NL Short Takes

IMCAIP members lose predatory pricing challengeIn Telecom Decision 2002-37, the CRTC denied an application by the Independent Members of the Canadian Association of Internet Providers on pricing of DSL service by Bell Canada and Bell Nexxia (NL, Sept. 11/01). CAIP said it was "aghast" at the ruling, terming it "a sad day not just for independent ISPs, but for Canadian Internet users." EastLink connects Mount Allison University to CA*net 3 gridMaritime cableco EastLink has connected Mount Allison University to its fibre optic network. The move gives the school access to CANARIE Inc.’s CA*net 3 backbone. Striking workers reconnect severed fibre line in YukonMany communities in the Yukon territory, including Dawson City, Faro and Pelly Crossing, were without service when a truck snagged a fibre optic line on June 23. Northwestel workers, who are on strike against the northern telco (NL, June 18/02), came off the picket line to restore service under the essential service agreement of the Canada Labour Code.Islanders without phone service for six hours following car crashA car accident in Sturgeon PEI left residents without phone service for six hours. A driver lost control of her car, hitting an Island Tel control box. Fredericton 911 system suffers malfunctionEmergency calls from across New Brunswick had to be diverted to Moncton following problems with the 911 system in Fredericton. The computers at the dispatch centre in the capital were not displaying the location of incoming calls. Tory MP launches petition against ISP bit capsNewfoundland Conservative MP Loyola Hearn is alerting citizens to the new bit caps of five gigs per month being imposed by Bell Sympatico and Rogers Cable (see affiliated publication Canadian NEW MEDIA, June 14/02). He is starting a letter-writing campaign and linking consumers to an online petition against the new restrictions. CRTC extends deadline for telecom survey dataThe CRTC has changed the date by which telecom companies must submit material for the 2002 survey of the Canadian telecommunications industry. While the initial deadline was June 21, the filing date has now been pushed back to July 22. Mitel Networks cuts jobs, introduces new IP productMitel Networks Corp. has chopped 50 jobs, mostly in its head office of Ottawa, where it has about 1800 employees. The equipment manufacturer has also unveiled an IP migration option to the SX-200 PBX. Canada Payphone inks calling card deal with CanquestVancouver’s Canada Payphone Corp. has signed a deal with Canquest Communications (Canada) Inc. to provide customized calling-card services throughout the country. Calls can be made to more than 240 nations worldwide. The agreement marks the first time Canada Payphone will be marketing and distributing its cards on a national basis. SaskTel rolls out high-speed Internet in LampmanSaskTel has deployed its high-speed Internet service in the community of Lampman. This is part of a rollout that will soon have high-speed broadband reaching 71% of the province, with an eventual goal of 95%. BCNET expects to finish ORAN by next fallAccording to BCNET’s Q1 report, the organization says it will complete the Optical Regional Advanced Network by the autumn of 2002. It is expected that hubs in Vancouver, Victoria and Prince George will be connected by September, thereby responding to consumer demand in the province. Electronics Sales to market U.S. semiconductorsOttawa-based Electronics Sales Professionals Inc. is one of three firms that will be representing Cicada Semiconductor Corp. across North America. The companies will sell and distribute Cicada’s Gigabit Ethernet over copper transceivers and T3 line interface unit products. Symphony posts revenue growth, smaller loss in Q3Toronto’s Symphony Telecom Corp. announced revenue jumped 53% in Q3 2002, to $461,795 compared to $300,824 a year earlier. The company had a net loss of $10,130 before one-time charges of $419,795 related to discontinued operations, down from 2001’s $485,316 or $1,881,290 including the discontinued operations. Nortel Networks eliminates 200 jobs in UlsterNortel Networks Corp. has cut 200 jobs at its plant in Monkstown, County Antrim in Northern Ireland. Prior to the move, the factory had 1,000 workers. Cygnal Technologies to sell local loop copper product in CanadaCygnal Technologies Corp. of Oshawa ON has signed an exclusive deal with Actelis Networks Inc. of Freemont CA to market the American firm’s MetaLIGHT System. The product delivers fibre-quality performance over copper wire networks. Email hurting productivity, new university study claimsA survey by the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario maintains email is failing as a business tool. Email is taking up too much time in an employee’s workday, professor Christina Cavanagh stated. Global Crossing data in North American offices shreddedTroubled American telecom carrier Global Crossing has admitted it destroyed documents in its offices in Montreal, Toronto, Rochester, and Minneapolis. The revelation has caused the House of Representatives energy and commerce committee to step up its scrutiny of the firm’s business practices, with hearings scheduled to being in the near future. American cableco to offer telephony in VirginiaCox Communications says it will offer local and LD service in Fairfax County VA next year. The cableco plans to bundle the telephony products with its other services, at rates about 10% lower than Verizon. France Telecom may be forced to seek rights issueDespite previous claims to the contrary, France Telecom may be forced to sell discounted stock to current investors. The European telco is struggling with a debt load of 60.7 billion euros (about Cdn$90 billion). British Telecom obligated to offer ADSL interconnectionBritish telecom regulator Oftel is requiring BT Group to offer its ADSL broadband interconnection services to competing operators. The telco must set prices at a level that will foster competition. Global broadband revenues to reach US$229 billionA new study by Pioneer Consulting estimates global broadband access service revenues will climb from US$93.4 billion this year to US$229.7 billion in 2008. The Broadband Access 2002 report also predicts equipment sales will fall from US$16.3 billion in 2002 to US$11.7 billion in 2008. Montreal’s Dessau-Soprin Telecommunications joins IITMontreal’s Dessau-Soprin Telecommunications has been accepted as a corporate member of the International Institute of Telecommunications. The company specializes in the design and implementation of high-speed fibre, wireless, next-gen and smart community networks. U.S. court’s final answer says game show violates lawThe American game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is in violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta ruled that the system for contacting the show discriminated against the hearing impaired and those who cannot use touch-tone phones. "Daughter" is a dog, woman cited for misuse of 911Camille Wood of Covington LA called 911, complaining that her "daughter" had stopped breathing. After emergency crews arrived and discovered Wood was talking about her three-year-old dog, the woman was charged with misuse of the 911 system.

NL Short Takes

News | July 3, 2002

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