NL Update

Telus expects to appeal CRTC R&V decisionTelus Corp. has indicated that it will appeal a CRTC decision denying its review and vary application over the contribution and the rebanding rulings. This is in keeping with statements the company made at the time it filed its R&V application last year (NL, Nov. 6/01). The CRTC determined that the telco had not shown there was an error of law or fact in the original decisions – Telecom Decision 2002-67. Alcatel launches low-profile DSLAMAlcatel is introducing a low-profile DSLAM, facilitating the rollout of DSL. George Hendry, VP broadband access, broadband network division, tells Network Letter the 216-line shelf is small and compact and reassures that the company is taking the proper course in deploying DSL. The equipment manufacturer also announced that it has shipped over 20 million DSL lines, including gear to Australian telco Telstra and Zhejiang Telecom of China. BCE to fund buyback with $2 billion in notesBCE Inc. is preparing to issue $2 billion in public debt in order to buy back SBC Communication Inc.’s minority share in the conglomerate. The major portion of the money will be raised through Series B notes, with $650 million in Series C notes and $300 million in Series A notes. Moody’s has given the new issue a Baa1 rating. Surplus Nortel equipment on auction blockDovebid, the online auction site, is offering various Nortel Networks products for sale. Among the goods on the block are spectrum analyzers, oscilloscopes and fibre optic equipment. The auction runs from November 6-8. American group offers 360networks $14M for transatlantic cableAccess Industries, a private investment group in the United States, is offering 360networks Inc. $14 million for its transatlantic cable. The Vancouver fibre builder built the line for $800 million. Another American group, Columbia Ventures, has bid $11 million for the cable. Navigata purchases Victoria ISP Entirety CommunicationsNavigata Communications Inc. has bought Entirety Communications, a Victoria BC-based ISP. Entirety is responsible for developing Travel BC’s web site. Navigata, formerly known as RSL COM Canada, is a division of SaskTel. CRTC orders telcos to provide remote switching reliefThe CRTC has told MTS Communications Inc., Aliant Telecom Inc., and SaskTel to file new tariffs to provide network planning information regarding the remote switching facilities in their grids. "Without the network planning information, the DSL market will be in grave danger of becoming wholly monopolized by the companies," the commission states in Telecom Decision 2002-66. Attempts to negotiate a settlement between the telcos and the Coalition for Better Co-location through the CISC process failed. Let telcos fail, lobby group tells FCCA group of 44 Internet analysts and business executives has sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission chair Michael Powell asking him to refrain from propping up the telecom industry through the regulatory process. "The telephone network’s technological base, and the business model under which this old technology thrived, are obsolete. Recovery is not an option," the letter states. Among the signatories is Ottawa lawyer and consultant Tim Denton. FINANCIAL NEWS BCE releases Q3 resultsTelecom giant BCE Inc. last week reported revenues of $4.8 billion for the third quarter of 2002 ended September 30, with an increase in EBITDA. It reported more than a million DSL subscribers. Net earnings were $393 million. Telesat issues Q3 resultsBCE Inc. subsidiary Telesat Canada last week released its Q3 2002 results, showing profitability. The company had net earnings of $38.5 million and a three per cent revenue increase for the first nine months of the year. Consolidated operating revenue dropped $2.5 million from Q3 2001. Nortel declares preferred shares dividendTroubled equipment maker Nortel Networks Corp. announced dividends for preferred shares. The amount of the Class A series 5 shares will be determined at a later date, using a formula of multiplying the prime rate of two banks by the applicable percentage for the dividend payable for October. Class A series 7 shares will receive a dividend of $0.30625 per share. JDS Uniphase releases Q1 resultsJDS Uniphase reported that its sales continued to decline as it issued its first quarter 2002 results last week. Sales were $193 million in Q1, compared to $222 million in the previous quarter and $329 million a year ago. The company will be proceeding with further job cuts to try to get back to profitability.

NL Update

News | 10/28/2002 5:00 am EST

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