RoW International Short Takes

CWTA annual conference and trade show to be rebrandedThe Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association is teaming up with Reed Exhibitions and E.J. Krause & Associates to rebrand the wireless lobby’s annual conference and trade show. This year’s event, to be held Nov. 5, 6 and 7 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, will now be called EXPO COMM Canada Communications 2002. Last year, the CWTA’s event was expanded to include wireline telecommunications, in addition to wireless communications, after the Canadian Business Tele-communications Association folded in 1999 (RoW, Aug. 23/99). This was the next logical step, CWTA president and CEO Peter Barnes said in a news release. Interoperable SMS launchedCanada’s four national wireless operators and the CWTA announced the commercial availability of inter-carrier short messaging service earlier this month. The initiative was originally announced at Communications 2001 in Toronto last November (RoW, Nov. 13/01). Now subscribers of one carrier can send messages to a subscriber of a rival carrier simply by addressing the message to the recipient’s phone number. The industry is hoping that by offering this kind of functionality, SMS here in Canada will take off as it has in Europe and Asia. According to recent figures, SMS messaging has grown dramatically, increasing from two billion messages a month to more than 16 billion in the last two years. Rogers Wireless offers voice-enabled BlackBerryRogers Wireless Communications Inc. is now offering Research in Motion Ltd.’s latest BlackBerry wireless device. The BlackBerry 5810 combines its traditional wireless email and calendar functionality with voice capabilities. The BlackBerry 5810 joins Handspring’s Treo 180 as two of the company’s primary converged voice and data products. Rogers’ announcement that it was going to offer the Treo 180 was made a couple of weeks ago (RoW, April 3/02). The BlackBerry 5810 will operate on the company’s GSM/GPRS network, which now reaches more than 90% of the Canadian population. Rogers plans to expand the coverage of its network to mirror its analog coverage, which reaches 93% of the country’s population. MTT/Aliant expands digital networkDigital wireless services are now available in two neighbouring communities of the Greater Halifax Municipality. The $600,000 expansion into the communities of Chezzetcook and Musquodoboit was completed last week. This announcement marks yet another signaling Aliant’s continued digital footprint expansion in Atlantic Canada. Microcell now offering PCMCIA wireless modem cardMicrocell PCS has now begun to offer the Merlin G100 wireless PC modem card to its subscribers. Manufactured by Novatel Wireless, the Merlin G100 is slightly larger than a credit card and offers Internet access speeds of up to 56 kbps. It retails for $525. The PCMCIA card is compatible with a wide variety of laptop computers and handheld devices and supports various operating systems including Windows 98, 2000, Millennium Edition, XP and PocketPC. Microcell is also offering North American roaming with the card through its partnership with U.S.-based VoiceStream Wireless Corp. Microcell is also offering an introductory offer that provides subscribers with unlimited data usage for $50/month for the first year. Bell Mobility launches 1X network in OttawaBell Mobility has officially launched its 1X wireless network in Ottawa. This launch follows those in Montreal, Toronto and Quebec City in recent weeks. The company plans to build out the network to about 80% of its current coverage area, including the major urban areas in Alberta and British Columbia. Bell Mobility is offering a variety of introductory offers that will help users gain an understanding of data usage habits. This will also aid the company in changing its pricing plans depending on usage.

RoW International Short Takes

News | April 16, 2002

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

RoW International Short Takes

News | April 16, 2002

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

FREE TRIAL

SUBSCRIBE

ISED spends $73 million on two fibre projects in New Brunswick

CRTC says wholesale access is having ‘positive impacts’ amidst job losses, spending cuts in telecoms sector

FCM calls for greater cell and internet coverage in north

Inside The Wire Report

Information

Hill Times Publishing

Get in Touch With Us