance contracts and inventory to NEC Canada Inc and to Incotel Networks. The company’s takeover by Quebecor Media Inc was recently approved by the CRTC. Nortel shedding Ottawa office spaceNortel Networks is abandoning some of its real estate in the Ottawa market. Reports say the company is dumping 620,000 square feet of office space in the capital. 360networks granted facilities licence for JapanVancouver fibre builder 360networks Inc has been awarded a facilities-based licence to own and operate telecom infrastructure in Japan. The company has opened a sales and operations office in Tokyo. CRTC to study telecom confidentialityIn Public Notice 2001-60-1, the CRTC is seeking public reaction to proposed changes in the confidentiality provisions affecting telecom carriers. The action is in response to a Part VII application by Bell Canada wanting to share data among BCE Inc companies (NL, Dec. 19/00). Netgraphe, Canoe merger approved by shareholdersThe consolidation of the Netgraphe and Canoe portals has been approved by shareholders. Both firms are controlled by Quebecor Inc. Telus joins with Microsoft for ASP deliveryTelus Enterprise Solutions is now a partner with Microsoft Canada Co in offering ASP software to Telus business clients. Applications like Windows 2000 and Windows Media Streaming are available immediately, with others expected to be added this summer. Onvia’s Canadian division bought by Bell ZincBell Zinc Corp has purchased the Canadian operations of Onvia. The deal will increase Bell Zinc’s customer base in central and western Canada. Quebecor wins Mexican directory contractQuebecor World Inc has inked a deal with Telmex subsidiary ADSA to print telephone directories for the Mexican telco. The three-year agreement will see Quebecor print 14 million directories each year, or about 20 billion pages. Telus to offer ecommerce products through portalsTelus is now using products and services from iCommerce of San Jose CA. The e-business products will be deployed through the myBC.com, Alberta.com and myTO.com portals. Amtelecom releases figures for first quarter of 2001Independent telco Amtelecom Group Inc has released its results for the first quarter of 2001. Revenues were unchanged, while earnings were down two cents per share from a year earlier. SaskTel and Northwestel sign software dealSaskTel International, a subsidiary of the provincial telco, has signed a deal with northern ILEC Northwestel to provide OSS products and services. The contract is worth $760,000. SaskTel International has contracts with companies throughout Canada and the United States. Health Canada provides over $10 million for telehealthThe federal health department is earmarking $10.8 million for telehealth projects in Quebec. A project in Mauricie and Centre-du-Québec is being given $3.8 million; there is $3 million for Orléans; $2 million for the McGill/McMaster universities program; and another $2 million for a surgical project in Montreal. Mitel renames itself ZarlinkMitel Corp has dubbed itself Zarlink Semiconductor, after the Latin word "Caesar" for "leader" and the English word "link" for "connected". The new name was necessary after company founder Terry Matthews purchased the communications systems sector and relaunched it as Mitel Networks Corp (NL, Feb. 26/01). Exfo introduces field-testing platformQuebec’s Exfo Electro-Optical Engineering Inc has unveiled a next-generation field-testing platform. The FTB-400 Universal Test System will support the installation and maintenance of optical networks. King Products inks terminal deal with TelmexKing Products Inc of Mississauga ON is selling Interactive multimedia terminals and management software to Telefonos de Mexico SA de CV (Telmex). This is in addition to a large order for terminals King won from Telmex last year. Stream, BridgePoint form channel partnershipStream Intelligent Networks Corp of Toronto has entered into a channel partnership with Montreal’s BridgePoint International Inc. BridgePoint will provide the Internet hosting services and support while Stream will supply the fibre-optic grid. Photonics research promoted between governmentsThe National Research Council, a federal agency, and Photonics Research Ontario, a provincial body, have signed a memorandum of understanding on photonics study. PRO has agreed to supply scientists, other staff and equipment at the NRC’s Canadian Photonics Fabrication Centre. Bell makes moving easier with new web siteBell Canada is now featuring a form on its web site that permits customers to file changes of address or to order new services. The new system applies to clients of local, LD, wireless, Internet and satellite services. Telecoms among fastest growing Canadian firmsSeven telecom-related firms made the list of Profit magazine’s 100 fastest growing Canadian companies. Heading the list is broadband network developer Cygnal Technologies Corp, followed by BCE Emergis Inc (16), Aastra Technologies Ltd (19), JDS Uniphase Corp (22), Stratos Global Corp (28), DataWave Systems Inc (44) and Online Enterprises Inc (88). Manitoba Telecom provides services to CanWest GlobalManitoba Telecom Services Inc has won a three-year contract to deliver call centre services to CanWest Global Communications Corp. The broadcaster is opening the centre in Winnipeg in September to serve its newspaper customers in Western Canada. Nortel hires headhunters to replace RothHeidrick & Struggles International has been hired by Nortel Networks Corp to find a new chief executive. Current president/CEO John Roth announced plans to step down next year (NL, May 22/01). Telesat delivers high-speed connectivity to reservesTelesat Canada has signed a deal with the Assembly of First Nations to provide high-speed communications to all First Nations communities. The two partners will work out a detailed plan to deliver services and applications to 633 communities by the spring of 2004. CANARIE funds six Internet projectsCANARIE Inc has awarded shared-cost funding under its CA*net Institute Program. The six projects cover such areas as telehealth and e-learning and are provided with amounts ranging from $50,000 to $125,000. TCE levels not a concern at Ontario schoolyardStudents at Our Lady of Fatima elementary school in Belleville ON are not at risk from solvents leaching into the ground, a consultant’s report claims. Nortel Networks dumped trichloroethylene (TCE) at the site of its former plant in the city, which has since closed (NL, Mar. 26/01). Trading Major Barbara for Sexy SadieAmerican telco Verizon was red-faced when its yellow pages mixed up two toll-free numbers. The 1-800 number assigned to the Salvation Army for donations to its tuck shop was mistakenly printed as the 1-888 number for the Intimate Connections phone-sex service. The telco is hoping to purchase back the 1-888 number to give to the church.

NL Short Takes

News | 06/04/2001 4:00 am EDT

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