NL Short Takes

Look receives further extension from courtsTroubled broadband carrier Look Communications Inc has been granted an extension under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act. The firm now has until Nov. 30 to arrange new financing. 360networks seeking buyer or investorVancouver fibre builder 360networks Inc is looking for a buyer or an investor who can pump US$30 million into the firm. An offering memorandum is currently being circulated, with final offers due in mid-November. Nortel sells business units, dumps more staffNortel Networks Corp is selling its Clarify software business to Amdocs Ltd for US$200 million and Matra Nortel Communications S.A. of France to SPIE for an undisclosed amount. The telecom manufacturer has also instituted another round of cutbacks, eliminating a further 19,500 jobs. It also announced CEO John Roth will leave the company sooner than previously announced, departing next month instead of in April 2002. Telus copyright appeal dismissed by CRTCIn Decision 2001-635, the commission rejected an appeal by Telus over use of copyright material in proceedings. In other CRTC rulings, the commission approved terms for payphone competition in Telus Québec and Télébec ltée territory (Order 2001-761); approved CISC quality of service indicators (Decision 2001-636); received an appeal on third-party ISP access; and approved directory charges applied for by Northwestel (Order 2001-757). CCTA appeals pole access decision to Supreme CourtThe Canadian Cable Television Association has filed an application with Canada’s highest court for leave to appeal a recent lower court ruling overturning a CRTC decision on pole access. In July, the Federal Court of Appeal struck down a 1999 CRTC decision that set the rates cablecos must pay to gain access to utility poles (NL, July 30/01). The text of the appeal should be available soon. Mitel and March Networks call off merger plansMitel Networks Corp and March Networks Corp have cancelled a merger, due to legal concerns. The next day March, which like Mitel is chaired by Terry Matthews, laid off 47 workers, representing 15% of its staff. Ottawa photonics firm Zenastra shuts downZenastra Phonotonics Inc has gone into receivership. In August, the Ottawa firm laid off 60% of its staff while the shutting of its doors leaves 90 people without work. Northland to train telecom workersOttawa’s Northland Systems Training Inc has won a contract to provide training and certification to an undisclosed telecom equipment producer. The deal is worth $475,000. Telus extends ADSL Internet reach beyond four kilometresTelus is deploying new ADSL technology that will extend high-speed Internet service to clients more than four km away from a switch or central office. The system is currently undergoing tests in the Vancouver suburb of Surrey. Bell launches new office in central OntarioBell Canada has built a broadband facilities commissioning office in Barrie ON. The facility permits the telco to expand its high capacity fibre backbone across Canada and the United States. Manitoba Telecom buys new web site for portalsMTS Advanced Inc has purchased clickfindsave.com, which provides e-coupons for Winnipeg businesses. The site will be incorporated into the myWinnipeg.com and myManitoba.com portals. Vidéotron now largest high-speed ISP in QuebecVidéotron ltée is reporting more than 200,000 cable Internet subscribers after five years of service. The company reports it has more high-speed Internet customers in the province than any other firm. BCI takes over telecom investments from pension fundsAn affiliate of Bell Canada International Inc and Telecom Americas Ltd has bought out telephony interests from a group of Brazilian pension and investment funds. The funds had held stakes in Telet S.A. and Americel S.A., which will now be 76% controlled by the BCI-Telecom Americas subsidiary. dba reports $1.1 million loss in six months, about to closeVancouver’s dba Telecom has reported a six-month loss of $1,176,417 for 2001, about half of what it reported a year earlier. The company has closed its Canadian and American operations and is in the process of being liquidated. Ontario unveils university to deal with technologyThe Ontario government is launching the Ontario Institute of Technology in Oshawa ON. The school, the first new university in the province in nearly four decades, will focus on the needs of the high-tech marketplace. OCRI offers scholarship on leadership trainingThe Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation has introduced a scholarship on leadership training. The $15,000 prize will be awarded to an employee of a member company of the organization. Steep decline noted in North American DSL marketThe RHK research firm reports that the broadband digital loop market in North America fell by 35% in the first six months of this year. Revenues were US$703 million in 2001, against US$1.1 billion last year. The vast majority of service is in the ADSL market, with SDSL accounting for 7% only. The share price already has investors terrorizedNortel Networks Corp denies that it has any connections to suspected terrorist leader Osama bin Laden. While Baud Telecommunications of Saudi Arabia, a reseller of Nortel products, is owned by a branch of the bid Laden family, the family has denounced its relative’s actions.

NL Short Takes

News | October 10, 2001

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