NL Short Takes

Western Ontario gets NPA overlay, 10-digit dialingIn Telecom Decision 2002-25, the CRTC introduced a distributed overlay for the 519 area code region, which includes such western Ontario cities as London, Windsor and Kitchener-Waterloo. Major telcos like Bell Canada, AT&T Canada and Rogers Wireless had endorsed the idea. Residents in the district will also have to dial 10 digits in order to complete phone calls within the 519 NPA. Axxent creditors to meet to divide assets of bankrupt firm The final bankruptcy proceeding of Axxent Corp. will take place Apr. 26 in Toronto. The only secured creditor is General Electric Capital Corp., which is owed $44 million. A 27-page list shows unsecured creditors are owed $82.2 million, ranging from the $78.9 million sought by noteholders to the $81.02 for Boardwalk Shoes in Brampton ON. Another 25-page list records unsecured creditors who could not affix a dollar amount to how much they are owed. The list includes Bell Canada, the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, and Nortel Networks Corp. Aastra Technologies buys Nortel network access assetsAastra Technologies Ltd. of Concord ON has agreed to buy certain undisclosed assets from Nortel Network Corp.’s network access division. The company recently made a deal with Telus Corp. to provide Internet telephony (NL Update, Apr. 15/02). Nortel sales plummet by nearly half in Q1 2002For the first quarter of this year, Nortel Networks Corp. reported a narrow loss and a decline of 49% in sales. The company has put millions of dollars worth of office equipment, such as computers and photocopiers, up for auction on a web site run by California’s DoveBid Inc. Hydro One sale in limbo following court rulingThe decision by the Ontario Superior Court that the provincial government cannot sell Hydro One has halted plans for a massive IPO this spring. Hydro One also has a telecom unit, which is similarly affected by the ruling. Sprint increases stake in Call-Net EnterprisesSprint Communications Co. L.P. of Overland Park KS has bought 1.1 million shares of Call-Net Enterprises Inc. for $25 million. The move means the American firm now holds about 11.4% of class B non-voting shares. Layoffs and closings continue in high-tech sectorQuebecor Media is eliminating 67 jobs in its Netgraphe subsidiary, preferring to use its canoe.ca portal as a content provider. Ottawa telecom software firm Orchestream has laid off a third of its workforce, while Brossard QC switch and router manufacturer VIPswitch Inc. closed down in late March, throwing its remaining 20 employees out of work. Belleville signs new 911 agreement with SeawayThe City of Belleville ON has inked a $750,000, five-year deal with Seaway Communications to provide 911 service to the community. Seaway president Deryk McGrath, who has been after Bell Canada to improve its 911 database (NL, Apr. 23/01), says his company can provide service in the area for $1.15 per capita. Rogers receives 1,000 orders for Lite Internet serviceJohn Tory, president/CEO of Rogers Cable Inc., told analysts during a conference call Apr. 18 to discuss Rogers Communications Inc.’s 2002 first-quarter results that the cableco has received 1,000 orders for its new Lite Internet service, which was officially launched on Apr. 15. The majority of those orders are from customers currently with dial-up service, he noted, adding that it was too early to provide subscriber projections for the service. Tory said Rogers will soon embark on an aggressive marketing campaign targeting dial-up customers. Telecom revenues increase in 2001, StatsCan findsStatistics Canada reports that for the final quarter of 2001 telecom operating revenues were $8.65 billion, up 5.3% from Q3 and 6.9% from Q4 2000. Annual operating revenues were $32.82 billion for the sector, which includes wireline, wireless, satellite and resellers. CRTC refrains from regulating international private linesThe CRTC has accepted, in Telecom Decision 2002-24, an application by Telus Communications Inc. to forbear regulation of international private lines. The commission also approved interim service tariffs for interconnection with other service providers in Telecom Decision 2002-19 and Telecom Decision 2002-20. Avaya supplies telecom services to Pacrim HospitalityAvaya Inc. is installing its GuestWorks system into hotel rooms run by Pacrim Hospitality. The product ensures that guests will not miss telephone calls while they are surfing the Internet. Telehealth project a success, March Networks declaresOttawa’s March Networks Corp. says its telehealth project in Halifax has been a success (NL, Sept. 11/01). Over 95% of patients who used remote video conferencing homecare were pleased with the service. Telus sues PCNet and subsidiaries for $4M in LD feesTelus Corp. is suing PCNet International Inc. and its subsidiaries Pacific Coast Net Inc. and PCN Ventures Inc. for $4 million it claims it is owed in LD fees. PCNet says Telus did not deliver the service as promised and that the fight is limited to PCN and Telus, thus absolving Pacific Coast and the parent company of responsibility. Q9 Networks looking for offices in Ottawa areaToronto’s Q9 Networks Inc. plans to expand into the Ottawa region, but has abandoned plans to set up shop in a downtown office tower. The Internet access company is scouting other locations in the city. Manitoba to set up pilot Internet stalker tip lineThe Manitoba government is establishing a computer tip line to report Internet predators. The site, which is scheduled to begin next month, will serve as a pilot project for a possible cross-Canada program. Fibre to home not profitable until 2011, KPMG predictsA study by KPMG’s IT trends institute finds that companies that plan to offer fibre to the home internationally cannot expect to turn a profit until 2011. The accounting firm is advising providers to start deploying fibre in areas with low construction costs, such as apartment complexes and new housing developments. Broadband tax credit proposed in U.S. SenateDemocratic Sen. Ted Kennedy has joined with Republican counterpart Gordon Smith to attach a broadband tax credit amendment to an energy bill currently before the Senate. The amendment would give broadband providers a 10% credit for current equipment and a 20% credit for next-generation equipment, which would have to be put into use in 2003 or later. VoDSL manufacturer Jetstream shuts downJetstream Communications, a voice-over-DSL manufacturer, has closed despite sales of US$25 million last year. The San Jose CA company had already trimmed its workforce from 240 employees to 100 at the time of the shuttering. France Telecom applies for lower ADSL ratesFrance Télécom is asking the French regulatory agency Autorité de Regulation des Télécommunications to reduce the fees FT charges for high-speed ADSL access. If approved, the rates for retail customers will fall from between 17% and 23%, while ISPs will see their charges drop from between 21% and 43%. Illegal telemarketing call nets man $500 chequeMagnolia WA paralegal Ben Schroeter was upset when DHS Enterprises made a telemarketing call to his home. He wrote the Ohio company, pointing out that state law outlaws automatic dialing and announcing devices, and demanded $500 in reparations. The cheque arrived two weeks later, much to Schroeter’s surprise.

NL Short Takes

News | 04/23/2002 4:00 am EDT

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