Telecom industry heralds Broadband Task Force recommendations

telecom | 07/03/2001 4:00 am EDT

Canada's telecom community is praising the National Broadband Task Force for its final report released last month, although uncertainty remains over how some of the recommendations would be implemented.  "It's a good first step. We'll have to see how the government responds to it," Bill St. Arnaud...

Foreign ownership proposal must lead to concrete action by government

telecom | 07/03/2001 4:00 am EDT

The recommendation by the National Broadband Task Force that the federal government review foreign ownership restrictions is good, but it should go further. A review will be useless unless actual changes are made to the limits, industry experts say.  "The danger would be we're going to create larger monopolies...

Recommendation of 1.5 megabits considered too conservative by some

telecom | 07/03/2001 4:00 am EDT

Is 1.5 Mbps fast enough to qualify as broadband? Not according to at least one company that lays fibre for a living. The VP of business development at Stream Intelligent Networks Corp says the National Broadband Task Force has been overly conservative in suggesting that 1.5 Mbps be the minimum symmetrical speed offered to...

High-speed Internet a popular choice for Canada, survey finds

telecom | 07/03/2001 4:00 am EDT

Canadians have a voracious appetite for broadband access that isn't expected to be satisfied anytime soon, according to a new study by the Yankee Group in Canada.  Figures contained in High-Speed Internet - 2000 in Review show that high-speed had 1.3 million subscribers in Canada last year, a leap of 140 per cent...

The telecom party’s over: Now the hangover begins

telecom | 07/03/2001 4:00 am EDT

The federal government is giving CLECs renewed hope that it will do something to ensure competition in the telecom market doesn't suffer the same fate as our airline industry. That new sense of optimism is making it into the public statements of several senior industry executives, who have assembled a wish list of solutions they believe will force Bell Canada and Telus to lose real ground to new competitors.   Harry Truderung, president of AT&T Canada, shared his company's game plan for saving the industry with the Calgary Chamber of Commerce on June 14. The highlights appear below…   The competitive fabric of this industry in Canada is starting to unravel. Most of the new entrant telecom providers are going out of business and customers have fewer choices...

NL Editorial

telecom | 07/03/2001 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  Now that the final report of the National Broadband Task Force has been tabled, the people who commissioned it must find a way to promote it. That will not be an easy task.  The task force's recommendations were detailed, although not overly specific. That seems to have been too much for...

NL People

telecom | 07/03/2001 4:00 am EDT

Sprint Canada has made two new appointments in the boardroom. Duncan McEwan is the new president/CEO. He was most recently CEO of NorthPoint Canada, which is now owned by Sprint parent Call-Net Enterprises Inc. He also has experience at Cancom as president/CEO. The new president enterprise communications solutions is Greg McCamus. He has worked as senior VP new product development at Sprint and senior VP sales and...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 07/03/2001 4:00 am EDT

360networks seeks protection, slashes 40% of workforce Embattled fibre builder 360networks Inc has applied for bankruptcy protection in Canada and the U.S. It is cutting about 800 positions, leaving 1000 workers in their current jobs. The firm's parent company, Worldwide Fiber Holdings Ltd, has announced it has assumed 360network's obligations to buy back the shares of CEO Greg Maffei, should the fibre firm chief...

ROW Update

telecom | 07/03/2001 4:00 am EDT

Not everyone is happy with broadband task forceLeslie Klein, president and CEO of C-Com Satellite Systems, says that the expected subsidies by the federal government would have been better spent by giving money to individual consumers to pay for access to the broadband pipes. The full story appears in the next issue of Report on Wireless. Future of Ka-band still unclearWhen Industry Canada awarded only the C/Ku-band...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 06/18/2001 4:00 am EDT

Primus opens data centre in downtown TorontoPrimus Canada Inc has opened an expanded data centre in downtown Toronto. The 7,500-sq-ft facility features redundancy and security features.  Nortel announces 10,000 more job lossesNortel Networks Corp is handing out pink slips to a further 10,000 employees. This is in addition to the 20,000 dismissals announced last April. 360networks to skip interest...

NL People

telecom | 06/18/2001 4:00 am EDT

Norigen Communications Group Inc has named Peter Green interim chair/CEO. He replaces Saied Nadjafi. President/COO Bill Baines and corporate communications director Eva Innes have also departed.  Charles Abbe has retired as president/COO of JDS Uniphase Corp. CEO/co-chair Josef Straus will assume the presidency while Gregory Dougherty becomes EVP/COO. The other co-chair, Don Scifres, takes on the responsibilities of...

The telecom market may be competitive, but it’s still highly regulated

telecom | 06/18/2001 4:00 am EDT

The CRTC has made some good first steps in helping to ensure telephone competition is viable in Canada. But according to the president/CEO of Call-Net Enterprises Inc, more needs to be done.  Speaking to shareholders at the company’s AGM in Toronto May 16, Bill Linton said favourable decisions on price caps,...

NL Editorial

telecom | 06/18/2001 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 Broadband Task Force has done more than outline costs and scenarios for bringing high-speed Internet to all Canadian communities. It has handed Industry minister Brian Tobin a blueprint for giving his ministry a bigger say over how the CRTC fosters competition, and how broadcasting and other...

Changes in telecom policies, regulations needed to help foster broadband growth

telecom | 06/18/2001 4:00 am EDT

Extending broadband access to every community, business and home could cost as much as $4.57 billion, but a report released today recognizes that regulations and policies may need changing before telecom companies will spend more on infrastructure.  The long-awaited final report of the National Broadband Task Force stresses that government funding will be available to extend high-speed Internet to the most rural and remote communities. The 34-member committee also suggests that the CRTC should be more cognizant of capital recovery in decisions that relate to service lives, depreciation rates or pricing mechanisms. The 103-page report makes a total of 23 proposals bundled into 10...

More skilled high-tech workers needed, industry conference told by researchers

telecom | 06/18/2001 4:00 am EDT

Competition for skilled workers in the high tech sector is still fierce, despite recent upheavals in the market. The results of a study done by TalentMap.com for the CATA Alliance were released at last week’s GlobeTech Conference in Ottawa. The survey estimates that between 70,000 and 90,000 jobs will go unfilled in...

Toronto launches suit against AT&T Canada in continuing war over right of ways

telecom | 06/18/2001 4:00 am EDT

The battle over municipal rights of way has reached new heights in Canada, telecom companies and municipalities mired in a lawsuit and legal appeals. The City of Toronto is being particularly aggressive in fighting for what it believes is the right of local governments to determine the price and conditions of allowing...

Regulatory changes reassure Call-Net that competing with the ILECs is possible

telecom | 06/18/2001 4:00 am EDT

Regulatory changes and improved financial results have given Call-Net Enterprises Inc renewed hope that local phone competition is possible in Canada. After pulling back from the residential services market last year (NL, July 4/00), the parent of Sprint Canada has re-entered the country’s largest metropolitan areas, and...

Affordable telecom services making it difficult for companies to raise capital

telecom | 06/18/2001 4:00 am EDT

Canadian consumers are getting a good deal on telecommunications, but it’s compromising their service provider’s ability to raise capital, a new survey finds. Compared to their counterparts in the United States, The Yankee Group in Canada reports that Canadian telecom companies are at a distinct...

Gov’t proposal to withhold spectrum for rule breakers raises industry’s ire

telecom | 06/11/2001 4:00 am EDT

The wireless industry is cautioning Industry Canada to avoid tough enforcement measures when it comes to ensuring that companies comply with the conditions of their spectrum licences. In particular, licensees are objecting to the introduction of what they describe as a powerful new enforcement tool – one that would prohibit non-compliant carriers from participating in a spectrum auction. Earlier this year, the department issued a call for comments on the idea (RoW, March 5/01). The Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) says the government should use the sanctions it already has in place instead of introducing new ones. "Revocation or suspension of licence...

MDSI brings back Eric Dysthe as CEO to help implement restructuring plan

telecom | 06/11/2001 4:00 am EDT

Mobile Data Solutions Inc (MDSI) has brought back one of its founders to guide the company’s financial recovery after several quarters of high costs and lower than expected revenues. The return of Eric Dysthe as chair and CEO was one of several sweeping changes made last month to the executive ranks and operations of the...

01 Communique introduces new wireless unified communications application

telecom | 06/11/2001 4:00 am EDT

01 Communique Laboratory Inc has taken wireless messaging to the next level with a unified communications service that makes multimedia functionality an inherent part of the system. The service – I’m InTouch – gives subscribers access to a single mail box that can open and view various types of attachments, including...

Commission denies Telesat, TMI request to review and vary contribution

telecom | 06/11/2001 4:00 am EDT

The CRTC has rejected a review and vary petition from Telesat Canada and TMI Communications requesting that they be exempt from having to pay into the new national phone subsidy fund. This latest denial (Order CRTC 2001-435) once again demonstrates that when it comes to the new contribution regime, the commission is...

CWTA hopes to expand ranks & mandate with new Wireless Internet Council

telecom | 06/11/2001 4:00 am EDT

The Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) has unveiled its newest plan to expand the lobby group’s membership and influence across a variety of communications sectors. Following the lead of its counterpart in the United States, the CWTA has opened its membership to mobile data companies, and established...

Wmode launches phase 1 clearing-house model for wireless content providers

telecom | 06/11/2001 4:00 am EDT

Wmode Inc has signed up the first nine partners to a new program that makes it easier for content providers and portals to collect money for their wireless services by piggybacking on a carrier’s existing billing system (see list). Announced May 28, the ClearMode Clearinghouse program provides a high-speed and secure...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 06/11/2001 4:00 am EDT

Lumic signs chip manufacturing agreementOttawa-based fabless semiconductor Lumic Electronics has signed a production agreement with Infineon Technologies. Lumic will gain access to both Infineon’s manufacturing capacity and advanced embedded DRAM technology for the production of its multimedia processors. This new generation of chips will enable a wide variety of mobile devices to handle rich media content including...

ROW People

telecom | 06/11/2001 4:00 am EDT

James Duncan and Ron Leslie have been appointed to the board of directors at C-COM Satellite Systems Inc, Ottawa. Duncan replaces Antoine Karam who has resigned. Duncan is the principal at Eurodata Support Services Inc, a third party hardware and software support organization. Leslie, current C-COM CFO, is a partner with Phomin, Leslie LLP, Chartered Accountants. He previously worked at KPMG in Ottawa.  Charles...

Optical wireless users should pay more attention to eye safety ratings of systems

telecom | 06/11/2001 4:00 am EDT

Issues of eye safety are set to become a topic of contention among optical wireless equipment vendors in the months ahead as equipment based on the emerging technology gets deployed. The Free-Space Optics Alliance, which will hold its inaugural meeting at WCA 2001 in Boston later this month, will surely address the subject....

ROW Editorial

telecom | 06/11/2001 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. One of the most daunting challenges for the telecom industry over the next couple of years will be to ensure that a subscriber’s personal information doesn’t fall into the hands of people with malicious intent.  With the increased use of the Internet, both wireless and wired, to conduct various types of transactions, the amount of personal information residing in far-flung databases is expanding at exponential rates.  Much of this information is being used by savvy marketing specialists targeting a certain segment of society for a specific item or service. In the years to come, more of this will be done over wireless networks and subscribers will begin receiving ads on their phones. Done in a tactful manner, this can be a helpful service. To a major degree the integrity of personal information has been taken care of with the new Privacy Act which came into effect this year. But doubts still remain in...

NL Editorial

telecom | 06/04/2001 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Industry minister Brian Tobin’s comments on reviewing foreign ownership restrictions are long overdue. Only the most callow would fail to recognize the legislative legerdemain taking place, but in this case motives should not be examined. Results are the proper focus here.  There has been a...

Government gives strongest signs yet that foreign ownership review is pending

telecom | 06/04/2001 4:00 am EDT

Industry minister Brian Tobin says the telecom sector is justified in asking for a review of the foreign ownership rules since the government expects it to incur most of the costs and risks associated with broadband deployment to rural areas. Speaking to reporters following his speech at the Canadian Cable Television...

Innovation review receives 12.5B in requests

telecom | 06/04/2001 4:00 am EDT

The federal government’s science-based departments and agencies have up with at least $12.5 billion (and reportedly as high as $20 billion) in requests as part of an Industry Canada-led process to develop a national vision and strategy on innovation. The pending Innovation White Paper is considered a key pillar in that process. A draft document...

Quebec will be hard hit by U.S. slowdown in electronics and telecom: National Bank

telecom | 06/04/2001 4:00 am EDT

Any economic gains projected for the Canadian economy will be offset by losses in the electronics and telecom sectors, with Quebec feeling the greatest impact, a new report finds. The National Bank of Canada’s Economic and Financial Outlook Summer 2001 credits low interest rates and tax cuts for a projected 2.8 per cent...

Larger carriers unimpressed with contribution appeal by independent telcos

telecom | 06/04/2001 4:00 am EDT

Canada’s small independent telcos aren’t finding any allies among their larger brethren in their battle to change the CRTC’s new subsidy regime for local phone service (NL, Apr. 23/01). Bell Canada, SaskTel and Rogers Wireless Inc oppose what they call an attempt by the independents to get preferential treatment under the new rules (Decision 2000-745), which came into effect in January. That’s not the way the small telcos are spinning their appeal to the federal Cabinet. For Amtelecom Inc and Bruce Municipal Telephone System of Ontario, Sogetel Inc of Quebec and Prince Rupert City Telephones (also known as CityTel) of British Columbia, the complaint comes down to simple...

Satellite companies lose CRTC appeal on contribution decision

telecom | 06/04/2001 4:00 am EDT

Telesat Canada has failed to convince the CRTC that it should be exempted from paying into the local phone subsidy fund because the majority of its customers are broadcasters (NL, March 12/01). Last Thursday, the commission rejected a joint appeal by Telesat and its subsidiary TMI Communications Inc, which signals the...

Canadians top U.S. and rest of world for number of hours spent online: survey

telecom | 06/04/2001 4:00 am EDT

Canadians are the world’s heaviest users of the Internet, spending about an hour more online than the second place ranked United States, a new study finds. According to Media Metrix Canada’s Total Canada at Home Web Use Report, users here logged on for an average of 932 minutes per month during April, while Americans...

Ottawa company sees telecom slowdown as an opportunity for some firms

telecom | 06/04/2001 4:00 am EDT

An Ottawa company is reaping the benefits of the telecom meltdown with a software product that helps carriers reduce operating costs by taking a more managed approach to their networks. Linmor Technologies Inc bucked the industry trend late last month when it announced a 14 per cent increase in fourth quarter revenue, and...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 06/04/2001 4:00 am EDT

Vidéotron Télécom sells off assets Vidéotron Télécom has sold its maintenance contracts and inventory to NEC Canada Inc and to Incotel Networks. The company’s takeover by Quebecor Media Inc was recently approved by the CRTC.  Nortel shedding Ottawa office spaceNortel Networks is abandoning some of its real estate in the Ottawa market. Reports say the company is dumping 620,000 square feet of office space in...

NL People

telecom | 06/04/2001 4:00 am EDT

Léo Houle has been appointed as Chief Talent Officer for BCE Inc, a new position. He previously worked at Alcan Inc and Algroup Ltd. Nortel Networks has named Antonio (Tony) Pio de Roda as managing director of its Philippines office. He previously worked at Sun Microsystems Philippines and has experience at IBM, Lucent Technologies and Software AG.  Mike Benner is the representative director at 360networks’ new...

It’s time Canada woke up to the indirect costs of an innovation agenda

telecom | 06/04/2001 4:00 am EDT

Universities are one of the largest buyers of telecommunications services in Canada, and with their rapid rollout of broadband networks, have become an important test bed for advanced content and applications. But as the federal government pushes ahead with its renewed focus on innovation, Canadian universities are warning...

Capex spending and revenue on the rise in wireless telecom industry

telecom | 05/28/2001 4:00 am EDT

Wireless carriers spent more on capital expenditures last year, but they also generated more revenue and signed up a greater number of digital than analog customers, according to new figures compiled by Statistics Canada. Released earlier this month, the Quarterly Telecommunications Statistics also found that wireless...

Cell-Loc hopes to move into beta tests this summer for digital versions of Cellocate

telecom | 05/28/2001 4:00 am EDT

Cell-Loc Inc is continuing to develop and test digital versions of its Cellocate wireless location technology while it rides out the telecommunications market storm. The company is in alpha trials of its CDMA version with Telus Mobility and hopes are that both it and the GSM-based Cellocate system will move into beta tests...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 05/28/2001 4:00 am EDT

Telus and Samsung issue digital phoneTelus Mobility and Samsung Telecommunications America have joined forces to produce a digital phone. The Samsung Uproar is a dual-band, dual-mode PCS phone that features an integrated MP3 player. It allows users to download MP3 files from their computers to their handsets.  Indal Technologies receives federal grantIndal Technologies Inc of Mississauga ON has been given $2.9 million from the Technology Partnerships Canada program of Industry Canada. The loan permits the firm to proceed with its wireless aircraft handling system products. About 54 jobs are expected to be created by the investment. Profit magazine honours Cygnal TechnologiesCygnal Technologies Corp of Oshawa ON has been named the fastest growing company in Canada in a new survey. Profit magazine has released a list of the top 100 firms in the nation. Cygnal designs wireless and wired broadband networks. COM DEV opens new plant in western OntarioCOM DEV International Ltd has unveiled a new surface acoustic wave facility in...

ROW People

telecom | 05/28/2001 4:00 am EDT

Continuing its European expansion strategy, Sierra Wireless Inc has appointed Derek Evans as VP distribution for Europe. He will be responsible for leading the company’s market entry initiatives including distribution, sales, business development and technical support. Evans has more than 20 years of GM sales and marketing experience with blue chip companies in the wireless, telecommunications and consumer electronics...

Outgoing FCC commissioner lauds U.S. approach to 3G and unlicensed bands

telecom | 05/28/2001 4:00 am EDT

As regulators in this country well know, what happens in the U.S. can have a profound impact on Canada (see story in this issue). The Federal Communications Commission has a new chair and many of the old guard are being replaced by the new Republican administration. One of those outgoing commissioners, Susan Ness, has some...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 05/28/2001 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 battle over valuable airwaves for so-called 3G services in the United States has taken another twist that could have major repercussions for Canadian mobile satellite operators. The Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association has filed a petition with the FCC asking that some MSS bands be...

All signs point to upcoming review of telecom foreign ownership rules

telecom | 05/28/2001 4:00 am EDT

Industry Canada is proposing to amend the Telecommunications Act and review foreign ownership restrictions across several industry sectors as part of the federal government’s pending Innovation White Paper. The government will have further reason to open those discussions when it receives an urgent call next month from...

Government departments and agencies table $12.5-billion wish list of new spending

telecom | 05/28/2001 4:00 am EDT

The federal government’s science-based departments and agencies have come up with at least $12.5 billion in requests as part of an Industry Canada-led process to develop a national vision and strategy on innovation. The Innovation White Paper, expected in late June, is considered a key pillar in that process. A draft document listing the various proposals reveals that Industry Canada has tabled a $1.8-billion multi-year wish list of 20 items. Included are $520 million for E-learning, $100 million to develop a national research strategy for ICT, $35 million for E-commerce, $96 million for Smart Communities and $56 million for Volnet. Industry Canada’s single largest request is for up...

SpaceBridge enters next phase in growth, more marketing on the horizon

telecom | 05/28/2001 4:00 am EDT

Chip designer SpaceBridge Semiconductor is counting on two recent hires and a well-connected advisory committee to help the company attract the attention of broadband wireless equipment manufacturers. The arrival of Bernard Bleuer as assistant VP product line management and Simon Morris as director broadband wireless...

Mobile satellite players continue to battle with land-based mobile industry

telecom | 05/28/2001 4:00 am EDT

Canada’s two mobile satellite service (MSS) providers are opposing a bid by the U.S. cellular companies to have MSS spectrum reallocated for the land-mobile industry. The Washington-based Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association (CTIA) is lobbying the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to have some bands...

Aliant spending $70 million to expand PCS network in Atlantic Canada

telecom | 05/28/2001 4:00 am EDT

Aliant Telecom Wireless hopes to conquer one of the last frontiers of analog cellular with an aggressive campaign designed to increase digital subscriber levels in Atlantic Canada from 17-34 per cent this year, and to as high as 40 per cent of the population by 2003. Earlier this month, the mobility division unveiled plans...

Spectrum 20/20 to make return next year

telecom | 05/28/2001 4:00 am EDT

Planning is underway to revive the Radio Advisory Board of Canada’s Spectrum 20/20 conference after dwindling attendance and increasing competition prompted officials to call it quits after last November’s show. RABC executive director Ted Campbell says the symposium will be scaled back from two days to one, with fewer amenities. The Ottawa...

DSL market still considered viable despite Nortel withdrawal

telecom | 05/22/2001 4:00 am EDT

Nortel’s retreat from the DSL sector is more of a recognition that it came too late to market than any decline in the popularity of the bandwidth technology. The company was such a minor player that it made no economic sense to continue battling giants like Alcatel, Cisco Systems Inc and Lucent Technologies...

Government Online plans to take smaller bite out of taxpayers

telecom | 05/22/2001 4:00 am EDT

The federal Liberals will have a better idea in July how much their Government Online (GOL) initiative will cost, with one senior official insisting the final tally will be far less than originally forecast. But that news isn’t reassuring to one Member of Parliament who still doubts the political will exists to take the...

Foreign firms set sights on Canada as market emerges for Internet telephony

telecom | 05/22/2001 4:00 am EDT

The need for better health and educational services in rural and remote communities could fuel early demand for IP telephony in Canada, according to a U.S. start-up looking for sales opportunities here. Video Network Communications Inc (VNCI) of New Hampshire was at an Ottawa conference last month demonstrating an IP...

StatsCan finds wireline services main reason for healthy telecom industry

telecom | 05/22/2001 4:00 am EDT

The telecom services sector continues to post steady growth despite the recent downturn in other sectors of information economy, Statistics Canada reports. Released in May, the agency’s Quarterly Telecommunications Statistics reports that the total telecom market for the fourth quarter of last year hit $8.1 billion, with...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 05/22/2001 4:00 am EDT

InfoInterActive sold to America OnlineAmerica Online Inc has purchased all the outstanding shares of InfoInterActive Inc of Halifax, the manufacturer of Internet Call Manager. The deal will cost the giant ISP $43.3 million and is expected to close in July. The current management team will likely remain in place.  Telus awarded multimillion data contract from fedsWestern telco Telus Corp has won a contract to provide a managed data network for the government of Canada. The $200-million deal runs for four years, with a four-year option. Bell introduces convergent products in central CanadaBell Canada has unveiled its One Contact service in Quebec and Ontario. The system permits clients to buy products from Bell, Bell Mobility, Bell ExpressVu and Sympatico from one web site or phone. Manitoba Telecom granted some rate increases by CRTCThe CRTC has given MTS Communications Inc most of the price increases it had applied for, with the exception of the hike in the line component of the service charges. A majority of the...

NL People

telecom | 05/22/2001 4:00 am EDT

There are a couple of vacancies in the executive suites of Nortel Networks Corp. President/CEO John Roth has announced his intention to retire in April 2002, while COO Clarence Chandran, who had been on medical leave, has resigned.  Katherine Peart is leaving her job as director of regulatory matters for CLEC EastLink Ltd. She tells NL she has no immediate plans, but will relax for a bit. Matt Milstead is the...

BCE chief calls on government to develop a “Made-In-Canada” convergence strategy

telecom | 05/22/2001 4:00 am EDT

BCE Inc has been talking "convergence" more than any other Canadian company of late. All of these presentations have focused on BCE’s approach to convergence across its various companies – with Jean Monty’s May 14 speech being the exception. In his address at last week’s...

NL Editorial

telecom | 05/22/2001 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Governments too often do not act as much as they react. Nowhere is that truer than in the field of online connectivity. The government of Canada is to be commended for the steps, tentative though they may be, in extending our Internet capabilities.  The appointment of Michelle d’Auray as chief...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 05/14/2001 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Last week’s tragic accident east of Toronto that killed a distracted father and his young daughter has refueled the debate over the use of cell phones while driving. Toronto’s police chief has said he wants drivers banned from using them, and Ontario’s transportation minister agrees the issue is...

Cell phones and driver safety take centre stage at Congressional hearings

telecom | 05/14/2001 4:00 am EDT

Congressional hearings that began last week in the U.S. could influence how governments here deal with the issue of cell phone safety in vehicles. Transport Canada has been following the issue and is even conducting a joint study with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to assess the distraction potential of manual versus voice-activated versions of such tasks as dialing a phone, tuning a radio, and retrieving e-mail messages.  The NHTSA’s executive director, Robert Shelton, appeared before the Congressional transportation subcommittee on May 9 to present some of his group’s research findings on the issue. An edited excerpt from his presentation appears...

Wi-LAN wins approval from FCC to sell its OFDM products into the U.S.

telecom | 05/14/2001 4:00 am EDT

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) last week granted Wi-LAN Inc a waiver that clears the way for the Calgary-based company to start selling its OFDM wireless access equipment in the lucrative U.S. market. It was previously barred from doing so because OFDM didn’t meet specific requirements related to direct...

IDC enters licence-exempt market with wireless modem for homes, SMEs

telecom | 05/14/2001 4:00 am EDT

International Datacasting Corp (IDC) moved into the crowded licence-exempt device market with the official release of its WebWalker line of wireless modems. The standalone gateway, which operates in the 2.4 GHz ISM band, has already been deployed over a 25,000 sq-km area in eastern Ontario by Storm Internet Services, a...

Microcell, others pull plug on service that brought sponsored airtime to youth

telecom | 05/14/2001 4:00 am EDT

The first telecom company in North America to offer sponsored airtime on cell phones is shutting off service today to about 8,000 customers, after Microcell Telecommunications Inc and other investors decided to cut off funding to the struggling Montreal start up. ESP Media Inc launched last September with the promise of...

New industry alliance to promote wireless optics as a viable last-mile option

telecom | 05/14/2001 4:00 am EDT

Two Canadian companies will be among about a dozen firms meeting in Boston this summer to promote a new wireless technology that uses lasers to deliver last-mile broadband connectivity. Plaintree Systems Inc, Ottawa, and fSONA Communications, Richmond BC, are members of the recently formed Free Space Optics (FSO) Alliance,...

Streaming video to handsets could become reality within two years, experts predict

telecom | 05/14/2001 4:00 am EDT

Streaming video and other multimedia content will eventually make their way onto wireless devices, but first the industry needs hot applications and more bandwidth, industry experts told an Ottawa conference this month.  Speakers at NetVideoWorld 2001 said they were also optimistic those challenges would be resolved,...

ROW People

telecom | 05/14/2001 4:00 am EDT

Two of Nortel Networks Corp’s highest-profile executives have announced their intentions to leave the company. John Roth, president and CEO, has announced that he will retire in April 2002 after the company’s next annual general meeting. An executive search has already begun to find a successor. Clarence Chandron has decided to extend his medical leave indefinitely and has resigned his position as COO and director of...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 05/14/2001 4:00 am EDT

Nortel gets into the wireless gaming marketNortel Networks Corp and Game Park Inc have signed a co-marketing agreement to deliver a dedicated wireless gaming solution that can potentially provide profits for wireless carriers. The game will be designed to be highly interactive and support multiple players all in real time. The system will first be marketed to wireless carriers in the Asia-Pacific region. There is no word...

Connectivity Institute coming to Canada

telecom | 05/07/2001 4:00 am EDT

Canada is providing research space and $20 million to promote connectivity in the western hemisphere. As part of the recent Summit of the Americas in Quebec City, the 34 member nations agreed to form the Institute for Connectivity in the Americas, which will be located at the International Development Research Centre in Ottawa. The Institute will...

AOL Canada asks CRTC to exclude Internet retailers from reporting requirements

telecom | 05/07/2001 4:00 am EDT

ISPs that aren’t facilities-based shouldn’t be subject to detailed new reporting requirements to be instituted this year, a VP with AOL Canada has told the CRTC. At an April 18 meeting with senior commission staff, the Canadian subsidiary of the American Internet giant questioned whether the regulator even has the jurisdiction to require retail ISPs to file new disclosure forms as part of the government’s attempt to get an empirical handle on how competition and broadband access are evolving in Canada. AOL Canada was one of about a dozen groups to appear at the meeting, but the only one to ask to be excluded from the new reporting rules, which could take effect by the summer...

Telemarketers vow better self-regulation, as consumer groups push for legal action

telecom | 05/07/2001 4:00 am EDT

Public interest groups warn that action is needed to curb a rise in telemarketing complaints, despite assurances from telcos that complaints are negligible. The CRTC’s current review of telemarketing rules (Public Notice 2001-34) has sparked debate on both sides of the issue, particularly from telcos and telemarketers who...

Bell Canada still awaiting FCC approval on request for non-dominant status

telecom | 05/07/2001 4:00 am EDT

A decision on Bell Canada’s application to be reclassified as a non-dominant carrier has been delayed in the U.S. following the appointment of a new chair, and senior staff changes at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).  The proceeding, which stems from a 17-month-old application filed by Bell Canada,...

Video still lauded as killer app, but will consumers pay what industry wants?

telecom | 05/07/2001 4:00 am EDT

The burgeoning demand for bandwidth will continue as new applications hit the market, but carriers must be sensitive to the fiscal concerns of consumers. That was the overriding message at a session of a communications conference held in Ottawa last week. The NetVideoWorld meeting was a two-day session, featuring the...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 05/07/2001 4:00 am EDT

Hydro One to deliver cross-border telecomHydro One Telecom Inc, a division of Ontario’s public utility, has signed a deal with Telergy Inc to provide cross-border telecommunications services. The firms will join their networks in Montreal and Buffalo NY to provide long haul and last mile connections to each others’ customers.  United Telecom Council hires McCarthy TetraultThe United Telecom Council has retained...

NL People

telecom | 05/07/2001 4:00 am EDT

AT&T Canada has two new faces in the executive suite. Stewart Berry is now EVP marketing, after a long career at such places as BCI Commcor, New Zealand CLEC Clear Communications, NBTel, Telecom Canada and Bell Canada. The new EVP network services is Henry Yip. He previously worked at Telus, Jones Lightwave Ltd, and Bell Canada.  Ken Keesey is the new VP sales for SaskTel. Most recently GM customer services, he will be based in the provincial telco’s Saskatoon office. Former Ontario treasurer Ernie Eves has been elected to the board of directors of BCE Emergis Inc. He resigned from the provincial government earlier this year. Canada Payphone Corp of Vancouver has made a few changes. Norman Osatuik is now president/CEO. He previously worked at BC Telecom, AGT, Nortel Networks, and Telecom Training Corp. Bruce Hill is the new national sales director. He has experience at Microtel Ltd, Manitoba Tel and Nortel. William Conner is the new president/CEO of Entrust Technologies Inc. He comes to the company from Nortel,...

Convergence, synergy and the CRTC

telecom | 05/07/2001 4:00 am EDT

The relevance and effectiveness of the CRTC is once again on the political radar screen, as senior levels of government ponder whether a broad review of its mandate is warranted (NL Feb. 26/01).  The newly appointed chair of the commission, David Colville, maintains that Canada’s communications regulator has been effective in promoting...

NL Editorial

telecom | 05/07/2001 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Our readers never cease to amaze us. For several weeks now, Decima Publishing has been conducting reader surveys on various topics affecting the communications industries. The polls, albeit unscientific, show how our online subscribers feel about these issues.  Our most recent questions asked...

Survivors weigh opportunities and challenges in wake of CLEC shake-out

telecom | 05/07/2001 4:00 am EDT

The survivors in Canada’s beleaguered CLEC market are moving ahead with renewed optimism these days, knowing they can pick up fallen competitors’ assets at bargain basement prices. They’re also cautiously hopeful that the government will take action to improve the investment climate for foreign investors.  In...

Burlington-area company makes bid for Maxlink assets and 28 GHz licence

telecom | 04/30/2001 4:00 am EDT

A small company outside of Burlington ON has tabled a bid to purchase embattled broadband wireless access provider Maxlink Communications Inc, Report on Wireless has learned. Sources close to the deal tell RoW that Maxlink’s receivers are currently reviewing an offer from WDSL Inc – a 15-employee firm that provides...

Cell phone silencers coming soon to Canada, government could be big buyer

telecom | 04/30/2001 4:00 am EDT

A U.S.-based company with R&D facilities in Stittsville ON has developed a cell phone silencer that it says can be distributed in Canada and the United States without contravening laws that ban the sale of such devices. David Desrosier, founder and CEO of Osterville MA-based Cell Block Technologies Ltd, says the...

ICT capital expenditures will grow four times faster than the rest of the economy

telecom | 04/30/2001 4:00 am EDT

Capital expenditures in the information communications technologies ICT) sector are expected to increase in 2001, and faster than other sectors of the economy, according to new statistics released this month by Industry Canada.  Figures demonstrate that total ICT capex spending is projected to reach about $13.5 billion...

Spectrum harmonization meetings–CITEL meeting in June will focus on WRC-03 and band harmonization in the Americas

telecom | 04/30/2001 4:00 am EDT

Delegates representing major countries in the Western Hemisphere will in Ottawa this summer to discuss spectrum harmonization on this side of the Atlantic. They will also begin formulating a common front in preparation for the next World Radiocommunication Conference, scheduled for 2003. The...

BitFlash lands major financing, despite tough telecom market conditions

telecom | 04/30/2001 4:00 am EDT

BitFlash Inc will use nearly US$15.5 million in new venture capital funding to ramp up sales of its wireless Internet graphics software to the enterprise market. Most of the money will be used to hire more sales people, with a smaller amount going to develop future versions of its mobility suite product (RoW, Jan. 22/01)....

Space communications research gets major boost from CSA and CITR

telecom | 04/30/2001 4:00 am EDT

Canadian researchers have been given a $1-million boost to help bring affordable broadband access to rural and remote areas in the next three-to-five years. Five new projects aimed at decreasing the cost of satellite systems and end-user terminals have been funded under the new Space Communications research program launched by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and the Canadian Institute for Telecommunications Research (CITR).  The projects range from transforming bulky and expensive antennas into low-cost customer premise equipment to more efficient satellite modems for end-user gear. The $1.9 million program awarded $1 million this funding round to 13 researchers from seven universities and the Communications Research Centre (see box for complete list).  CITR president Birendra...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 04/30/2001 4:00 am EDT

Globalstar launches satellite packet data servicesGlobalstar Canada is introducing a two-way data satellite communication system. Globalstar Commercial Data Services uses the company’s satellite data modem (GSP-1620). This moves the packet from Internet and email access to supervisory control and data acquisition, telemetry, fleet management and asset tracking markets.  Canadian companies deploy wireless LAN in...

ROW People

telecom | 04/30/2001 4:00 am EDT

Nortel Networks Corp has appointed Lynton (Red) Wilson as the company’s non-executive chair of the board of directors. Wilson replaces Frank Carlucci who did not stand for re-election after having reached the retirement age. Carlucci had served in this capacity since March 2000. Wilson has been a director of the company since March 2000 and of Nortel Networks Ltd since 1991. He is chair of the board of directors of CAE...

Microcell’s encounters new foe in battle to rollout E911 on a national basis

telecom | 04/30/2001 4:00 am EDT

The rollout of wireless Enhanced 911 is proving more difficult than Microcell Telecommunications Inc would like. First there was the requirement by incumbent telcos that a technical trial be held in each operating territory – a demand Microcell warned would unnecessarily delay the arrival of a national E911 service. In...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 04/30/2001 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 telecom meltdown plaguing much of North America should be viewed as a positive development for the industry as a whole. Getting rid of excess within a company makes it leaner and more agile, and better able to respond to rapid changes within the industry. Failing companies give more room for...

Telcos and other parties at odds over proposed new disclosure rules

telecom | 04/23/2001 4:00 am EDT

Incumbent and competitive telecom companies met with CRTC staff last to determine what corporate data should be filed under new reporting rules, and just how much of it should be put on the public record. As expected, competitors pushed to have incumbents bear the brunt of the disclosure requirements.  Starting this year, the CRTC is expected to require all companies that fall under the Telecommunications Act – whether directly regulated or not – to submit data that will be used by the federal government to determine if Canada’s telecom market is competitive and technologically advanced (NL, March 26/01). Companies participating in the Telecom PN 2000-175 proceeding appear to...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 04/23/2001 4:00 am EDT

Warnings about 10-digit dialing begin outside TorontoCallers in the 905 region surrounding Toronto are hearing recorded messages alerting them to the advent of 10-digit dialing. The 289 NPA will be overlaid on June 9, resulting in the dialing of all the numbers. Orchestream completes takeover of Ottawa’s CrossKeysBritain’s Orchestream Holdings plc has completed its acquisition of CrossKeys Systems Corp. The deal,...

NL People

telecom | 04/23/2001 4:00 am EDT

Larry Hudson, president of operations at AT&T Canada, is retiring at the end of May. He has worked for AT&T throughout North America and has held his current position since January 1999.  Troubled CLEC Axxent Inc has announced the resignations of directors Scott Chandler and Robert Currey. Chandler, senior VP global business development with Rhythms NetConnections Inc, has been on the board since last May,...

Minnows swimming with the sharks?

telecom | 04/23/2001 4:00 am EDT

Economists and investment banking pundits on both sides of the border debate whether we have entered a recession – or even if a bear market has truly arrived. But the fate of the vast majority of competitive local exchange carriers (‘CLECs’) is already as clear as a fibre optic connection: The equivalent of nuclear winter, as one industry insider...

NL Editorial

telecom | 04/23/2001 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 consolidation of the CLEC industry is being presented as one more warning sign that the telecom world is in collapse. Yet in reality the business is merely following the dictates that occur in so much of Canadian commerce.  As Johanne Lemay points out in our article on the current...

Panic in telecom-CLEC market in disarray as two more competitors seek protection

telecom | 04/23/2001 4:00 am EDT

The skittish stock market is being blamed for a health crisis in Canada’s CLEC market although insiders and analysts are still optimistic that the long term prognosis for the industry is positive. The short term panic, however, is being fueled by a recent spate of companies filing for bankruptcy or seeking protection...

911 operator challenges Bell to revamp database in wake of municipal mergers

telecom | 04/23/2001 4:00 am EDT

The aftereffects of municipal amalgamation have resulted in some 911 responses ending up at the wrong address, and a dispatcher in Southern Ontario is calling on the CRTC, local politicians and Bell Canada to solve the problem. Bell Canada, however, says nothing can be done until the cities get their own acts...

Independent telcos seek to change contribution threshold in cabinet appeal

telecom | 04/23/2001 4:00 am EDT

Four small independent telcos are the latest to challenge the CRTC’s ruling on contribution, but unlike other appellants, have decided to take their case directly to the federal Cabinet – Gazette Notice No. DGTP-007-01. It’s uncertain if the political will exists for MPs to tackle an issue as complex as how local...

Broad policy review of PCS and land-mobile spectrum to be launched this spring

telecom | 04/17/2001 4:00 am EDT

Industry Canada is considering a new approach to spectrum licensing, one that would result in lower fees for companies that are more spectrum efficient or operating in smaller markets, and higher fees for licensees in large urban markets. The proposal is part of a broad policy review to be gazetted this spring. The review...

Broad policy review of PCS and land-mobile spectrum to be launched this spring

telecom | 04/17/2001 4:00 am EDT

Industry Canada is considering a new approach to spectrum licensing, one that would result in lower fees for companies that are more spectrum efficient or operating in smaller markets, and higher fees for licensees in large urban markets. The proposal is part of a broad policy review to be gazetted this spring. The review is also expected to look at allowing spectrum licences to be divided and transferred to a third party, which would effectively create a resale market for spectrum in Canada. The department may also ask for comment on extending licence terms from five to 10 years.  While the wireless industry says it welcomes the review, it stresses that the outcome must be one that...