NL Short Takes

Federal government launches rural broadband initiativeThe federal government will provide $105 million for a pilot program that will bring high-speed Internet service to rural and northern regions. Applicants must go through a two-step process and pass muster from an arm’s-length committee chaired by University of Waterloo president David Johnston, who led the National Broadband Task Force. Moody’s slashes ratings on Group Telecom notesMoody’s Investors Service has chopped the rating of GT Group Telecom Inc.’s senior implied and senior unsecured notes to Ca and C, respectively. The senior secured rating of GT Group Telecom Services Corp. has been lowered to Ca. 360networks restructuring finally approved by courtThe reorganization of fibre company 360networks Inc. has been approved by the Supreme Court of British Columbia. Objections raised by Telus Corp. (NL Update, Sept. 3/02) have been settled, clearing the way for the court approval. Bell Canada International still listed on NASDAQThe NASDAQ Listing Qualifications Panel has decided to allow Bell Canada International to continue trading on the national market. The BCE Inc. subsidiary has met minimum listing requirements required by the stock trader. Telus shutters Nanaimo office, moves jobs to VancouverLast week, Telus Corp. telephone operators in Nanaimo BC worked their last shifts. The company has closed the office and moved the positions to its Vancouver site. Nortel forecasting reduced capex spending in 2003Nortel Networks Corp. says it believes capital spending among its telecom and enterprise customers will decrease in the next year. Frank Plastina, president of the metro and enterprise networks division, told an investor conference capex spending will be flat or slightly lower than this year. North American and European markets will be worst hit. Cable Internet jumps, but smaller cities trail metropolisesStatistics Canada has found 85% of all cable homes had access to broadband service in 2001, up from 70% a year earlier. But smaller communities reported only 27% of cable homes had access to high-speed Internet. Access to high-speed Internet likely to crest at 60%A survey by Point Topic Ltd. of London says the upper limit for subscribing to residential high-speed Internet services is likely to be set at 60%. It finds broadband growth, especially in DSL, is slowing in Canada, primarily due to the poor telecom market. High-speed service upgraded in northern schoolsThe community of Baker Lake NU has upgraded its high-speed Internet service, so that it now reaches schools, businesses and residences. Ottawa’s RAMTelecom used a satellite network to improve the connections from the previous dial-up service (NL, Apr. 23/01). Manitoba lacking in high-tech workers, government saysThe province of Manitoba is affected by the lack of skilled workers in the information technology sector. Norman Lee, a consultant to the provincial government, notes that Canada has 20,000 unfilled high-tech jobs and that Manitoba loses workers it trains to larger centres like Ottawa, Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto. Indigo Books selects Q9 for online infrastructureIndigo Books & Music Inc. has chosen Q9 Networks Inc. of Toronto to host the bookseller’s online infrastructure, including its web site. The three-year deal is worth an estimated $1.8 million. Pika Technology voice cards to be used by Boston firmSpeechWorks International Inc., a Boston-based speech recognition company, is using voice cards made by Ottawa’s Pika Technologies Inc. in its speech recognition engine. The American firm provides service to such customers as CIBC, United Airlines and Amtrak. CLECs provided with model tariff for interconnectionThe CRTC is directing all CLECs to adopt a model tariff for their general tariffs. Telecom Decision 2002-54 also requires the competitors to file amended tariff pages within 60 days. Feds should settle spats between carriers and landlordsAn informal online poll by Decima Publishing Inc. found that 33% of respondents believe the government should intervene in fights between wireless carriers and their landlords. The options of landlords being free to negotiate the best deal possible and of government involvement only when necessary each drew the endorsement of 23%. Zarlink and Agilent sign deal on fibre optic standardZarlink Semiconductor Inc. has entered into a multi-source agreement with Agilent Technologies Inc. of Palo Alto CA to create a common standard for pluggable 4-channel parallel fibre optic transceiver modules. The POP4 agreement promotes flexible and reliable design to ensure clients have access to high bandwidth. Mosaid Technologies unloads Atmos for $3.3 millionMosaid Technologies Inc. of Ottawa has sold its share of Atmos Corp. to Monolithic System Technology Inc. of Sunnyvale CA. The American firm will spend $3.3 million to buy the Canadian stake, part of a larger takeover of Atmos. BCE to decide on directories strategy by end of monthBCE Inc. says it has had several inquiries about buying its directories unit. If no offer is satisfactory, the telecom giant will raise funds by issuing debt secured by cash flow, a decision that should be made by Sept. 30. Broadstorm provides Global Wireless with Manitoba accessGlobal Wireless Satellite Networks is deploying equipment from Broadstorm Telecommunications to provide broadband service in Manitoba. The deal, which also includes Bell Nexxia, involves Global’s satellites and Broadstorm’s wireless last mile products. Sprint USA, Telecom Italia active in Latin American marketSprint has moved its IP network into Santiago Chile and Caracas Venezuela, its first footprint in Latin America. Meanwhile, Telecom Italia is selling 18% of its stake in Brasil Telecom, reducing the European telco’s holdings to 20%. Germans won’t put Deutsche Telekom shares on marketThe German government does not plan to issue shares in Deutsche Telekom on the open market. The finance ministry denied reports the government, which holds a 43% stake in the telco, would be putting 200 million shares up for sale. WorldCom Europe may be sold as funding dries up, losses growThe European division of WorldCom may be up for sale, reports out of the continent suggest. The unit is said to be losing US$500 million annually and has less than $100 million of funding still available. Dutch school Internet project in peril as government seeks cashPlans to connect 12,000 schools in the Netherlands to the Internet are in danger. The Dutch government has been unable to find the 100 million euros (about $155 million) needed for the Kennisnet project. German utel abandons powerline telephonyGerman utilities company RWE will close its Powerline subsidiary at the end of this month. Many utels in North America are exploring the possibility of offering telephony through electrical lines (NL, Mar. 25/02). Anti-spam advocates accused of spamming supportersThe Telecommunications Research and Action Center of Washington DC is under attack for its "Ban the spam" campaign. Until a recent modification of the group’s web site, people logging on to sign an anti-spam petition to the Federal Trade Commission were subjected to spam from TRAC.

NL Short Takes

News | September 10, 2002

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