Canada is a world leader when it comes to communications, both on the equipment side and on service provision. But can Canada maintain that leadership position in today’s economy and secure itself the same fate in the years and decades ahead?

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

Take a free trial or subscribe to The Wire Report now.

Rogers Communications has made two changes in its investor relations department. Bruce Mann has joined as VP investor relations while Richard Harvey has been promoted from his position of director of investor relations to director financial analysis. Harvey previously worked in the financial reporting department at Rogers Wireless. Mann brings valuable experience to the table and previously held similar positions at MetroNet Communications and US West Inc.

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

Take a free trial or subscribe to The Wire Report now.

eDispatch sets up committee to review Proprietary’s bid
EDispatch.com Wireless Data Inc, Vancouver, has set up a special committee to review a hostile takeover bid launched by Proprietary Industries Inc. Proprietary’s bid is in opposition to eDispatch’s previously announced merger agreement with AirIQ. The special committee, which consists of independent directors, will be headed up by Stephen Willey and will consider any bona fide offer or acquisition proposal made for the company. Proprietary wants to remove eDispatch’s current board of directors and replace it with another board in order to better consider the AirIQ offer. Proprietary, which holds 12 per cent of eDispatch’s stock, is offering $1.05/share, plus another $0.05/share depending on the amount of available cash and short-term investments. Company executives have also said that liquidating the assets of the company is a possible solution for ensuring shareholder value for eDispatch’s current stock holders.

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

Take a free trial or subscribe to The Wire Report now.

Government officials and industry leaders from Malaysia met with their Canadian counterparts last week for advice on expanding the Asian country’s communications infrastructure. More specifically, the delegation is looking to Canada, its companies and its regulatory agencies for help in universal service provision, providing last mile access and bridging the digital divide. The dele-gation met with officials from the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association, the CRTC, Industry Canada and Canadian Heritage.

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

Take a free trial or subscribe to The Wire Report now.

An Ottawa area company has developed a process for designing and manufacturing LMCS radios faster and for a fraction of the price of previously designed equipment. That process will now be put into practice as DragonWave Inc has signed a manufacturing agreement with Ottawa-based BreconRidge Manufacturing Solutions Corp, which is now ramping up production of DragonWave’s radios.

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

Take a free trial or subscribe to The Wire Report now.

SynchroPoint Wireless Inc is wrapping up development of two new software applications that will take peer-to-peer communications to the next level using Bluetooth and wireless LAN connections. The Vancouver-based firm will soon release products that allow mobile workers to collaborate on projects on a variety of handheld devices in the same place and time without the need for central servers.

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

Take a free trial or subscribe to The Wire Report now.