NL Short Takes

BCI reaches tentative agreement with Caisse de dépôtBell Canada International Inc. has reached an interim agreement with the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec over a lawsuit the CDP recently filed (NL Update, Sept. 8/03). BCI is examining the suit to see if it conforms to a similar class action suit filed by other shareholders. If it does, the CDP suit will be held and settled based on the final outcome of the other case. AOL Canada rolls out DSL broadband serviceAs previously announced, AOL Canada Inc. is rolling out residential broadband in Ontario and western Canada (NL, June 16/03). The company has chosen Bell Canada as its carrier and will deploy DSL. Canadian delegation speaks with U.S. embassy on Arar affairA group of Canadian human rights advocates, including former external affairs minister Flora MacDonald, met last week with officials of the American embassy in Ottawa to discuss the case of Maher Arar but reports no progress. The Syrian-born Canadian telecom engineer was deported from the United States last year to Syria on suspicions of being affiliated with al-Qaeda (NL, May 6/03). Bell Canada invests $5 million in western university labsBell Canada plans to provide $5 million over five years for the Bell University Labs program in British Columbia and Alberta. The actual names of the schools involved will be announced later. Lobby firm sues LinCsat over unpaid billsThe Capital Hill Group, an Ottawa lobby firm, is suing LinCsat Communications Inc. for non-payment of fees. It wants $31,199.40 for breach of contract from the satellite ISP (NL, Feb. 11/02). Axia reports positive funds after streamlining operationsAxia NetMedia Corp. of Calgary reported revenues of $101.2 million and $10.6 million in gross profits for FY 2003. The company has sold its marketing and communications division and its infrastructure and cabling subsidiary to concentrate on core business. CRTC accepts Telus settlement on special needs callsThe CRTC has accepted a settlement between Telus Communications Inc. and the Advocates for Sight Impaired Consumers over exemptions from the automated directory assistance call completion charge (NL Update, Apr. 28/03). In Telecom Decision 2003-61, the commission directed Bell Canada and Thunder Bay Telephone to show why they should not be placed under similar rules. Aliant justified in cutting service to dialing demonIn Telecom Order 2003-378, the CRTC ruled Aliant Telecom Inc. was justified in terminating service to an unnamed customer who repeatedly called the 1-800 number of the Nova Scotia government. The man made 6,309 toll-free calls between April and December 2001. CRTC approves Bell Canada single number reach planIn Telecom Order 2003-365, the CRTC approved an application by Bell Canada to introduce a single number reach service. Customers may program calls to be forwarded to a virtual telephone number and receive messages when they are online. Telus disputes FCI Broadband R&V on colocationTelus Communications Inc. has filed its response to a review and vary application by FCI Broadband on colocation power rebates (NL Update, Aug. 25/03). Telus argues that the original ruling, Telecom Decision 2002-55, applies only to Bell Canada. Bell workers and retirees won’t get discounted servicesThe CRTC has ruled, in Telecom Order 2003-375, that Bell Canada cannot offer a 35% discount on an extended list of services to its employees and retirees. The proposed deal would have applied to Bell and some BCE Inc. affiliates. Community Internet network begins in Prince Edward IslandThe Summerside Community Network has expanded its service into the Malpeque district of Prince Edward Island. The city-owned grid offers high-speed Internet service to businesses and residences. Bell Canada offers Voice Select for business subscribersBell Canada is now providing its enterprise customers with Voice Select service. The service permits callers to bypass current touch-tone systems. It also includes text-to-speech technology and voice verification. Internet users prefer Spic ‘n’ Span to spamThree quarters of people responding to a survey by Yahoo! Mail said they would rather clean toilets than wade through the spam cluttering their inboxes. Almost one third of the 28,000 people polled want stiff fines for spammers. FCC to review unbundled pricing rulesThe Federal Communications Commission is reviewing pricing rules for unbundled network elements (UNEs). The review seeks to update processes from the FCC’s 1996 decision on UNE, simplifying the costing methodology for state regulatory commissions. Lucent retirees benefits take turn for worseLucent Technologies Inc. has announced that it will reduce the healthcare benefits it pays to about 50,000 retirees. Beginning next year, the firm will no longer pay subsidies to those who retired on or after Mar. 1, 1990 and whose base salary was US$87,000 or more. Dental care for all retirees is also being terminated. Verizon fined US$283,000 for non-compliance with LD rulesThe Federal Communications Commission proposes to fine Verizon US$283,000 for violation of the affiliate transactions rules. The FCC alleges transactions between the telco’s Bell Operating Company in New York and its LD affiliates in the state did not comply with commission rules. ISP founder sentenced to 14 years in prison for fraudReed Slatkin, founder of ISP EarthLink Inc., was sentenced to 14 years in prison after pleading guilty in Los Angeles to cheating investors out of millions of dollars. He must also pay more than US$240 million in restitution. Pop-ups not unfair competition, American judge decidesJudge Gerald Bruce Lee of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia has ruled that pop-up ads are part of the burden of using the Internet and do not constitute copyright infringement or unfair competition. The ruling came after WhenU, a distributor of free advertising software, ran pop-ups on the site of moving company U-Haul International promoting rival moving firms. Telemarketers not laughing at humour columnThe American Teleservices Association fails to see the humour in a column by the Miami Herald’s Dave Barry, which gave out the number of the ATA. The ATA switched from a live operator to a recorded message after its toll-free number was overwhelmed with calls. "Officer, I’d like to report a Hamburgler lurking in the area."Lula Brown of Avon OH was upset that the local McDonald’s wouldn’t give her barbeque sauce with her order so she called 911. Avon police, responding to the call, let her off with a warning but said they could have charged her for misuse of the emergency system.

NL Short Takes

News | September 16, 2003

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