NL Short Takes

Feds launch $2.98-million critical infrastructure studyPublic Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada and Science and Engineering Research Canada will launch six studies in conjunction with various partners to study the interdependencies of Canada’s major infrastructure systems. Some of the $2.98 million it will cost to conduct the studies has been earmarked for researching communications systems, and the initiative will receive $650,000 in cash and $1 million from a variety of private- and public-sector partners including Bell Canada and TELUS Corp. A backgrounder released with the announcement of the studies cites as reason for the studies: "Increasing complexity of and interconnectedness among infrastructures, such as among the electrical, telecommunications, financial and transportation infrastructures, and the resulting interdependencies have introduced new vulnerabilities to those infrastructures and new risks to society. The interdependencies issue has only recently been widely recognized as a key facet of infrastructure assurance; hence, the associated sciences and disciplines are still maturing. Experts do not understand how severe the problem may be, how to measure or quantify it, or how best to mitigate it." AOL initiates anti-phishing program with CyotaAOL companies including AOL Canada Inc. are launching a new initiative to combat phishing in conjunction with partner Cyota Inc. No details of how the company will combat the fraud schemes in which users are duped into providing personal information were released. A Canadian media release quotes AOL Canada VP of technology Alex Leslie as saying, "Canadians are fearful of identity theft – and rightfully so, as online scammers and criminals become more savvy. However, AOL is ensuring we stay one step ahead of phishers by protecting members 24/7 from having their personal information stolen, while taking steps to shut phishing sites down for good." A recently released study by AOL Canada showed 39% of Canadians considered privacy theft their primary online concern. Cyota is a New York City-based company developing anti-fraud and security products for financial institutions. Telehop offers turnkey web-based reseller programTelehop Communications Inc., Toronto, is now offering a reseller program to long distance resellers around the world via the company’s high-capacity Voice over IP gateways. The sevice includes competitive rates on call termination globaly, a call management system that allows resellers to access call and billing information on a near-real-time basis, and access to a proprietary online system that allows customers to self-manage pre-paid accounts. CEP offers "total support" to lockout-facing TWUThe Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP) is offering its full support to Telecommunications Workers Union (TWU) workers facing a lockout in their labour dispute with TELUS Corp. The two unions have had discussions and will "stand together in this struggle." No specific actions were disclosed, but Dave Coles, Western region VP of the CEP tells Network Letter that aid could range from financial assistance to media support. A media release noting the offer of support reads: "TELUS needs to know that we will never stand idly by while they attempt to eradicate workers’ rights and to destroy their union. This fight has become a much bigger battle because of TELUS’ neanderthal attempts to turn the clock back a century in labour relations." TELUS announced last week that it could lock workers out beginning April 25 if no agreement is reached between it and the TWU (NL Update, April 19/05). On April 21, TELUS upped the stakes by publicly releasing a contract offer to employees that it says will make them "among the best paid telecommunications team in Canada." The company is holding out a five-year agreement through March 2010, basic wage increases of 2% for each year of the agreement plus variable increases from 3% of base pay in 2005 to 5% in 2007, lump sum payments to compensate employees for foregone wage increase and other carrots. The way for a lockout was cleared on April 22 when the Federal Court of Appeal denied a TWU application challenging TELUS’ lockout measures, and on April 24 the Canada Indusrial Relations Board made a similar determination. Shaw to use Ellacoya system for IP networkShaw Communications will use Merrimack NH-based Ellacoya Networks Inc.’s IP service control system to dynamically manage access and backbone network usage. The deployment will include the placement of Ellacoya e30 IP service switches across Shaw’s network. The system will give Shaw the ability to examine subscriber and application usage, controls to manage network resources, and the ability to roll out new services on a per-subscriber basis by prioritizing application traffic according to bandwidth and latency requirements. "Based on the system’s reporting capabilities, the broadband provider can understand which applications are being consumed by what percentage of subscribers, and roll out application-based service plans to address user demand," notes a media release announcing the deal. No value for the agreement was disclosed. Apparent Networks debuts reseller partner programVancouver-based Apparent Networks has begun a reseller partner program for its ApparNet network assessment software. The application can assess the workings of IP networks to discover and document bottlenecks. The partner program extends training, marketing and sales support to resellers on a tiered percentage cost basis. Irfhan Rajani, president and CEO of the company, notes in a April 25 media release: "Recently, Cisco issued a statement insisting its channel partners test customers’ networks before installing VoIP. This presents opportunities to resellers and service providers, either as standalone projects or as springboards to additional work." Former Microsoft senior manager Chris Sterbenc has been recruited to drive the reseller program. Inter.net introduces Canada/U.S.A. Internet phone planInter.net Canada Ltd. announced on April 21 the availability of its new Voice over IP phone service U.S./Canada calling plan. The service sells for $29.95 per month, including unlimited calling in the United States and Canada, call display, call waiting, call forwarding, voice mail, voice-to-email, fax support and fax-to-email services, in addition to a roaming telephone number. SIPquest sees US$6-million injection in second roundOttawa-based SIPquest has secured $6-million in second-round financing from current investors Covington Capital and Skypoint Capital. The company says the funds will be used to support its product rollout. "Our investors have shown a strong vote of confidence in our business model and long-term viability," noted Alain Mouttham , CEO and co-founder of SIPquest in a news release. "And, we’ll use this new round of funding to increase the capabilities of our products, expand partner relationships, strengthen resources on customer implementations, and build on the success of these implementations for future growth." BabyTEL joins VoIP price warMontreal-based BabyTEL has jumped into the VoIP pricing fray with a new offer of free calling anywhere in the U.S. and Canada for $29.95 per month. Dubbed the Canada-U.S. Village, the service also offers call waiting, forwarding and conference calling, voice mail and voice-to-email integration, as well as online account management. Multiple laptops connected to the same phone number is also being offered for $4.95 per month. Other plans sold by the company start from $10.95 per month. Shaw won’t give up names of alleged music piratesShaw Communications Inc. says it won’t give up the names of 29 individuals accused by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) of illegally sharing music files over computer networks. It argued its case before the Federal Court of Appeals last week in favour of protecting its subscribers’ identities. The music industry is appealing a March 2004 ruling by the Federal Court of Canada that ISPs including Shaw, Bell Canada and Rogers Communications Inc. didn’t have to provide the names of the individuals to CRIA, due mostly to problems with the association’s evidence. CRIA is hoping to sue the individuals for copyright infringement if it is able to discover their identities. Last year, affiliate publication Canadian NEW MEDIA spoke with one of the 29 individuals, and it has been following this issue closely. To subscribe, please contact Ryan O’Neill at (613) 230-1984 or write to: roneill@decima.com.

NL Short Takes

News | April 26, 2005

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