NL Short Takes

360networks seeks protection, slashes 40% of workforce Embattled fibre builder 360networks Inc has applied for bankruptcy protection in Canada and the U.S. It is cutting about 800 positions, leaving 1000 workers in their current jobs. The firm's parent company, Worldwide Fiber Holdings Ltd, has announced it has assumed 360network's obligations to buy back the shares of CEO Greg Maffei, should the fibre firm chief choose to sell in the future. Nortel stops production of router, cancels 200 jobs Nortel Networks Corp has stopped development of the OPTera Packet Core router, saying it does not see a market for it. The move resulted in the elimination of 200 positions in the engineering section in its Ottawa facility. EXFO to trim workforce and cut other costs Quebec City's EXFO Electro-Optical Engineering Inc is planning to cut its workforce by 15% and institute other cost-cutting measures such as postponing the construction of a new facility. The moves are expected to save the firm around $9 million. Telesat increases stake in American broadband company BCE Inc subsidiary Telesat has invested more money in WildBlue Communications Inc of Denver CO. Telesat will now hold 20% of the next generation satellite broadband developer. Futureway buys Internet infrastructure from C1 Futureway Communications Inc of Richmond Hill ON has acquired the high-speed Internet assets of C1 Communications. The move gives Futureway an entry into the lucrative market in Toronto and the surrounding area. MTS division eligible for federal government contract EXOCOM Group Inc has secured a place on the Government On Line Supply Arrangements. This means the MTS subsidiary will be eligible to deliver online products and services to government departments and agencies. Bell improves online presence internally and externally Bell Canada has signed deals with CGI and PricewaterhouseCoopers to permit the telco to become a fully web-enabled company. The firm is also deploying BroadJump software to make installing its Sympatico high-speed network easier for consumers. Sprint selects advertising and communications firm Sprint Canada has chosen MaxxMedia as its national integrated advertising and communications partner. MaxxMedia is a division of the Vicker & Benson Arnold company. AT&T prepaid card operation sold to DataWave Systems DataWave Systems of Vancouver has bought the Canadian prepaid card division of AT&T Corp. The deal is priced at $1.8 million in cash. MTS helps with revitalization of downtown Winnipeg MTS division Qunara Inc is contributing to the revitalization of downtown Winnipeg by opening a new office complex in the city. It cost between $1.5 and $2 million to refurbish the office, which hosts 111 workers. Voice Mobility inks agreement with British telco International Telecom plc of London UK will deploy a communications platform from Vancouver's Voice Mobility International Inc. The agreement is pegged at between $200,000 and $1M in revenues. Teleglobe signs video transmission deals in Japan Satellite company Teleglobe has signed deals with two Japanese broadcasters. Fujisankei Communications International and JSTV will use the fibre optic video grid to send news reports from the New York and London bureaus to Japan. Mitel to offer high-speed access in hotels Ottawa's Mitel Networks has signed a letter of intent with Atreus Systems Inc of Santa Clara CA. Mitel will use an Atreus platform to anchor its new high-speed Internet service to hotels. NHC joins with California firm to service LECs Montreal's NHC Communications Inc has hooked up with Sunrise Telecom Inc of San Jose CA to provide end-to-end copper provisioning and testing for LECs. The companies have completed interoperability testing between NHC's ControlPoint and the Oculist broadband verification system from Sunrise. NHC has offices in Canada, the United States and Europe. Manitoba Telecom endows Aboriginal campaign Manitoba Telecom Services Inc has donated $50,000 to the Success in Mind campaign of Brandon University. The fund will create scholarships and bursaries for First Nations students studying computer science or business administration. Matching funds from the province will bring the total endowment to $100,000. Large tech support call centre set up in Kingston StarTek Inc is opening its first Canadian call centre in Kingston ON. The Denver company expects to hire over 1,000 people to provide technical support and customer services. This will be the largest call centre in the eastern Ontario city, dwarfing the facility run by Bell Canada. Avalon Works buys AT&T Canada firm Montreal's Avalon Works Corp is buying all the issued and outstanding shares of Warnetwork Telecom Inc. The new owner will have an arm's-length arrangement with Warnetwork, which was formerly a privately held AT&T Canada agency firm. Avalon recently purchased seven ISPs, all of which are located in Ontario. Another argument for bringing fibre to the home Dianna Freiesleben of Oshawa ON inadvertently sent material from her home computer to a Toronto hospital over a regular LD link, rather than a $29 a month fixed-rate carrier. As the days piled up, her LD service was cut off and she received a notice from Bell Canada that she owes the telco at least $5,000. A payment plan of $200 per month has been negotiated.

NL Short Takes

News | 07/03/2001 4:00 am EDT

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