NL Short Takes

360networks suing Nortel for US$101M after restructuringThe American subsidiary of 360networks Inc. and a group of unsecured creditors of the fibre company are suing Nortel Networks Corp. to recover US$101.1 million. The funds were transferred to the equipment maker after 360networks filed in June 2001 for creditor protection, a move which resulted in the fibre firm re-establishing itself as 360networks Corp. If recovery of the money is successful, US$81.5 million will go to the creditors. American court approves Group Telecom restructuringThe United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York accepted the plan of arrangement filed by GT Group Telecom Services Corp., GT Group Telecom Services (USA) Corp. and London Connect Inc. The Ontario Superior Court approved the deal earlier (NL Update, Jan. 6/03), a move the U.S. courts ratified. Telus, telecom workers union extend conciliation processTelus Corp. and the Telecommunications Workers Union have agreed to extend the conciliation process as they work toward a new contract (NL, Nov. 19/02). Once a global review of outstanding issues is completed, the conciliation officers will issue an action plan and a 60-day period of conciliation will begin. CGI purchases Underwriters Adjustment BureauCGI Group Inc. has bought Underwriters Adjustment Bureau Ltd. for $53 million in cash. The move adds 1,300 workers to CGI’s staff. The BCE Inc. subsidiary is also seeking to purchase IT company Cognicase (NL Update, Jan. 6/03), a takeover recently endorsed by the management of Cognicase. Rural broadband funding announcement delayedIndustry Canada has delayed the announcement of funding for projects for the Broadband for Rural and Northern Development Pilot Program. The decisions were to be announced in December, but have been delayed until this month due to the large number of applications and the evaluation procedure undertaken, the department said. Yukon schools receive $40K in SchoolNet fundsFour schools in the Yukon have received $40,000 from SchoolNet to support ICT in the classroom. Carcross Community School is a newcomer to the program and will get $10,000, as will returning members Elijah Smith Elementary School, Selkirk Elementary School and Jack Hulland Elementary School. Cyber stalker line a success, province discoversAfter only three months in operation, a cyber tip line has shut down 15 child porn web sites. Cybertip.ca, initially set up in Manitoba (NL Update, Sept. 30/02), hopes to go national later this year. Telus workers get training from IT schools in three provincesThe B.C. Institute of Technology, the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and Humber College are forming a consortium to provide training to employees of Telus Corp. The schools provide more than 30 different courses, ranging from first aid and safety to power awareness. Nortel Networks sells VoIP equipment to Hong Kong telcoNortel Networks Corp. has signed a contract with New World Telecom in Hong Kong for deployment of VoIP equipment. The servers and gateways will deliver voice and broadband services over New World’s infrastructure. AltaLink buys Alcatel product for teleprotectionCalgary electrical transmission company AltaLink is deploying a multiservice communication network from Alcatel. The data and voice service network will give the Alberta firm protection for its data circuits moving across its transmission lines. Bell West buys dark fibre for Alberta SuperNetBell West has purchased dark fibre from Monarch Fiber Ltd., an affiliate of Monarch Cablesystems, for deployment in the Alberta SuperNet project. The 240-km route length of fibre, which stretches between Strathmore, Brooks and Medicine Hat, should be activated by this fall. Cygnal wins contracts in Ontario, ManitobaCygnal Technologies Corp. has been awarded a $3.6-million contract by Hydro One Telecom to build fibre optics infrastructure for schools in the Peel Region, outside Toronto. Cygnal is also installing VoIP products for the Vantis Credit Union in Winnipeg. Ottawa startups win millions in financingOttawa Ethernet technology company S2io has received US$18 million in second round financing, which will be earmarked for product and sales development. Nortel Networks Corp. spinoff Klocwork Inc., also based in the capital, raised US$9 million, with some of the money coming from Nortel rival Cisco Systems. Canada, P.E.I. cooperate on telemedicine projectVeterans Affairs Canada and the government of Prince Edward Island are joining forces for a Telehomecare Pilot Project. The plan, which will run from 2003 to 2006, will provide two-way audio-visual data transfers between nurses and patients. Telehealth line draws one million calls in OntarioTelehealth Ontario has received more than one million calls in its first year of operation. The phone line features nurses providing free health care advice and information 24/7. Linmor reduces operating loss in second quarterLinmor Inc. reported an operating loss in the range of $550,000 to $600,000 in Q2 2003, a decline of 50% from the previous quarter. Revenue is expected to be around $1.1 million, a 60% jump from Q1. Something is rotten in the state of DenmarkLene Becker of Gladsaxe, Denmark recorded an answering machine message saying, "We have been taken hostage by two children. Hurry. Please bring some help after the tone." A relative misheard the statement as "taken hostage with two children" and called police. After assuring the SWAT team everything was fine, the Beckers have re-recorded their message.

NL Short Takes

News | 01/13/2003 5:00 am EST

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