Canada's largest wireless operator has announced that it is well ahead of schedule in getting its analog and TDMA subscribers to switch to GSM-based devices. In a news release announced on May 3, Rogers Wireless stated that nearly 200,000 former TDMA and analog customers had switched and that only a few have yet to make the jump. The company announced in January that it would be turning off its older TDMA and analog networks on May 31.

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MetroBridge Networks Corp., a BC-based wireless Internet service provider, is moving forward with plans to become a public company. In a May 2 news release, the company announced that it had signed an amalgamation agreement with Huntingdon Capital Inc. as part of a previously announced reverse takeover. As well, Huntingdon will has filed a preliminary prospectus for the offering of shares which will be led by Canaccord Capital Corp. Jennings Capital Inc. and Wellington West Capital Inc. will also participate. The financing will help MetroBridge follow through on its growth strategy of expanding into more cities in North America and making acquisitions.

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Ottawa-based Zarlink Semiconductor Inc. has introduced a new low-power wireless microchip that can be used in implantable medical devices. Medical device designers can now develop in-body communications systems that can improve patient care, lower healthcare costs and support new monitoring. "As in-body communication systems evolve to support advanced diagnostics and therapies, it's critical that radio performance does not impact the battery life of an implanted medical device," Zarlink senior VP and GM Steve Swift said in a news release.

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The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) has announced Nortel Networks as the "official converged network equipment supplier" for the event. Under the sponsorship agreement Nortel will supply the first all-IP local-area network, supporting VoIP, data and video traffic, for the Games at 15 venues in Vancouver and Whistler. The news follows Bell Canada's decision to use Nortel equipment for the event's wide-area network.

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Retail sales of music on physical media such as CDs and music DVDs fell by 35% in the first quarter of 2007 compared with the same three-month period in 2006, the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) says.

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