Union wins representation fight with Telus; setting up problems at bargaining table

telecom | 09/23/2002 4:00 am EDT

A dispute over geography has been settled in favour of a major telecom union, but that victory could lead to acrimony at the bargaining table. Earlier this month, the Federal Court of Appeal upheld a labour board ruling that the collective bargaining unit for Telus Corp. should not be limited to only employees of the...

Amalgamated municipalities no longer need to reach out to call neighbours

telecom | 09/23/2002 4:00 am EDT

The new guidelines established by the CRTC for local calling areas (LCAs) has met with approval in a city that has been demanding a change for years now. One of the big surprises is how well CLECs fared in the deal. On September 12, the commission issued Telecom Decision 2002-56, setting a new framework for the...

Canadian and American governments look at Internet security; coordination possible

telecom | 09/23/2002 4:00 am EDT

Governments on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border have released discussion papers on the need for online security in the wake of the terrorist attacks last year. But there is much uncertainty in the affected sectors because details are so vague. Last month, the Government of Canada released its Lawful Access...

Failed Ottawa fibre-to-the-home plan gaining interest from around the world

telecom | 09/23/2002 4:00 am EDT

An Ottawa entrepreneur who was unsuccessful in his attempts to bring fibre-to-the-home to the city has been inundated with interest from others who may want to implement his business plan in other regions of the world.  Peter Hoddinott is the president and currently sole employee of Streetlight, a company that wanted...

Bell ready to settle with party line subscribers who overpaid for rentals

telecom | 09/23/2002 4:00 am EDT

Bell Canada is firing back at accusations it is gouging party line users. The telco concedes it has made mistakes in assessing rates, but vehemently denies it was willful and pledges to make amends. The company is responding to a Part VII application filed by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre that suggests Bell has overcharged party line subscribers leasing equipment (NL, Aug. 27/02). PIAC maintains Bell applied forborne single line rates to the party line customers, even though those tariffs are still under regulation. The consumers’ group alleged that the telco was reluctant to provide full restitution to affected subscribers. "The company categorically rejects PIAC’s...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 09/23/2002 4:00 am EDT

Teleglobe sells voice and data business to American interestsTeleglobe Inc. has sold its voice and data business to a company controlled by Cerberus Capital Management LP of New York and TenX Capital Partners LLC of Philadelphia. The two American firms will pay US$155.3 million for the company.  Telus raises $337 million to buy back debtTelus Corp. has closed a public offering of 34.25 million non-voting shares. It...

NL People

telecom | 09/23/2002 4:00 am EDT

Alan Kember has retired from Nortel Networks Corp. The equipment manufacturer is not planning to fill the position of chief marketing officer, which Kember held for the past year.  Rod Bryden, CEO of World Heart Corp. and chair of the Ottawa Senators hockey team, has resigned as co-chair of The Ottawa Partnership (TOP). He had been co-chair since TOP, a public-private sector advisory group, was founded in...

Variable pay a necessity for telecoms to survive, Entwistle tells business audience

telecom | 09/23/2002 4:00 am EDT

Telus Corp. CEO Darren Entwistle spoke to the Vancouver Board of Trade on September 17. An edited version of his speech appears below. The full version can be found here. In the space of two and half years we have created a truly national company. In central and eastern Canada we have gone from zero to $2 billion in...

NL Editorial

telecom | 09/23/2002 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.There are two names for people who, against all evidence, scream that the sky is falling. One is Chicken Little. The second is editorialists.  Nevertheless, one must cast a wary eye on the issue of cybersecurity and the response of governments to the threat. The Canadian government has released a...

RoW Update

telecom | 09/23/2002 4:00 am EDT

Rogers Wireless-GTAA court date likely not until mid-JanuaryThe lawsuit Rogers Wireless Communications Inc. launched against the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) last month won’t likely get its first court date until mid-January 2003. Rogers confirmed to Report on Wireless last week that a previously expected court date of around mid-September wasn’t going to get done and it now anticipates a date in January....

NL Special Update

telecom | 09/19/2002 4:00 am EDT

Federal Court rules in TWU’s favour against Telus over "national" flavour of agreement  The Telecommunications Workers Union (TWU) has won a significant court decision in its two-year-old legal battle with Telus Corp., striking a major blow at the western telco in its fight with the union over collective bargaining. On September 9, the Federal Court of Appeal ruled that the Canadian Industrial Relations...

RoW Special Edition Update

telecom | 09/19/2002 4:00 am EDT

Federal Court rules in TWU’s favour against Telus over "national" flavour of agreementThe Telecommunications Workers Union (TWU) has won a significant court decision in its two-year-old legal battle with Telus Corp., striking a major blow at the western telco in its fight with the union over collective bargaining. On September 9, the Federal Court of Appeal ruled that the Canadian Industrial Relations Board...

NL Update

telecom | 09/16/2002 4:00 am EDT

CRTC rules Cancom must pay contributionIn Telecom Decision 2002-57, released September 13, the CRTC ruled that Canadian Satellite Communications Inc. (Cancom) must pay into the contribution fund. Cancom, which is owned by Calgary-based Shaw Communications Inc., had argued that it is not a telecommunications service provider and should be exempt from the payments. The commission disagreed and has ordered the company to...

Microcell calls Bell and Rogers on unfair marketing practices; wants injunction

telecom | 09/16/2002 4:00 am EDT

Microcell Telecommunications Inc. is striking back at two of its rivals for using deceptive, unfair and discriminatory marketing practices aimed at luring its most profitable post-paid subscribers over to their services. The company contends that Bell Mobility and Rogers Wireless Communications Inc. clearly crossed the line between competitive marketing practices and discriminatory activities under section 27 (2) of the Telecommunications Act by offering special deals to Fido’s highest-paying customers to convince them to switch. On August 30, Microcell filed a Part VII application with the commission asking it to force the two carriers to stop. In its petition, the Montreal-based...

Ongoing union wrangling between TWU and Telus affects wireless operations

telecom | 09/16/2002 4:00 am EDT

The nearly two-year-old battle between the Telecommunications Workers Union (TWU) and Telus Corp. could have an impact on the telco’s wireless operations as the union wants to sweep in all of the company’s wireless employees, unionized and non-unionized alike, under a single collective agreement. The matter is currently...

Infowave extends popular wireless email system, takes dead aim at RIM’s BlackBerry

telecom | 09/16/2002 4:00 am EDT

Vancouver-based Infowave Software Inc. is hoping to break Research in Motion Ltd.’s stranglehold on the mobile messaging market with a new server line addressing the growing PDA customer base. The company’s Infowave Mobile Messaging (IMM) server product is designed to connect the millions of Palm- and Pocket PC-based...

AirIQ and Delphi team up for standard telematics connectivity interface module

telecom | 09/16/2002 4:00 am EDT

Telematics application service provider AirIQ Inc. is teaming up with automobile electronics manufacturer Delphi Corp. to develop a common electronics platform for making a much wider variety of vehicle information available to fleet managers and vehicle owners. The two companies hope to create an interface module that...

Saskatchewan loses right to tax satellite transponders; ends six-year dispute

telecom | 09/16/2002 4:00 am EDT

The Saskatchewan government has lost its bid to tax satellite transponders, putting to rest a six-year battle with the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. that had gone all the way to the country’s highest court. In a decision released September 5, the Supreme Court of Canada denied the provincial government’s leave to appeal a...

Oil producer Syncrude acquires 24 GHz spectrum licence from WNI Networks

telecom | 09/16/2002 4:00 am EDT

WNI Networks Inc. has unloaded a portion of its 24 GHz A-band licence covering Edmonton and the surrounding region to a large Alberta-based oil producer. The licence, auctioned by Industry Canada in 1999 as block 3-44, has been split into two. New block 3-44-1 covers the Edmonton region excluding Bitumount/Fort Mackay; 3-44-2 covers Bitumount/Fort Mackay. WNI will retain 3-44-1, while Syncrude Canada Ltd. will take control of the smaller licence.  Officials from the oil producer say that it hasn’t yet made any firm plans for the spectrum licence. "What we bought it for is (we’re) planning ahead. It really sets us up for our future wireless telecommunications needs in the area....

RoW Short Takes

telecom | 09/16/2002 4:00 am EDT

Redline Communications gets TPC funding Toronto-based Redline Communications Inc. has received a $4.6-million infusion of cash from the federal government’s Technology Partnerships Canada program. The repayable loan will help Redline address last-mile delivery challenges associated with residential and commercial access to high-speed networks. Redline develops broadband wireless network access gear that operates in the...

RoW People

telecom | 09/16/2002 4:00 am EDT

George Cope, president and CEO of Telus Mobility, has had his executive employment agreement extended for another two years. Cope became CEO of Telus Mobility following the acquisition of Clearnet Communications Inc. in 2000 (RoW, Sept. 5/00). Former Motorola Canada Inc. president and CEO Micheline Bouchard has been appointed president and CEO of ART Advanced Research Technologies Inc. (ART), a developer of optical...

RoW International Short Takes

telecom | 09/16/2002 4:00 am EDT

Microcell begins selling Sony Ericsson handsetMicrocell Telecommunications Inc. has begun selling the Sony Ericsson T200 handset through its Fido retail outlets. The T200, which is exclusive to Fido, offers worldwide roaming, one-touch access to the Internet, personal picture messaging or multimedia messaging service (MMS) and blue backlighting....

RoW Editorial

telecom | 09/16/2002 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. The business case for public networks using high-capacity wireless bandwidth is once again in question after WNI Networks unloaded a small portion of its 24 GHz A-band Edmonton licence to a large Alberta-based oil producer. Syncrude Canada Ltd., which took control of a tiny portion of the licence...

NL People

telecom | 09/10/2002 4:00 am EDT

Fiona Gilfallin is joining the CRTC as director of telecommunications decisions, planning and operations on September 16. She assumes the new position after nearly three years as VP regulatory affairs at GT Group Telecom Inc.  John Valentini is the new CFO of BCE Emergis. Formerly EVP/CFO at Cognicase, he has worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers Securities, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and Ernst &...

ILECs in violation of basic toll service schedule: Public Interest Advocacy Centre

telecom | 09/10/2002 4:00 am EDT

The Public Interest Advocacy Centre has filed a Part VII application with the CRTC claiming ILECs are not revealing the basic toll service rates. An edited version of the submission appears below.   Over the years, ILECs have offered an ever-changing array of discount toll plans to residential customers. In...

NL Editorial

telecom | 09/10/2002 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.The likelihood that Bell Canada will settle its long-standing battle with its workers over pay equity is welcome news. When Network Letter first began covering this story, competition did not exist in LD or local service, 11 telephone companies operated as regional monopolies across the country and the...

Competitors receive hidden gifts in price cap ruling, new Decima report discovers

telecom | 09/10/2002 4:00 am EDT

The final implications of the CRTC’s price cap ruling may not be as dire as some of the telcos are claiming. A new report examining the details of Telecom Decision 2002-34 finds that competitors could realize significant savings. The Price Cap Decision: Real Winners and Losers is a study produced jointly by Mark H....

Pay equity fight settled on one front, but Bell still needs agreement with CEP

telecom | 09/10/2002 4:00 am EDT

Bell Canada has jumped one hurdle in its long battle over pay equity for female staff with its multi-million dollar settlement with one of its unions. But it still has to reach an agreement with another, more militant labour group. Last week, the telco solved a problem that has been brewing for more than a decade when it signed a deal with the Canadian Telecommunications Employees’ Association (CTEA). The settlement will see the telco make $128 million in cash payments to eligible employees, based on wage classification and years of service. In addition, the company will make $50 million worth of adjustments to the pension funds of the workers. The CTEA and Bell have also formed a...

AT&T Canada appeal seen as desperate; CRTC attack called “unprofessional”

telecom | 09/10/2002 4:00 am EDT

Reaction to AT&T Canada Inc.’s Cabinet appeal of the price cap decision is heated. Some suspect it is a bargaining ploy by the CLEC, while others are shocked at its attack on the CRTC. The competitive carrier announced its Cabinet appeal of Telecom Decision 2002-34 last month (NL, Aug....

Amtelecom files review and vary request with CRTC over subscriber rebates

telecom | 09/10/2002 4:00 am EDT

An Ontario independent telco thinks the CRTC is targeting it unfairly and is seeking to overturn a ruling on residential rates. Amtelecom Inc. is appealing two recent judgments from the commission that, it says, damage the company’s ability to recoup network upgrade costs.  In the review and vary application, the...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 09/10/2002 4:00 am EDT

Federal government launches rural broadband initiativeThe federal government will provide $105 million for a pilot program that will bring high-speed Internet service to rural and northern regions. Applicants must go through a two-step process and pass muster from an arm’s-length committee chaired by University of Waterloo president David Johnston, who led the National Broadband Task Force.  Moody’s slashes...

RoW Update

telecom | 09/09/2002 4:00 am EDT

Federal Government unveils broadband pilot programIndustry minister Alan Rock has unveiled a broadband pilot program, which commits $105 million to the deployment of broadband networks into Aboriginal, northern, rural and remote regions of the country. While it’s good news the government launched the initiative, full funding for the program won’t be granted until well into the second half of next year.The initiative...

Canadian wireless industry concerned over potential new lawful access legislation

telecom | 09/03/2002 4:00 am EDT

The federal government has launched a broad review of lawful access to information and communications legislation, leaving Canada’s wireless carriers concerned that they may have to bear the cost of upgrading equipment to meet new data collection standards. The government says its need for more effective information collection mechanisms is necessitated by technological advancements in telecommunications networks, both wireless and wireline, which make it more difficult to conduct such data collection operations. Industry Canada, the Department of Justice and the Solicitor General’s office jointly launched the initiative on August 25. The wireless industry agrees that this...

724 Solutions scales back efforts in newest wireless operator mobile product

telecom | 09/03/2002 4:00 am EDT

Toronto-based 724 Solutions Inc. has decided to scale back its commitments to its most recently released wireless operator oriented products as it struggles to achieve profitability. As part of the latest round of restructuring, the company has laid off 100 more employees and will also scale back investment in financial...

Wi-Fi service theft in U.S. growing concern for broadband service providers

telecom | 09/03/2002 4:00 am EDT

Internet service theft is a growing concern in the United States as more people use a popular wireless access technology to share their Internet service with neighbours, friends and even strangers. Not only is the increased use of 802.11b, or Wi-Fi, technology worrying broadband providers like AT&T Corp. and AOL Time...

Wireless carriers win review of network access portion of price cap decision

telecom | 09/03/2002 4:00 am EDT

Canada’s wireless carriers have won a review of the competitor digital network access (DNA) policy and associated interim tariffs following a surprising decision by the CRTC to review and vary portions of its price cap decision, Telecom Decision CRTC 2002-34. In Public Notice 2002-4, the commission ruled that it may have...

Globalstar Canada chops satellite service prices to drive subscriber additions

telecom | 09/03/2002 4:00 am EDT

Globalstar Canada has taken dead aim at driving subscriber additions north by chopping its satellite phone service prices to as little as 32 cents per minute for high-use packages, which includes long distance. The company credits the ongoing reorganization at its parent company Globalstar LP, which also announced rate...

Toronto startup to enable wireless home gateways supporting multiple devices

telecom | 09/03/2002 4:00 am EDT

Toronto-based startup is prepararing to unveil details of a new chip set that can turn digital set-top boxes into home gateways capable of wirelessly streaming broadcast-quality video to TVs, PCs and other wireless devices within the home. ViXS Systems Inc. has developed a chip set that helps create a wireless home-based...

RoW Short Takes

telecom | 09/03/2002 4:00 am EDT

Battle between Telus and TWU spills into wireless operationsContractual wrangling between the Tele-communications Workers Union and Telus Corp. is spilling over into the telco’s wireless operations as both sides battle over whether former Clearnet Communications Inc. employees are now actually part of the union. The union says former Clearnet employees are now part of the larger company and it only makes sense that they...

RoW People

telecom | 09/03/2002 4:00 am EDT

Sierra Wireless Inc. has appointed Bill Dodson as VP manufacturing and supply with the responsibility for the company’s manufacturing and supply chain needs. Formerly VP global operations at Gateway Computers, Dodson was charged with strategic planning, development and implementation of global manufacturing and supply chain programs. He previously served with Toshiba America Information Systems as director of operations...

RoW International Short Takes

telecom | 09/03/2002 4:00 am EDT

Wireless LNP could push up churn significantlyWireless local number portability (LNP) has the potential to drive wireless carrier churn rates up to more than 36%, according to a new survey released by In-Stat/MDR. The Federal Communications Commission has mandated wireless LNP by November 2003, which the large wireless carriers have opposed. However,...

RoW Editorial

telecom | 09/03/2002 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Transport Minister David Colinette recently said that applying a new tax at the gas pumps would help solve the cash crunch in this country’s municipalities. Only a couple of hours later, the suggestion was put to pasture by the Deputy Prime Minister, John Manley, and rightly so. While no one can deny that the majority of Canadian cities are nearly in a state of financial crisis, there has been some debate about how to give municipalities the financial wherewithal to provide services to its residents. It’s clear that Canadians want better services from all levels of government, but won’t support any increase to their tax burden. So what can be done to improve the financial situation of Canada’s municipalities? A recent dispute between two wireless operators and the City of Ottawa raises a possible solution (see brief in this issue). The city council had proposed to get Telecom Ottawa to build cell...

NL Update

telecom | 09/03/2002 4:00 am EDT

 Bell to continue providing information to legal authoritiesThe CRTC has voted not to revoke Item 2175 in Bell Canada’s general tariff, a clause that permits the telco to disclose customer information to law enforcement agencies upon the issuing of a warrant - Telecom Decision 2002-52. All comments at the hearing opposed the revocation. In a similar vein, the federal government has released a discussion paper on...

AT&T Canada appeals price cap decision to Cabinet; seeks interim cuts of 50% in rates

telecom | 08/27/2002 4:00 am EDT

The first appeal of the CRTC's price cap decision has been launched, as AT&T Canada Inc. today asked the Cabinet to change parts of the ruling. The CLEC raises the prospect that even more failures in the telecom sector could occur if the decision is allowed to stand.  Chris Peirce,...

CRTC decides to review price cap decision with new emphasis on competitor DNA

telecom | 08/27/2002 4:00 am EDT

The CRTC's pronouncement that it will review its own ruling on price caps just weeks after originally releasing the decision has taken many telecom insiders by surprise. The move gives ILECs and CLECs an opportunity to raise specific complaints that they didn't get a chance to mention during the first set of...

Bell overcharging party line subscribers for phone rentals, PIAC maintains

telecom | 08/27/2002 4:00 am EDT

A consumers' rights group suggests Bell Canada is overbilling its party line customers and providing its own customer service representatives with shoddy information. The ILEC doesn't admit wrongdoing, but doesn't deny it, either.   The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) has filed a Part VII...

AT&T Canada and Edmonton settle specific dispute, but access issue unresolved

telecom | 08/27/2002 4:00 am EDT

A dispute between AT&T Canada Corp. and the City of Edmonton on municipal access has been settled without the battle going to the CRTC. This is the latest in a series of skirmishes that the telco has resolved before the commission stepped in.  The CLEC had filed a Part VII application on August 9 asking the CRTC to impose the provisions of Decision 2001-23, the Ledcor ruling, on the Alberta capital. Even though the Ledcor judgement was limited to the City of Vancouver (NL, Jan. 29/01), it has been cited by several telcos in their attempts to resolve fights with municipalities.  AT&T Canada had a municipal access agreement with Edmonton that ran from 1997 until last May. Because...

Telecom sector still handing out money to major Canadian political parties

telecom | 08/27/2002 4:00 am EDT

Once again, members of the telecom community were generous when it came time to donate to Canada's five major political parties. Figures released by Elections Canada show telecommunications companies, law firms, unions and individuals gave heavily to the parties.  Network Letter examined the filings from the...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 08/27/2002 4:00 am EDT

AT&T Canada cancels $200 million credit facility AT&T Canada Corp. announced that it is cancelling the unused portion of its bank credit facility. The telco said its new operating structure meant that it could leave $200 million of the facility untouched.  BCE raises $2 billion to buy back SBC stake BCE Inc. has raised $2.078 billion by selling 85 million common shares at $24.45 per share. The funds garnered...

NL People

telecom | 08/27/2002 4:00 am EDT

Thomas Laird has been appointed president/CEO of Navigata Communications Inc., formerly known as RSL COM Canada. He replaces David Alsop at the head of the company, which was purchased by SaskTel last year (NL, Sept. 11/01).  David Baird has joined the board of directors of GT Group Telecom Inc. The lawyer with Torys LLP replaces Eric Demirian, who has left the board but continues as EVP corporate development with...

Knowing when to pick and when to play tough call for modern managers

telecom | 08/27/2002 4:00 am EDT

If selecting productive technologies is an art form, then knowing when to shun them must be pure genius.  The animal that is technology continues to grow new limbs and heads, too often without regard for the marketplace. The mass exodus of near-philanthropic investors in the last couple of years is sober second thought...

NL Editorial

telecom | 08/27/2002 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  The approach of Labour Day reminds us that summer is over and we move into another phase of workday life. For some, this means a return to school. As our story on party line rental rates shows, education should be conducted on a wider scale. The current maze of bundles and services can confuse...

RoW Update

telecom | 08/26/2002 4:00 am EDT

Canadian government launches lawful access consultation The federal government has launched a broad consultation on legislation governing lawful access to information and communications in recognition of technological advancements in telecommunications and the growing use of the Internet as a major communications tool. Lawful access includes the lawful interception of communications, and the search and seizure of...

Telesat Canada tries to resolve issue of customer refusing to pay contribution levy

telecom | 08/19/2002 4:00 am EDT

An undisclosed customer is refusing to pay $2.6 million in new contribution charges passed on by satellite service provider Telesat Canada. The charge is part of the CRTC’s contribution regime that affects telecom and broadcast carriers using Telesat’s satellite services. Broadcast users, especially, have vigorously...

RoW Short Takes

telecom | 08/19/2002 4:00 am EDT

COM DEV unloads final pieces of wireless business to Broadband unit’s presidentCOM DEV International Ltd. has made its final exit from the wireless business by unloading its COM DEV Broadband unit to Axio Wireless Inc., a company headed up by the broadband unit’s former president and some former managers. The Cambridge ON-based company has agreed to sell no greater than 87 per cent of the unit to John O’Connell....

RoW People

telecom | 08/19/2002 4:00 am EDT

Mike Lazaridis, founder, president and co-CEO of Research in Motion Ltd., has been appointed to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada for a term of three years. He brings a wealth of knowledge to the council, according to Industry Minister Allan Rock. "As an outstanding innovator and successful head of one of Canada’s fastest growing technology companies, his contribution to the council is sure to be substantial and dynamic," Rock said in a news release.Former Nortel Networks Corp. executive Jules Meunier has been appointed to the board of directors of Zarlink Semiconductor. At Nortel, Meunier spearheaded the company’s wireless business as president, wireless networks and as VP sales, marketing and operations of GSM systems at Nortel Matra Cellular in France. He is currently president and CEO of ProQuent Systems, a Boston-based start-up developing wireless infrastructure equipment. COM DEV International Ltd. has appointed Gary Calhoun CFO, replacing Tim Zahavich who left the Cambridge ON-based...

RoW International Short Takes

telecom | 08/19/2002 4:00 am EDT

Microcell unveils new pre-paid pricing strategyMicrocell Telecommunications Inc. has introduced a new 15 cents per minute pricing plan for pre-paid subscribers. The company is offering a $15-voucher with a validity period of 15 days and a $30-voucher good for 30 days. Beginning September 16, Microcell will shift from per-second billing to per-minute...

RoW Editorial

telecom | 08/19/2002 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. It appears Microcell Telecommunications isn’t rolling over and playing dead, despite warnings that defaulting on debt covenants is a real possibility. The Montreal-based wireless operator has unveiled a new pre-paid pricing strategy in hopes of garnering more revenue from current pre-paid...

NL Update

telecom | 08/19/2002 4:00 am EDT

CRTC orders Rogers to file compliance reports over Internet announcementsThe CRTC has found that Rogers Cable Inc. breached conditions of licence and broadcast distribution rules by advertising its high-speed Internet service on its community channels, promotional channels, and local inserts on U.S. specialty channels – Broadcasting Public Notice 2002-44. The commission is requiring Canada’s largest cableco to file...

Unique Broadband takes minority stake in Look; seeks out future agreements

telecom | 08/19/2002 4:00 am EDT

Unique Broadband Systems Inc., a maker of OFDM-based wireless modems, is investing $5 million in struggling wireless cable and high-speed Internet provider Look Communications Inc. as part of its strategy to gain better access to recurring revenue. In return for the significant investment, the two companies have signed a...

Telesat shows interest in new satellite spectrum, won’t reveal specific locations

telecom | 08/19/2002 4:00 am EDT

Two BCE Inc. subsidiaries, Telesat Canada and Bell ExpressVu LP, have expressed interest in developing new broadcasting-satellite service (BSS) spectrum that will become available in the spring of 2007. The two companies are responding to DGRB-003-02, an Industry Canada call for expressions of interest in orbital positions using the BSS band in the 17.3-17.8 GHz range (RoW, June 11/02). While ExpressVu indicated that it would be interested in using the spectrum resources in the 82 degrees west and 91 degrees west orbital positions, Telesat has yet to identify the positions in which it is interested. ExpressVu also indicated in its expression of interest that it has no plans to become a...

CWTA continues to push U.S. FCC to allocate entire 1710-1770 band for 3G

telecom | 08/19/2002 4:00 am EDT

Canada’s wireless lobby is urging the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to consider allocating the entire 1710-1770 MHz and the 2110-2170 MHz frequency ranges for third-generation wireless services, following the release of a report indicating only a portion of the spectrum can be offered. In a report released...

Gov’t organizing trade mission to South-east Asia; looking for Canadian companies

telecom | 08/19/2002 4:00 am EDT

The Canadian government is again planning a trade mission to Southeast Asia next spring that it hopes will boost the flow of Canadian wireless products and services to the region. Industry Canada had scheduled a trade mission to the region earlier this year, but was scuttled due to the after-effects of September 11, which...

New Iridium Satellite on solid footing after rebirth; ahead of revenue pace

telecom | 08/19/2002 4:00 am EDT

Satellite phone venture Iridium Satellite LLC has found itself on solid financial footing after about a year and a half of operations under new management, exceeding revenue targets and landing some significant deals. After purchasing the formerly Motorola Inc.-backed outfit for a mere US$25 million, targeting commercial...

Telus and telecom union still battling to reach new collective agreement

telecom | 08/13/2002 4:00 am EDT

Amid all the concerns of the telecom marketplace, Telus Corp. is also facing problems on the labour front. The western ILEC is attempting to forge a new contract with the Telecommunications Workers Union (TWU), the group that represents all of the company’s wireline workers.  When BC Tel and Alberta’s Telus...

Toronto company ready to introduce renewable calling cards to market

telecom | 08/13/2002 4:00 am EDT

A giant in the phone card industry is about to make a bold change in the way it conducts business by allowing customers to refinance their cards. The Gold Line Group of Richmond Hill ON is the largest provider of prepaid LD calling cards in Canada. It holds about 80 per cent of the market, representing more than 100 million...

Price cap decision completed as CRTC rules on new proposals from two Quebec telcos

telecom | 08/13/2002 4:00 am EDT

 The initial implementation of the new price cap regime progressed further as the CRTC released the companion decision to its earlier ruling. Telecom Decision 2002-43, which was released on July 31, brings the operations of two ILECs in Quebec closer to the system governing other major carriers in Canada.The four-year...

Aliant reduces trial for unified message service in reaction to CRTC ruling

telecom | 08/13/2002 4:00 am EDT

After being rebuffed by the CRTC in its attempt to test a new unified communications (u/c) system, a regional ILEC is scaling back its plans. Aliant Telecom Inc. hopes the modified proposal meets with regulatory approval.  The east coast telco had announced back in the spring that it was interested in deploying...

Rogers seeks forbearance of third-party access, but coalition of ISPs opposed

telecom | 08/13/2002 4:00 am EDT

Canada’s largest cableco is seeking forbearance from the CRTC for third-party Internet access (TPIA) services to businesses. But a group of seven ISPs is challenging the application and seeks to have the introduction of lower-speed services delayed.  Rogers Cable Inc. applied on July 5 for forbearance in its...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 08/13/2002 4:00 am EDT

Group Telecom bankruptcy protection extended until fallGT Group Telecom Inc.’s protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act has been extended. The company, which filed at the end of June (NL, July 3/02), is now shielded until September 10. Its American protection has been extended until September 13.   Manitoba Telecom Services releases good Q2 numbersManitoba Telecom Services Inc. showed growth in LD and directory service revenues in Q2 2002, while local revenues dipped slightly. The provincial ILEC reported an increase in the quarterly dividend to $0.22 from $0.19.  Bell Canada International sells stake in Telecom AmericasBCE Inc. subsidiary Bell Canada International has sold its holdings in Telecom Americas for US$366 million, $146 million in cash and $220 million in an interest-free note from America Mòvil. The company’s plan of arrangement was approved earlier by shareholders (NL Update, July 22/02).  IBEW local ratifies new three-year contract with Northwestel The 380 Northwestel...

NL People

telecom | 08/13/2002 4:00 am EDT

Barry Kydd has been named the new EVP/CFO of Aliant Inc. He comes to the job after serving as VP global financial operations for Lucent Technologies Inc.  Doug Taylor is the new president of PCNet International Inc. of Victoria. He will continue as COO, a role he assumed earlier this year (NL, May 7/02). He replaces Reed Sumida who has been dismissed by the board of directors. Sumida will still sit on the board but...

Maintaining the Operations of Essential Communications

telecom | 08/13/2002 4:00 am EDT

On July 30 Federal Communications Commission chair Michael Powell spoke to the U.S. Senate committee on commerce, science and transportation. An edited version of his remarks, which appear in full at http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-224797A1.pdf, is presented here.   Communications...

NL Editorial

telecom | 08/13/2002 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. To say that the Canadian telecom market is still in the doldrums is to state the obvious. To say the future is bright leads to suggestions one has been spending too much time in the summer sun.  But there are signs, however faint, that the worst is behind us. The price cap decision, although...

RoW Update

telecom | 08/13/2002 4:00 am EDT

CSI Wireless files counter suit against AudiovoxCalgary-based CSI Wireless Inc. has denied allegations its California-based subsidiary broke terms of an agreement with Audiovox Communications Corp. The company has in turn filed a counter suit against Audiovox."Audiovox alleges that it has suffered damages as a result of an alleged breach by CSI Wireless of an alleged agreement to manufacture and supply Audiovox with...

NL Update

telecom | 07/22/2002 4:00 am EDT

 Nortel named in class-action suitA class-action suit alleges that Nortel Networks Corp. and its auditor Deloitte & Touche overstated revenues in 2000 and 2001. The beleaguered telecom equipment manufacturer suffered a further loss of face when it was one of seven non-American companies tossed off the Standard & Poor’s index. More details. Teleglobe receives 10 offers for assetsTeleglobe Inc. announced it has received 10 offers to buy its cores telecom business of voice and data. The company is defending itself against a lawsuit launched by several of its lenders, including the seven major banks, the Export Development Bank and the Caisse Central Desjardins du Québec. More details: http://www.newswire.ca/releases/July2002/18/c6050.html http://www.newswire.ca/releases/July2002/18/c6154.html http://www.bce.ca/en/news/releases/bce/2002/07/15/69120.html  360networks files reorganization plansTroubled fibre giant 360networks Inc. has filed reorganization plans in Canada and in the United States. The company hopes to...

Craig Wireless requests another delay to roll out wireless cable system in B.C.

telecom | 07/22/2002 4:00 am EDT

Equipment delays have forced Craig Wireless International Inc. to ask the CRTC to grant it yet another delay for the deployment of wireless cable services in British Columbia. But while the company has requested that the deadline for implementation be pushed back to December 31, 2002, a commercial launch of its B.C....

Consilient lands another round of funding; shifts focus to extend corporate IT systems

telecom | 07/22/2002 4:00 am EDT

Consilient technologies corp. has landed a further round of financing that will enable the Newfoundland-based company to complete development of its newest product, the WEx Gateway, which promises to extend corporate IT systems into the mobile environment. The development of this new product is a...

Cell-Loc expands into Californian market; signs deal with major U.S. company

telecom | 07/22/2002 4:00 am EDT

Calgary-based Cell-Loc Inc. has broken into a new market for its Cellocate Beacon technology by signing a major joint-venture agreement with a large U.S.-based firm to deploy and offer location services in California. The agreement follows on the heels of Cell-Loc’s earlier announcement that its Calgary Cellocate Beacon...

CRTC rejects Aliant trial of voicemail and messaging services from Voice Mobility

telecom | 07/22/2002 4:00 am EDT

The CRTC’s denial of an Aliant Telecom Inc. application to test a unified communications (u/c) system from Voice Mobility International Inc. may delay the timetable, but won’t affect the basic rollout. On July 17, the commission issued Telecom Order 2002-290, rejecting Aliant Telecom’s bid to conduct a market trial of...

B.C. company unveils new mobile apps server that gives more control to carriers

telecom | 07/22/2002 4:00 am EDT

Contec Innovations, a three-year old B.C. company planning to go public on the TSX Venture Exchange next month, has released a new mobile applications server, dubbed Hornet, designed to give wireless carriers greater control over the content and applications they provide over their networks. While a new mobile applications...

WINBC promoting partnerships among wireless and content/application firms

telecom | 07/22/2002 4:00 am EDT

A nine-month old wireless industry association in British Columbia has set out to help emerging wireless, application and content development companies in the region get on the path to success. The Wireless Innovation Network of BC (WINBC), formed last September, is trying to foster an attitude of collaboration that will...

RoW Short Takes

telecom | 07/22/2002 4:00 am EDT

D-Link offers up faster Wi-Fi speeds with new productsToronto-based D-Link has introduced a new line of 802.11b-compliant wireless equipment, which effectively doubles current throughput rates of traditional Wi-Fi gear and can provide speeds up to 22 Mbps. Wi-Fi is the commonly used term referring to 802.11b products operating in the 2.4 GHz band. The company’s 11.b+ line includes the DI-614+, a broadband router, four...

RoW People

telecom | 07/22/2002 4:00 am EDT

Pasteur Ntake has joined Unique Broadband Systems Inc. as VP engineering. Prior to joining UBS, Ntake was with SierraCom, which sold some of its assets to UBS (RoW Update, July 15/02). He has more than 25 years experience in radio communications, having held positions at Harris Corp. and Nortel Networks Corp. Unity Wireless Corp. has appointed Brian Nixon and Doron Nevo to its board of directors. Both men bring more...

RoW International Short Takes

telecom | 07/22/2002 4:00 am EDT

Wireless penetration to double: new reportA new report by IDC Canada Ltd. predicts that wireless penetration in Canada will double within the next three years and will top the 70%-mark by 2006. That translates into more than 22 million users compared to the approximately 11 million that own cell phones today. While the market research firm’s projections are certainly aggressive, recent indications show that subscriber additions are actually slowing from subscriber growth than in previous years. Last year, RoW highlighted a potential slowdown in subscriber growth (RoW, Aug. 7/01). In comparison, a recent survey by InfoTech projects that U.S. wireless penetration will grow to 67% from its 2000 level of 40%. IDC also anticipates the market will increase in size from $6.1 billion to $9.3 billion over the same period. IDC analyst Lawrence Surtees said consumers are being lured to the wireless world by low prices, a variety of devices and newer applications. Canadians enjoy some of the lowest prices for wireless services in the world....

RoW Editorial

telecom | 07/22/2002 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. A new mobile applications server introduced by Contec Innovations (see article on page 6), which gives more control over content to the wireless carriers, illustrates a fundamental problem for the future of the wireless data market in the near- to medium-term. How to develop a proper revenue sharing...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 07/15/2002 4:00 am EDT

Decima Reader Poll, June 2002The June edition of the online Decima Reader Poll asked who the CRTC price cap decision pushed the telecom operating balance in favour of.  Go to www.decima.ca/publishing to answer this month’s question on jurisdiction in wireless disputes.  Telus eliminates 6,000 positions across companyStung by a heavy debt load and an unfavourable ruling on price caps, Telus Corp. is reducing...

NL People

telecom | 07/15/2002 4:00 am EDT

Tony Gaffney has been named president of Bell Nexxia. He is a veteran of SHL Systemhouse Inc. and MCI. He succeeds Randy Reynolds, who is now president of Bell West (NL, Apr. 23/02).  Network Associates Inc. has made two appointments to its Canadian operations. Gus Malezis is now SVP McAfee corporate brand management. As he moves into this newly-created position, his replacement as Canadian GM/VP is Jack Sebbag....

Bringing Regulatory Certainty to the Broadband Arena

telecom | 07/15/2002 4:00 am EDT

Federal Communications Commissioner Kathleen Abernathy spoke to the Alliance for Public Technology and High-Tech Broadband Coalition on June 28. An edited version of her remarks appears here. The full text can be found at http://www.fcc.gov/commissioners/abernathy/speeches2002.html.  Because all of the proceedings remain pending, I can’t...

NL Editorial

telecom | 07/15/2002 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.The move by the New Democratic Party to electronic voting could be the watershed for the convergence of technology and democracy. Around the world, political parties are inching toward updating old systems that have grown stale.  Following the lead of other parties, the NDP is allowing all card-carrying members to cast a ballot for the new leader. A special committee, made up of 19 senior party operatives (including Pierre Ducasse, a leadership candidate), insisted on this. But  persuading the group to endorse online voting was much more difficult. But the NDP has made a wise choice in many respects. Most meaningful reforms to the way Canadians wage political campaigns have come from smaller outfits. The first party to adopt the all-inclusive voting rule was the Parti Québecois, a measure that eventually spread to other parties, both federally and provincially. It was a PQ government that outlawed political...

RoW Update

telecom | 07/15/2002 4:00 am EDT

Unique Broadband acquires assets from SierraComUnique Broadband Systems Inc. has acquired point-to-point radio communications assets from Massachusetts-based SierraCom, a company that was involved in microwave telecommunications systems. The assets include intellectual property, test equipment, and other inventory. UBS will take over manufacturing of the product and will continue to develop the system into a 3G compliant...

Arguments in utility pole access appeal filed with Supreme Court of Canada

telecom | 07/15/2002 4:00 am EDT

Utility companies and telcos and cablecos are gearing up for a tough fight over pole access rates as the Supreme Court of Canada prepares to hear the appeal in the utility pole decision. Each accuses the other of distorting the facts to suit their own personal interests. The situation arose out of last year’s ruling...

Internet used as carrier for telehealth delivery in Ottawa pilot project

telecom | 07/15/2002 4:00 am EDT

An Atlantic Canada-based company is making a small move into the delivery of telehealth, linking cardiac patients in rural areas of eastern Ontario with a larger facility in Ottawa. Officials at xwave are hopeful a successful deployment will lead to the expansion of the project into other geographic areas and into other...

ILECs and CLECs give CRTC their opinions on proposed co-location regime

telecom | 07/15/2002 4:00 am EDT

The next stage of the CRTC’s price cap proceeding is unfolding as telcos file their comments on co-location floor space and direct connection (DC) service. This is the first of several aspects of Telecom Decision 2002-34 that will come under further scrutiny. In one section of the price cap ruling, the CRTC suggested...

New Democrats become first party in Canada to experiment with online voting

telecom | 07/15/2002 4:00 am EDT

An American-based firm that specializes in using the Internet for balloting is bringing its expertise to Canada for the first time as it helps a federal political party choose its new leader. The New Democratic Party has hired election.com of Garden City NY so that party members may use online voting in the campaign to...

Consumer advocacy group has some apprehensions about price cap decision

telecom | 07/15/2002 4:00 am EDT

Consumers have been touted as the big winners in the CRTC’s recent price cap ruling, but the primary campaigner for them at the proceedings last fall still has reservations about the final outcome. The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) is concerned over the decision to stop monitoring utility side returns and...

Deal to retain on-site wireless services at Pearson Airport all but dead, industry says

telecom | 07/09/2002 4:00 am EDT

The Canadian wireless industry is set to simply walk away from providing on-site wireless services at Lester B. Pearson International Airport after the CRTC ruled that it would not prohibit the Greater Toronto Airport Authority from shutting down the carriers’ wireless equipment (RoW Update, July...

Government to consider new authorization procedures for use of cell phone jammers

telecom | 07/09/2002 4:00 am EDT

The federal government has undertaken a review process that would give law enforcement and national security agencies the right to use radio jamming devices, on a limited basis, for security and protective functions. The objective of the summer-long review will be to come up with an alternative licensing process that would...

Wireless carriers joust over issue of special treatment of ESMR spectrum

telecom | 07/09/2002 4:00 am EDT

Canada’s wireless carriers continue to spar over proposed changes regarding the treatment of ESMR spectrum holdings under existing spectrum aggregation limit rules. Telus Mobility continues to claim the move would be a simple adjustment and is only a minor change, but other carriers believe treating ESMR spectrum differently would have far-reaching competitive impacts. Neither side seems willing to budge from initial statements made to DGTP-003-02. Bell Mobility (representing the Bell Wireless Alliance), Microcell Telecommunications Inc., Rogers Wireless Communications Inc., and W2N Inc. are opposed to the proposal. In its June 25 reply comments, Telus states that the other wireless...