Cable modem service higher than DSL in the US
A new survey from SG Cowen says that the price gap between cable modem and DSL services has reached an all-time high. SG Cowen says that broadband over cable modem was nearly 76% more expensive than DSL during the month of August, up from 53.3% in July. The firm suggests that while telcos cut phone rates and DSL prices, cable companies raised the price of broadband. Comcast Corp. raised prices on average 7.9%, while Time Warner Cable inched its cable modem prices up by nearly 6%. Verizon Communications decreased prices and rolled out a new slower service that was priced at US$14.95 per month.

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Bill Fraser will retire as CEO of Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. next year, the company has announced. After more than 10 years in the top job at MTS, Fraser has decided to spend more time with his family. During his tenure, he helped transform the provincial incumbent telephone company into the third largest telco in the country behind only BCE Inc. and TELUS Corp. One of his major accomplishments was the $1.7 billion acquisition of Allstream Inc., which thrust the company onto the national scene.

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TWU and TELUS head back to bargaining table
Labour strife in Alberta and British Columbia as a result of a two-month strike of TELUS Corp. unionized employees appears to be less dire as the company and the Telecommunications Workers Union have gone back to the bargaining table. In a September 26 news release, the two sides announced that small negotiating teams would start discussions the next day. "The parties have agreed to a communications embargo related to these talks. Further communications related to this latest attempt to reach a negotiated settlement will be forthcoming as appropriate," reads the news release.

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