NL Short Takes

Position Paper PublishedThe Telecom Review Panel released its position paper this week and, as was expected, the panel has opened the debate on a very wide variety of issues. Here are a few questions: C.1 Is the allocation of governance and operational functions outlined above (i.e. policy development and law making, regulation, and network operation and service provision) appropriate for Canada? If so, is it being properly applied under the current regulatory framework? If not, please describe the preferred allocation of functions.C.2 Should general competition law principles have a role in the regulation of the telecommunications sector? If so, to what extent should the provisions of the Competition Act apply and to what extent should sector specific regulation continue to be applied?C.3 Taking into account the experience of other jurisdictions, what is the best regulatory framework for the application of competition law principles to the telecommunications sector? AOL Canada launches nationwide VoIPAOL Canada will now sell its AOL TotalTalk service across Canada following the rollout of the product in the GTA earlier this year. The service includes E-911 emergency calling and is available with two price plans: $19.95 per month for the first three months and $29.95 per month thereafter, or $29.95 per month for the first three months and $39.95 per month thereafter. The more expensive plan includes 1,000 North American long distance minutes, as opposed to 60. AOL Canada says research it commissioned shows one in 12 Canadians either using or considering using VoIP services. Further 15% of Canadians would choose a company "with a history in consumer-oriented Internet communications to provide their VoIP service," and only 5% would consider buying from a new VoIP-specific provider. It also found that 49% of Canadians cite the need for more information as a reason for not having adopted the technology, and just 5% said they thought VoIP is a phase that won’t last. MTS launches service bundlesManitoba Telecom Services Inc. has launched new product bundles based on a $10 discount when purchasing any two of its high-speed Internet, cell phone, or MTS TV services. Customers who purchase all three products from MTS will save $15 per month. Until June 17, MTS is making a $3 donation to one of three charities in the province for each customer who buys a bundle. Zarlink intros packet timing technologyZarlink Semiconductor wil launch for sale this year a new hardware-based processing engine, control software and clock recovery algorithms to aid in the synchronization of packet delivery. The product is being touted as a way for network operators to save costs by migrating away from dependence on E1/T1 and GPS methods to ensure accurate synchronization for applications such as video, online gaming and cell phone service. In a media release, Jeremy Lewis, Zarlink product line marketing manager, notes: "We have applied our expertise in Ethernet switching, circuit emulation and phase-locked loop technology, to engineer the new (Timing-over-Packet) platform which will allow carriers to reduce costs and migrate to a truly converged network that supports all services." Peer 1 touts success in attracting game serversPeer 1 Network Enterprises Inc., Vancouver, saw three gaming servers, LeetServers.com, The UltimateGameServer.com and FatpipeServers.net, move to its New York data centre in May. A Peer 1 media release notes that the game server providers were attracted by low ping times and low latency or downtime. In a joint media release, LeetServers.com president Robert Pallini noted that, "Peer 1 delivers the ultimate in high-speed, low latency network performance which is essential for giving our customers a gaming experience with no interruptions." Shaw includes Hawaii, Alaska in LD planShaw Communications is now offering long distance calling to Hawaii and Alaska as part of its unlimited, anytime long distance calling plan that had previously extended to all of Canada and the continental United States. Shaw Digital Phone is being offered for $55 a month including the LD service, local calling and a group of calling features, when bundled with another Shaw service. It is currently being sold in Edmonton and Calgary. NUVO extends IP telephony to SMB marketNUVO Network Management Inc. has upgraded its managed IP telephony offering. The company’s IP telephony service will not only be suitable for the enterprise segment, but will now be available for small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). The enhanced managed service offers additional vendor support and makes the serivce available to customers with as few as 40 IP phones. "NUVO’s history of managing voice and data networks, its expertise with IP telephony, and its vendor agnostic approach to technology make this initiative a natural step in the evolution of our servic offerings. With increased vendor choice and a simplified pricing formula based on the number of phones in the customer’s network rather than the number of components, our solution is more accessible to a much broader market," NUVO’s VP marketing and software development Jerry Davis said in a news release. VoIP lets Microsoft compete in telecom: Info-TechMicrosoft Corp. could expand into the telecom fray by building on its new Microsoft Speech Server 2004 product, says analyst firm Info-Tech Research Group. The Redmond WA software giant has partnered with vendors including Alcatel and Siemens in the IP-PBX arena where it lacks the necessary expertise to begin providing integrated VoIP products, Info-Tech writes in a media release. "It may seem odd at first glance to have a software vendor pushing to become a top provider of digital telephony service," says Info-Tech senior research analyst Carmi Levi in the same release. "But it’s difficult to imagine any othe company with the resources and connections to actually pull it off." IPCC releases Voice over IP-related white papersThe International Packet Communications Consortium (IPCC) has released four new white papers covering a variety of Voice over Internet Protocol issues, including interconnection considerations, session border controllers, transparent voice services between wireless and wireline, and voice quality evaluation. Summaries of the full papers are available at www.packetcomm.org, and full copies are available to IPCC members. OneConnect says VoIP 911 directive no problemOneConnect says it will provide basic 911 service, including for nomadic devices, for all its customers before the July deadline outlined by the CRTC in its May VoIP decision. "While other VoIP service providers have requested extended deadlines with the CRTC, OneConnect is already making progress with their requests. We are ensuring our customers have first access to an imperative feature like the 911 direct service," said Nicold Mumford, VP of sales for OneConnect, in a media release. Ignition Point sees higher net loss for Q1Ignition Point Technologies Corp. says it lost net $408,476 in the second quarter of 2005, ended March 31, compared to a net loss of $397,261 in the same period a year earlier. Total revenues for the quarter rose, from $253,870 to $294,612 year-over-year for the same quarter. The company says total consolidated cash and cash equivalents are $4.03 million, net of minority interests. ITU agrees on VDSL2 standardsThe International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has finalized work on new technical specifications for very-high-bit-rate digital subscriber line 2 (VDSL2) services. The ITU touts the standard as a path to offering high definition TV, video-on-demand, videoconferencing, high speed Internet access and advance VoIP services over a standard copper pipe. The standard would deliver up to 100 Mbps both up and downstream, which the ITU says is 10 times faster than current ADSL technology. The standards group also says VDSL2 will work with both legacy asynchrous transfer mode networks and is forward compatible with future IP-based networks. Operators, says the ITU, are eying networks based on the VDSL2 standard as "the ideal accompaniment" to fibre-to-the-premises rollouts. A media release noting the standard’s completion says: "Ready for immediate deployment, the new VDSL2 Recommendation (ITU-T G.993.2) will continue to foster competitive global markets for high-speed equipment, assuring a level playing field for developers and vendors." ABI offers new broadband subscriber database for saleOyster Bay NY firm ABI Research will offer as of mid-June its new Broadband Voice, Video and Data Subscriber Database publication. Previous editions of the the study have been in the form of research reports, but the new release will be interactive, with updates available to users for 12 months after purchase. The database contains current and forcast information through 2010, as well as historical numbers. In-Stat sees doubling of MDU broadband market by 2009Research company In-Stat predicts a doubling in the number of MDU broadband subscribers to over 10 million by 2009 from 5 million today. A media release containing the forecast notes: "Furthermore, the market potential for delivering broadband to MDU residents is growing (slightly) in proportion to single-family home residents...The vast majority of MDU broadband subscribers will be served by traditional Central Office-based deployments rather than by an in-building, premise-based network..."

NL Short Takes

News | June 9, 2005

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