CBC union will challenge plans for the privatization of tower network

telecom | 08/21/2000 4:00 am EDT

Canada’s public broadcaster faces stiff opposition to the proposed sale of its vast and expansive over-the-air network, as unionized workers vow to block any sale of transmission towers. The Canadian Broadcasting Corp’s infrastructure workers oppose the sale of the more than 500 towers to private interests, warning that...

Rural communities to pay more for cable TV and high-speed Internet service

telecom | 08/21/2000 4:00 am EDT

Under proposed changes to outdated microwave licensing policies, residents in smaller outlying communities could end up paying significantly more for cable TV and high-speed Internet service than those living in urban centres. The proposed changes have also sparked fears that service providers in those regions will have to...

RoW Short Takes

telecom | 08/21/2000 4:00 am EDT

CRC releases new licence-exempt terminalThe Communications Research Centre (CRC) has completed development and testing on a new piece of wireless gear designed to operate in the licence-exempt 5.2/5.8 GHz frequency range. The terminal, first developed for DVB satellite applications, is a wireless Ethernet bridge capable of providing links over distances of up to six kilometres at 32 Mbs.John Sydor, project management who...

RoW People

telecom | 08/21/2000 4:00 am EDT

Norigen Communications Inc has again strengthened its management team by appointing Robert Demers as VP sales for the Quebec region. Demers brings more than 20 years of telecom experience and will be responsible for positioning the company for an accelerated growth in the Quebec and Ottawa markets. His strong leadership is in high demand and he will play a key role in delivering Norigen’s One source services to the...

CWTA pitches its case against contribution

telecom | 08/21/2000 4:00 am EDT

The lingering debate over universal service and telecom subsidizes moved to the halls of the Senate earlier this summer with a presentation by the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) . Public policy objectives such as universal service are among the issues being examined by the Senate Sub-committee on Communications, which resumes its hearings in the fall. What follows is an edited transcript of the CWTA’s presentation. The CWTA strongly believes that there is a significant distinction that can be drawn between the historical notion of universality and the more current policy objectives of connectedness and e-commerce. Universality is a concept that dates back to the days when telcos were rate of return regulated monopolies. As such, a discussion of...

RoW Editorial

telecom | 08/21/2000 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 darkhorse is emerging in the broadband wireless arena, and it’s one that could open the Canadian market to more foreign competitors. While politicians worldwide salivate at the prospect of billions in revenue from spectrum auctions, the real opportunity for some companies lies in the virtually...

New broadband wireless player enters Canadian market, increases competition

telecom | 08/21/2000 4:00 am EDT

The arrival of a new U.S. broadband player in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is putting increased pressure on Canadian wireless access companies to introduce services quickly, or risk losing market share to unregulated foreign competitors. Last week, Fuzion Wireless Communications Inc of Boca Raton FL began offering its...

Unique Broadband adds seasoned exec to head up global sales, marketing efforts

telecom | 08/21/2000 4:00 am EDT

Unique Broadband Systems Inc (UBS) lured away a high ranking Nortel Networks Corp executive to bolster the company’s global sales and marketing efforts. The addition of John Leon as the company’s first VP sales and marketing is considered a major coup for the emerging broadcast wireless equipment manufacturer, which has...

Smooth integration of Newbridge puts Alcatel on right path to growth

telecom | 08/21/2000 4:00 am EDT

Executives at the newly merged Alcatel SA and Newbridge Networks Corp say the visible results from their integration will emerge in December when the new entity introduces next generation products. The marriage of technologies and products from the Kanata ON manufacturer and its new parent is producing new wireless products...

RSL puts Canadian subsidiary on auction block; focus shifts to Europe, U.S. markets

telecom | 07/31/2000 4:00 am EDT

Canada’s foreign ownership limits may be partly to blame for RSL Communications Ltd’s decision to put its Canadian subsidiary on the selling block. The New York-based parent announced July 17 that it would be pulling its operations out of Canada, Japan and Hong Kong in favour of more lucrative markets. It has hired the...

Toronto council moves closer to fibre build; establishes rights of way committee

telecom | 07/31/2000 4:00 am EDT

The city of Toronto has approved a new telecommunications strategy that will reduce disruption on the streets while providing increased revenues to the municipality. In mid-June, city council approved a draft telecommunications policy with amendments that deals with issues like rights of way and a municipal fibre build (NL,...

Telus reorganization leads to call for forbearance outside of traditional markets

telecom | 07/31/2000 4:00 am EDT

Telus is asking the CRTC to refrain exercising its powers in non-ILEC territory, as the western telco moves into new markets across Canada. Bell Canada and its affiliates are hopeful the commission will grant it similar dispensation. The move comes as Telus finalizes the amalgamation of its various units into one...

Canadian start up looking to establish itself in cities across North America

telecom | 07/31/2000 4:00 am EDT

A telecom services provider is looking beyond Canada’s borders to establish itself as a major player. One of the fastest growing segments of the Canadian telecom market is providing services to buildings. Companies are tripping over one another to sign contracts with large property developers. TrizecHahn, which is dumping...

Bell subsidiary looks south as Argentina increases competition

telecom | 07/31/2000 4:00 am EDT

Bell Canada International (BCI) is preparing to use a partnership with Mexican telco Telmex as its conduit into the soon-to-be opened Argentine market and other parts of Latin America. The offer is still undergoing due diligence, but BCI VP Peter Burn told Network Letter all the pieces will be in place by Labour Day. Earlier this summer the Canadian and Mexican companies announced plans to create a joint venture that will invest in the South American market. American telecom giant SBC, which holds a 20 per cent stake in Bell Canada through its Ameritech subsidiary, has since signed on to the deal.  Even as the new agreement is pending, Telmex has purchased a 60 per cent share of a broadband company in Argentina called Techtel. Burn expects the Argentine company will be offered to...

CRTC unveils busy schedule in action plan

telecom | 07/31/2000 4:00 am EDT

The CRTC is working to ensure Canadians have access to high-quality telecom services, reflecting consumer needs and proper values. The commission laid out its objectives in the CRTC Action Plan 2000-2003.  It seeks to make competition a reality, through contribution collection, co-location and interconnection, and studying competitive issues. In...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 07/31/2000 4:00 am EDT

BCI sells Korean wireless unitBell Canada International has sold its 21 per cent stake in Hansol M.com, a wireless provider in Korea. The total value of the sale is $1.47 billion in cash, notes and shares of SK Telecom. Read more about BCI’s strategy on page 6 of this issue of Network Letter. CRTC nominated foradministrative honoursThe CRTC’s CISC organization has been nominated for an innovative management award...

NL People

telecom | 07/31/2000 4:00 am EDT

Marjean Henderson is the new CFO of iMagicTV. She was previously senior VP and CFO of Nucentrix Broadband Networks Inc in Plano TX. Atlantic telco Aliant owns iMagicTV.  Scott Chandler, senior VP of global business development for Rhythms NetConnections Inc, has joined the board of directors of Axxent Inc. The two companies recently joined forces to create Rhythms Canada Inc. Axxent was formerly known as OCI...

Taking advantage of the new economy opportunities in Atlantic Canada

telecom | 07/31/2000 4:00 am EDT

The federal government’s new Atlantic Investment Partnership is also opportunity knocking on the door to our region’s future.This initiative is a signal that Ottawa is now properly focusing its investments so that Atlantic Canada and our people can succeed in the new information economy. It is encouraging to see that...

NL Editorial

telecom | 07/31/2000 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 world has grown wildly since its humble beginnings. This Wednesday (Aug. 2) marks the 78th anniversary of the death of Alexander Graham Bell at his home in Cape Breton.  When Bell developed the basic telephone in 1876, he talked a distance of 20 feet. In his life-time, service extended across the continent and later from Wash-ington to Honolulu without wires. His patent, No. 174,465, has been dubbed "the most valuable patent ever issued." At the time of his death, more than 13 million of his devices were in use. Now the Canadian company that bears his name has more customers than that. The intertwining of Bell’s life and the ultimate uses of his most famous invention is intriguing. He originally developed the telephone as he studied ways of improving communication with the deaf. Now TTY services are an everyday component on telecommunications. His relocation from Scotland to...

CRTC creates east-west split for wireless cable distribution competition in Canada

telecom | 07/24/2000 4:00 am EDT

SkyCable Inc has been given the mandate it needs to become a major wireless cable TV player in Western Canada following a CRTC decision to grant the Manitoba-based company its first major urban licence. Craig Broadcast Systems Inc was facing off against Canada’s largest MDS operator, Look Communications Inc, for a...

Application development dominates spending among wireless companies

telecom | 07/24/2000 4:00 am EDT

According to a recently released study, expenditures on application development will continue to dominate the spending habits of the country’s wireless companies, as they prepare to launch next generation wireless services. As the chart below demonstrates, current expenditures on application development account for...

Cell-Loc set to launch wireless location ecoupon services in the U.S. this fall

telecom | 07/24/2000 4:00 am EDT

Cell-Loc Inc’s network and services subsidiary is ready to rollout its Cellocate Network in the Austin TX region this fall after securing more than 2,000 tower sites in the U.S. A leasing agreement with Sprint Sites USA gives the Calgary company’s location services division – TimesThree – enough tower space to...

Satellite radio battle threatens to derail spectrum harmonization for fixed services

telecom | 07/24/2000 4:00 am EDT

Industry Canada’s proposal to open up new spectrum for fixed wireless services has re-opened a longstanding dispute between Canada and the U.S. over the introduction of digital radio broadcasting. At issue is a plan by the Canadian government to harmonize radio frequencies between us and our neighbour to the south, in...

WCS spectrum presents major opportunity for broadband wireless access providers

telecom | 07/24/2000 4:00 am EDT

Unlicensed spectrum could alleviate the crunch for fixed wireless services, and fuel a new competitor in the high-speed Internet access market, according to a new report by PricewaterhouseCooper’s wireless practice in Canada. Following years of uncertainty regarding the technical capabilities of wireless communications...

Hybrid Networks hopes to expand marketshare with Inukshuk contract

telecom | 07/24/2000 4:00 am EDT

Hybrid Networks Inc is banking on its relationships with Look Communications and Bell Canada to convince Inukshuk Internet Inc and SaskTel that they should use the company’s equipment for their new MCS networks. The San Jose CA-based firm has been supplying wireless cable equipment to Look for nearly two years, with...

United States puts out call for more collaboration in preparation for next WRC

telecom | 07/24/2000 4:00 am EDT

The U.S. ambassador to this year’s World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) is pushing for greater cooperation between countries in North and South America in hopes of creating a hemispheric voting block comparable in power to Europe and Asia. In a keynote address July 10 to delegates at the Wireless Communications...

Resignation of CEO heightens uncertainty about the future of Call-Net Enterprises

telecom | 07/16/2000 4:00 am EDT

The departure of Kevin Bennis as president and CEO of Call-Net Enterprises Inc has dealt another blow to the battered telco. Only in the position since last October, Bennis quit to take a job in the U.S. The company has appointed board member Peter Tanaka as the acting president while it searches for a new boss. Last...

Fundamental changes to telecom regulations needed if Internet to succeed

telecom | 07/16/2000 4:00 am EDT

The CRTC should adopt a new regulatory regime for telecom that reflects the technical realities of the Internet rather than the "obsolete design philosophies" of legacy networks, according to a new report by consultants Timothy Denton and François Ménard.  The 31-page paper is promoting an idea that is gaining widespread acceptance among engineers who see next generation networks more focussed on software protocols than underlying hardware facilities. And with this transition, the paper notes, comes a need for regulators to promote packet-based networks that are oblivious to the types of bits they carry.  "The rules for the provisioning of basic telephony service...

Proposal to build national Internet network challenges “big iron” telecom networks

telecom | 07/16/2000 4:00 am EDT

Preliminary discussions with the federal government and industry stakeholders have begun to create a $50-$150 million optical network linking Canada with Europe and Asia to create a global Internet hub in this country. The idea has already received the support of the board of directors of CANARIE...

Ownership restrictions are outdated and hinder Canadian success, report states

telecom | 07/16/2000 4:00 am EDT

Canada’s foreign ownership limits in the telecommunications sector need to be changed, but the healthy state of the industry has caused that fact to be overlooked. That is the focus of a study from Wall Communications Inc commissioned by nine telcos. "Current ownership restrictions have imposed unwarranted costs...

Regulator seeks to move telemarketing limits from regional to national level

telecom | 07/16/2000 4:00 am EDT

The CRTC is looking to impose telemarketing restrictions across the country. Currently the rules apply only to certain ILECs and to CLECs that operate in the same territory. The regulations do not affect independent telcos, IXCs or wireless service providers (WSPs). At the end of June, the commission issued Public...

NL People

telecom | 07/16/2000 4:00 am EDT

Kevin Bennis has stepped down as president and CEO of Call-Net Enterprises Inc. He will become the president of Dynamic Telecom Engineering in Virginia. Peter Tanaka will act as head of the telco until a replacement can be found.  Ottawa-based NetStone Communications Inc has named David Schultz as its regional VP for western Canada, located in Calgary. He previously worked for MetroNet Communications Corp and...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 07/16/2000 4:00 am EDT

Sprint Canada introduces new long distance planSprint Canada has introduced a new LD rate in Quebec and Ontario. Subscribers in those two provinces can call anywhere in Canada for 10 cents during peak times each weekday and five cents for evenings and weekends.   Bell launches LD/Internet bundleBell has introduced a long distance/Internet bundle for users of its Sympatico High Speed Edition. For $44.95 per month, subscribers receive 120 minutes of LD minutes and dedicated unlimited Internet access.  Bell moves into West CoastBell Intrigna has activated its fibre-optic network from Alberta to British Columbia in order to market its services to customers in Vancouver. Previously, the company had been reselling Telus LD service under its brand and leasing from other companies to provide Internet access.  AT&T makes moves in Vancouver, TorontoAT&T Canada Inc has opened an Internet data centre in Vancouver and expanded the space in one of its centres in Toronto. The facilities are part of the company’s Internet Data...

Lessons learned from Telus-BCTel merger

telecom | 07/16/2000 4:00 am EDT

The following remarks were made by Ian Mansfield,president, Telus Communications Inc, at the CMC Series 2000 Business Solutions Leadership Forum in Toronto on June 15. They have been edited for brevity. Click here for the full speech..   I am going to share some of the lessons we at TELUS have learned about mergers, and why you need to put...

NL Editorial

telecom | 07/16/2000 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Canada’s position as a leader in the deployment of fibre optic networks should continue unabated. As our article shows, the folks at CANARIE remain at the forefront of backbone development. While the rollout of the CA*net 3 is continuing, CANARIE is looking ahead to the deployment of the next...

NL People

telecom | 07/04/2000 4:00 am EDT

There's been a new round of appointments at BCE Inc. Michael Sabia is the new EVP of the telecom giant, while continuing as vice-chair of Bell Canada International. Taking Sabia's place as president and CEO of BCI is Louis Tanguay, most recently president of Bell Quebec. His first act as boss was to name Robert Bouchard as EVP and COO of the firm. Bouchard was previously BCI's VP operations support. The parent...

Don’t bid adieu to the glory days of telecom monopolies just yet

telecom | 07/04/2000 4:00 am EDT

BCE plans to buy Teleglobe Inc. BC Telecom and Telus merge. AT&T acquired Metronet. MCI Worldcom wants Sprint. And British wireless giant Vodafone PLC gobbles Mannesmann AG in a US$127-billion hostile bid. Faced with a two-year wave of mega-deals in the global telecom industry in which each acquisition eclipses the...

NL Editorial

telecom | 07/04/2000 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 attempted revitalization of Sprint Canada by Call-Net Enterprises illustrates the dichotomy facing all telcos in this country. They must serve many masters, but are required to put a contradictory spin on each facet.  To its shareholders, a company must be lean and efficient. Revenues must be...

Cabinet upholds CRTC rulings, suggests others could start paying contribution

telecom | 07/04/2000 4:00 am EDT

The federal cabinet is suggesting that changes to the long distance contribution regime are warranted, and that other telecom companies may have to start paying into the $800-million subsidy fund. But rather than overturn Telecom Decision 99-20, the government believes the CRTC is best equipped to deal with the concerns in...

Sprint Canada prepares for the long haul, but may be affected by parent’s takeover

telecom | 07/04/2000 4:00 am EDT

The current market upheaval in telecom services is forcing Call-Net Enterprises Inc to reassess its business plan. Changes in the domestic market and the international scene could see the Sprint Canada parent reinvent itself. At the firm's AGM in late June, president and CEO Kevin Bennis...

Cable industry’s offer of third party access wins cautious approval from Internet firms

telecom | 07/04/2000 4:00 am EDT

The long drawn out fight between cablecos and ISPs over third party access may finally be coming to a close. Then again, technology may delay the launch even further. The major cable companies have filed implementation schedules with the CRTC for Third Party Residential Internet Access (TPRIA)....

SaskTel pitches employees on sverance and early retirement in cost cutting move

telecom | 07/04/2000 4:00 am EDT

SaskTel is offering a buyout package to most of its employees in an attempt to reduce its internal costs. The company, which recently came under federal jurisdiction, wants to shed 10 per cent of its workforce over the next three years. The initial phase of the cutbacks began last year when the company instituted an early retirement program. Workers who are at least 60 years old or who have 30 years of pensionable time are eligible. Those whose age and years of service add up to 80 years also fall under the program.  "There are about 440 employees who would qualify for it," SaskTel spokesman Tim Kydd explained to Network Letter, "and they have until 2002 to notify us...

Manitoba needs to become more fibre friendly, especially in rural areas; report

telecom | 07/04/2000 4:00 am EDT

Manitoba must join the rest of the country in the delivery of a fibre optic backbone, the Manitoba Innovation Network (MIN) says. Demand for the service is outstripping delivery. "An examination of the pace of broadband infrastructure deployment in Manitoba indicates we are trailing other Canadian and U.S....

NL Short Takes

telecom | 07/04/2000 4:00 am EDT

Sprint Canada introduces new long distance planSprint Canada has introduced a new LD rate in Quebec and Ontario. Subscribers in those two provinces can call anywhere in Canada for 10 cents during peak times each weekday and five cents for evenings and weekends.   Télébec purchases cablecoProvincial ILEC Télébec has bought the shares in Cablevision du Nord de Québec from president Roland Hamel. No purchase...

Entrants ask federal cabinet to overturn CRTC decision on LD contribution

telecom | 06/19/2000 4:00 am EDT

Separating fact from fiction in the high stakes war over contribution has moved from the halls of the CRTC to the federal cabinet and even the Senate chamber. Just two weeks before the commission begins hearings into the broader issue of contribution, the cabinet is already weighing the evidence from some hotly worded...

Manufacturer launches media campaign to sell digital LAN switches to home market

telecom | 06/19/2000 4:00 am EDT

A Canadian subsidiary of a multinational switch manufacturer has launched a high-profile advertising campaign to convince consumers that the time is ripe to install a digital network in their homes. D-Link Networks Inc of Oakville ON distributed a 16-page glossy insert in the Globe and Mail this month promoting its series...

Toronto councillor asks telecom executives to help finance election campaign

telecom | 06/19/2000 4:00 am EDT

A Toronto city councillor who's also a member of the municipality's telecommunications committee is being criticized by one of his colleagues for soliciting campaign donations from telecom companies that are lobbying the city for access to rights of way. Rob Davis is a nine-year veteran of local government who is running in the St. Paul's West ward. "Rob Davis has also done a remarkable job as a key player in the city's new Telecom Committee, vice-chair of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and a member of the works committee," a fundraising letter from consultant Paul Christie says. "I believe Rob will take on a greater role on the Telecom Committee in...

Montreal manufacturer not threatened by AT&T’s entry into speech recognition

telecom | 06/19/2000 4:00 am EDT

AT&T Corp's recent announcement that it's investing in voice-recognition company SpeechWorks International does not worry a Montreal firm in the same field. In fact, Mark Lowe, market relations manager of Locus Dialogue Inc, says he welcomes the challenge. "Their activities...

Pilot project in Toronto seeks to make 211 as ubiquitous as 911 dialing

telecom | 06/19/2000 4:00 am EDT

The City of Toronto is spearheading a drive to have a national abbreviated dialing code that would link users to social services in the same way that 911 provides emergency assistance. The United Way of Greater Toronto and Community Information Toronto will soon file an application with the CRTC asking that 211 be adopted...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 06/19/2000 4:00 am EDT

Jean Monty hints that BCE may reduce price for TeleglobeTelecom giant BCE Inc says it is holding talks with the independent committee of the Teleglobe Inc board of directors to discuss the offering price for outstanding shares. Offhand remarks by BCE CEO Jean Monty in New York about seeking a lower price led to a run on Teleglobe and BCE shares on the stock market. BCE originally offered $9.6 billion for the rest of...

NL People

telecom | 06/19/2000 4:00 am EDT

Maxim Jean-Louis has been added to the review panel of ORION, the Ontario Research and Innovation Optical Network. He is the president of the Collège des Grands Lacs in Toronto.  Ron Waite, a 26-year veteran of Island Tel, has been named regional VP (PEI) and VP carrier services for Aliant. He succeeds Philip Acorn, the president and COO of Island Tel, which was merged into Aliant. Acorn will work on special...

What southerners take for granted, northern Canadians can only hope for

telecom | 06/19/2000 4:00 am EDT

Southern Canadians have gone beyond dreaming of the arrival of competition, convergence and broadband speeds. In many parts of Canada, they are now taking it for granted. Such is not the reality for the approximately 110,000 Canadians who live in the northern territories, and the remote northern areas of British...

NL Editorial

telecom | 06/19/2000 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 application by the United Way of Greater Toronto and Community Information Toronto (CIT) to establish the 211 dialing code is a worthwhile advance in the provision of telephony services. As our article on page 5 of this issue points out, the system will provide easy dial-up access to social...

NL Editorial

telecom | 06/05/2000 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Canada appears to have leapt to the forefront of the fibre optic revolution. The flurry of announcements from all levels of government - including municipal - has put Canada's rollout of advanced networks years ahead of even the most optimistic predictions.  Public and private concerns are...

Ottawa-Carleton becomes latest municipality to join optical network craze

telecom | 06/05/2000 4:00 am EDT

The completion of CANARIE's cross-Canada optical network combined with the plummeting cost of dark fibre is accelerating the rollout of regional and municipal fibre builds. With municipalities in Quebec and Ontario now firmly committed to dark fibre builds, and announcements pending in British Columbia, Alberta and Nova...

Telecom access to office towers attracts foreign companies to Canadian market

telecom | 06/05/2000 4:00 am EDT

Business demand for telecom services is growing so rapidly, foreign firms are now flocking to Canada. One of the most recent to enter is OnSite Access Inc of New York, which recently established a Canadian subsidiary to provide services to small- and medium-sized businesses in commercial buildings. OnSite Access-Canada's new president and GM believes there are two reasons his employer has set up shop here. "The Canadian market actually represents a large market in North America when it comes to real estate and this type of service of providing business-centric communications," John Piercy explained to Network Letter. "The ‘why now' is really a result of the fact...

An interview with Larry Olsen–360networks using IPO proceeds to finish network builds in North America, Europe

telecom | 06/05/2000 4:00 am EDT

Armed with $745 million from its initial public offering, 360networks Inis ramping up an ambitious construction program that will see 90,000 route km of fibre optics installed by mid-2001 throughout North America and Europe, as well as undersea. The Canadian leg of the network - some 2050 route km -...

Cannect looks at new ways of doing business; challenges telcos & new entrants

telecom | 06/05/2000 4:00 am EDT

A new entrant to the CLEC wars is challenging conventional telecom wisdom, saying bundling and longterm contracts mimic the old monopoly models and do little to serve small- and medium-sized business customers. Cannect Communications Inc arrived on the Canadian scene just over two years ago, and is currently making its way...

BCE transformation moving in right direction, Yankee Group study finds

telecom | 06/05/2000 4:00 am EDT

BCE Inc's proposed takeover of CTV Inc is the final piece of a puzzle that should see the telecom giant retain its place at the head of the pack, according to a new study by the Yankee Group in Canada. The last few months have seen BCE acquire Aliant Inc, purchase an equity stake in Manitoba Telecom Services, and...

Balancing competition and the public interest; CRTC readies three-year agenda

telecom | 06/05/2000 4:00 am EDT

The CRTC is doing much soul searching these days. Faced with the increasingly difficult task of balancing Canada's industrial needs with its social policy objectives, the commission is developing a new action plan that it hopes can do both effectively. Shirley Soehn, the commission's director general of...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 06/05/2000 4:00 am EDT

QuébecTel shareholders approve takeover by TelusQuébecTel of Rimouski QC has approved its takeover by Telus Communications of Burnaby BC. The deal was accepted by 97 per cent of shareholders and 83.3 per cent of minority shareholders. Shareholders will be paid $23 per share on June 5, making the total package worth $582 million. QuébecTel signs agreement for fibre installationQuébecTel has signed a deal with le Réseau interordinateurs scientifique québécois (RISQ) to install a fibre network in the province. The backbone will connect schools and research facilities throughout Quebec.Optel adopts Axxent in hunt for new businessOCI Communications Inc of Toronto, parent firm of Optel Communications Corp, is changing its name to Axxent Inc. The subsidiary will now be known as Axxent Corp. The firm also announced the creation of Rhythms Canada Inc, a joint partnership Rhythms NetConnections Inc of Englewood CO.Telus and HP Canada join up to provide business solutionsTelus and Hewlett-Packard (Canada) Ltd have formed a strategic alliance...

NL People

telecom | 06/05/2000 4:00 am EDT

Michael Boychuk is the new CFO of Teleglobe Inc. He replaces Claude Seguin, who remains at the company as a special advisor. The BCE subsidiary is the holding company for Teleglobe Communications Corp, which made a number of senior appointments recently.  Wi-LAN Inc of Calgary has opened an office in Reading UK. It will be headed by Adrian Wheeler, the director of European sales. The 17-year telecom veteran has...

DSL’s simplicity gives telcos advantage over cable modems, industry veteran says

telecom | 05/23/2000 4:00 am EDT

The advent of plug and play equipment for high-speed Internet access could be a major moneymaker for telcos, according to a leading American telecom expert. Douglas Hill, senior product marketing manager, broadband access solutions for Paradyne Corp of Largo FL, says consumer demand for high-speed...

Ontario Hydro roars into telecom market with comparison shopping for clients

telecom | 05/23/2000 4:00 am EDT

Ontario Hydro has no immediate plans to become a CLEC, but its pending launch of new billing software could trigger an unexpected price war among telecom service providers. It's a first for North America that will see the provincial utility become a bundled service provider, offering customers a diverse menu of basic...

BCE marries speed and content to take lead over other Internet portals, new study finds

telecom | 05/23/2000 4:00 am EDT

BCE Inc is leading other telecom, cable and publishing companies in the race to establish Internet portals that offer compelling content over high bandwidth networks, according to a new report by The Yankee Group in Canada. Released in April, All Aboard!: Last Call for Portal Partners says BCE's...

CRTC launches proceeding to tackle number depletion in Toronto suburbs

telecom | 05/23/2000 4:00 am EDT

The CRTC is seeking public input into the exhaustion of telephone numbers in the 905 area code district outside of Toronto. Following a study done for it by the Canadian Numbering Administrator (CNA), the commission released PN 2000-67, asking for feedback on possible solutions to the number depletion. In March the CNA...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 05/23/2000 4:00 am EDT

Smart Community winners announcedMore than a year after the federal government first announced the project, Industry Canada has selected the winning applicants to participate in the Smart Communities Demonstration Project. The final winners tend to be smaller and/or remote centres, with just a hint of partisan intrigue to make it interesting.It came as no surprise that Ontario's spot went to Ottawa. The capital has...

NL People

telecom | 05/23/2000 4:00 am EDT

Major changes have occurred in the boardroom of AT&T Canada Inc. John McLennan, one-time president and CEO of Bell Canada, is the new vice chair and CEO. Jim Meenan is stepping down as CEO, but will remain as a director of the company. Craig Young remains as vice chair but is resigning as president. He will be replaced by Harry Truderung, who becomes president/COO. He previously worked at Telus.  They're...

A European perspective on how Canada’s long distance market is evolving

telecom | 05/23/2000 4:00 am EDT

Network Letter recently sat down with Michael Ryan, a lawyer with Coudert Brothers' global telecommunications practice in London England. Up until 1994, Ryan had worked as VP law at Unitel Communications Inc (now AT&T Canada). After fighting to open up Canada's long distance market to competition, he says...

NL Editorial

telecom | 05/23/2000 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's a shame when outdated material and uninformed reporters combine to present an unclear picture of Canada's telecommunications market. Yet that's what readers of the Ottawa Citizen were subjected to recently.  Under the headline "Canadians hooked on cable Internet", the story pointed out that cable hookups in Canada are at twice the rate of the United States. The cause of this, we are told, is third-party access. "The CRTC has mandated third-party access to cable, creating a competitive environment among Internet cable providers that does not yet exist in the U.S.," the article states. This is patently ludicrous to anyone who follows the industry.  While the CRTC may expect cablecos to share their networks, the companies have been shamefully slow to comply. The Canadian Association of Internet Providers has destroyed entire forests filing paperwork to the commission that...

Toronto’s telecom committee submitting proposal in June for mega-city fibre build

telecom | 05/23/2000 4:00 am EDT

The City of Toronto could soon be the first Canadian municipality to have its own fibre-optic network running through its communities, if a recommendation by a council committee is accepted. The telecommunications steering committee is advocating running the network through the city's subway...

SaskTel given 18 months to fully prepare for return to federal telecom regulation

telecom | 05/23/2000 4:00 am EDT

The CRTC has set the parameters that will permit prairie telco SaskTel to move from provincial jurisdiction to federal regulation. The provincially owned company, which has been regulated by its parent for the past seven years, will fall back under the CRTC's authority on June 30. But it will have 18 months to fully...

CAIP demands definitive decision from CRTC on high-speed Internet resale

telecom | 05/09/2000 4:00 am EDT

The Canadian Association of Internet Providers (CAIP) has cut off negotiations with cablecos over the contentious issue of third-party access, and will be calling on the CRTC this week to settle the three-year-old dispute. CAIP president Jay Thomson told Network Letter that he will be sending a letter to the commission...

New DSL competitors covet Canadian market; CLECs want barriers maintained

telecom | 05/09/2000 4:00 am EDT

Canadian CLECs are urging the CRTC to reject a plan by Bell Canada that would result in the emergence of a new high-speed competitor in Canada. At issue is a tariff application which, if approved, would allow Bell to lease copper loops and connecting links to companies not bound by foreign ownership limits. Bell has asked...

DSLcon-00–Savvy marketing could turn DSL into magic bullet for telcos, delegates told

telecom | 05/09/2000 4:00 am EDT

Cable modems may be leading the race for high-speed subscribers, but DSL continues to maintain a technological edge, according to industry executives speaking at a recent DSL conference. What's missing, they say, is targeted and aggressive marketing, as well as a way to recoup connectivity costs. Presented for the first time in Canada, DSLcon Canada attracted 651 delegates. Several sessions stressed how CLECs could gain an advantage over ILECs and how both could outdo their rivals in the cable industry. The four-day conference and trade show took place earlier this month in Richmond Hill ON. Tom Mitchell, executive director of broadband services for Nortel Networks Corp, told...

DSLcon-00–Telcos prepare for evolution of DSL into voice and video, delegates told

telecom | 05/09/2000 4:00 am EDT

Digital subscriber lines are in the process of moving from a niche service to a volume service, delegates attending a recent conference on the technology were told. Gary Bolton, VP marketing for Catena Networks, was one of several panelists participating in the DSLcon conference and exhibition in...

Telcos should re-examine their strategies as competition unfolds, conference told

telecom | 05/09/2000 4:00 am EDT

Radical new thinking is necessary for the telcos of the future, according to participants at a recent conference in Ottawa. The Canadian Telecommunications Policy Forum was held April 19 and 20 and permitted industry experts to prognosticate on where telecom is going. The consensus was that digital subscriber line (DSL)...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 05/09/2000 4:00 am EDT

CRTC orders MTS to cover costs of dissenting groupsThe CRTC has upheld a decision that forces MTS Communications Inc to pay two not-for-profit groups any costs they incurred while battling the prairie telco two years ago. The Consumers Association of Canada (Manitoba) (CAC) and the Manitoba Society of Seniors (MSOS) were granted $68,652.79 by the commission following Telecom Decision 99-4 . That decision denied the...

NL People

telecom | 05/09/2000 4:00 am EDT

Randall Benson is the new senior VP and CFO of Call-Net Enterprises Inc. He worked for Parmalat Canada and Beatrice Foods before joining the Sprint parent last October.  BCE Inc has named Jean Monty as chair of the board in addition to his duties as CEO. He was previously president of the communications giant. Jonathan Klug is the new CFO of Bell Canada. He is currently VP partner channels and alliances for SBC...

Senate Sub-committee chair outlines plans for upcoming industry review

telecom | 05/09/2000 4:00 am EDT

Canada's communications industries will have a chance to air their views on a variety of hot topics as the Senate Subcommittee on Communications prepares for a year-long review of the regulatory, cultural and consumer issues raised by competition and convergence (NL, April 25/00). Chairing the Transport and...

NL Editorial

telecom | 05/09/2000 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 DSLcon Canada conference and exhibition that has just concluded in Toronto can be ranked as a qualified success. Organizers had anticipated between 350 and 500 registrants; by mid-week 651 signed in. This marks the first time the show has had a specific Canadian component. Plans are underway to...

Northwestel offers to spend $110 million on capital projects over next four years

telecom | 04/25/2000 4:00 am EDT

Northwestel is looking to the territorial governments and a proposed new federal subsidy program to offset the high capital costs of bringing basic and advanced telecom services to northern Canada. As part of its four-year construction program review, filed March 31 with the CRTC, the telco says it's prepared to spend...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 04/25/2000 4:00 am EDT

CRTC subjects large cablecos to high speed access rulesThe CRTC has amended its findings on what companies constitute larger cable carriers. The commission's Telecom Decision 99-8 concerned the regulation of incumbent cable carriers' high-speed access services. When the initial ruling came out in July of last year, seven firms were categorized as "larger": Rogers Communications Inc, Vidéotron ltée,...

NL People

telecom | 04/25/2000 4:00 am EDT

Kevin Bennis, president and CEO of Call-Net Enterprises Inc, has been appointed to the board of directors of the CLEC. He has been running the parent company of Sprint Canada since last year.  At Group Telecom Robert Watson has been named EVP carrier services. He is the former president of Shaw FiberLink Ltd, and previously served as president and COO of STN Inc and president and CEO of ACC Telenterprises Ltd. Another Shaw FiberLink alumnus, Malcolm Rodrigues, has been appointed senior VP operations. Ashok Bhatt is the new senior VP engineering. He used to work at Bell Canada International, Bell Sygma and Bell Canada. Norigen Communications has named Wendy Smith as its new VP client services. She joins the company from Bell Canada. Thomas Gillet has been appointed to the board of directors of C1 Communications Inc. The president and CEO of Digital Broadband Communications Inc is based in Waltham MA. Terence Jarman knows about rising through the ranks. In late January he was appointed vice chair, corporate at Bell...

Achieving Canada’s public policy objectives, without limits on foreign ownership

telecom | 04/25/2000 4:00 am EDT

Ask the average informed Canadian if foreign ownership rules in telecommunications should change and you would probably get an unhelpful, an underwhelming or an unprintable response. The world seems to have more pressing concerns to worry about. Why does the industry need a change in ownership...

NL Editorial

telecom | 04/25/2000 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 dangers of viewing the telecom industry from the national level is that we lose sight of what is happening at other planes. Manitoba Telecom Services (MTS) and SaskTel, for example, may not garner the same attention as other large ILECs, but that could change now that both companies have...

Senate hearing to review online privacy, e-commerce, competition and content

telecom | 04/25/2000 4:00 am EDT

The Canadian telecom industry will get another chance to lobby for changes in long distance contribution and foreign ownership limits as part of a Senate sub-committee inquiry into communications and competition. Announced April 19 at the Canadian Telecommunications Policy Forum in Ottawa, Senator Marie-P. Poulin said...

Sizing up potential suitors for Call-Net’s infrastructure and customer base

telecom | 04/25/2000 4:00 am EDT

Analysts expect Call-Net Enterprises Inc to be sold in whole or in part very soon, as the CLEC moves to make itself attractive to potential buyers. Already it has retreated from high risk and low margin residential long distance markets. The telco, which markets its services under the Sprint Canada name, replaced most...

Jurisdiction looms as key point in rights of way dispute between telcos and cities

telecom | 04/25/2000 4:00 am EDT

Should Canadian cities be able to turn a profit on telcos' access to public land? The cities say ‘yes', the telcos say ‘no' and the laws are subject to varied interpretations. Papers presented at a recent telecom conference raised questions but provided few answers. In mid-April the Law Society of Upper Canada hosted New Developments in Communications Law and Policy in Ottawa. One session was entitled "The Rights (and Wrongs) of Way: Legal and policy issues relating to access by communications companies to install facilities on municipal property". Participants hashed over the topic, all with their own spin on it. Toronto lawyer Hank Intven tabled a paper...

Can a square deal negate a fair deal: debate over industry-regulator contact continues

telecom | 04/25/2000 4:00 am EDT

The question of how cozy a regulator should be with a regulated industry became a topic for debate at last week's conference of the Law Society of Upper Canada. As a quasi-judicial tribunal, the CRTC is bound by certain codes of conduct, but those rules don't severely limit lobbyists'...

Americans give Canada failing grade for maintaining contribution subsidies

telecom | 04/10/2000 4:00 am EDT

The battle over contribution has spilled into the United States, with AT&T Corp using its influence in Washing-ton to promote the interests of its Canadian subsidiary, AT&T Canada. Early this month, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) issued its annual review of telecommunications trade...

CRTC slams Bell Canada for its refusal to switch customers to Optel

telecom | 04/10/2000 4:00 am EDT

Toronto-based Optel Communications Corp has won its Part VII application before the CRTC accusing Bell Canada of the equivalent of "slamming" local customers. In a decision released March 30, the commission took several opportunities to slap the wrists of the major telco for its marketing practices. The issue...

Business phone rates fall across Canada as telcos implement rate rebalancing

telecom | 04/10/2000 4:00 am EDT

The move to rebalance Canada's telephone rates is officially underway, and the main beneficiaries will be business customers who for decades have paid inflated rates to subsidize the cost of residential service. The telcos and the CRTC are now working towards reducing that subsidy - albeit gradually - and to bring local...

Telecom activity deals up growth in Canadian economy, Scotiabank finds

telecom | 04/10/2000 4:00 am EDT

Canada is poised to experience solid growth and the telecom sector is a major contributor to the increase, a new study finds. In its latest Provincial Pulse report, the Bank of Nova Scotia predicts expansion in the Canadian economy. Economists Caroline Silsbury and Mary Webb forecast national output to increase by 4.4...

Pay phones advance into new century with Internet-ready machines

telecom | 04/10/2000 4:00 am EDT

With the advent of wireless communications making conventional pay phones obsolete, Canada Pay-phone Corp of Vancouver has decided to move up to another level. Its Grapevine Network Terminals bring video technology to its new kiosks. "Primarily, it's a pay phone. It has all the bells and whistles and features...

The CRTC faces several options for long distance contribution, too bad none of them are perfect

telecom | 04/10/2000 4:00 am EDT

In its ongoing review of the current long distance contribution collection mechanism, the CRTC faces a difficult choice among a relatively poor set of options. Motivated by the joint application filed in the fall of 1998 by AT&T Canada, Call-Net, ACC and London Telecom, the commission...

NL People

telecom | 04/10/2000 4:00 am EDT

Northwestel has temporarily appointed Paul Flaherty as president. The former president of Northern Telephone Ltd and Nortel Mobility has also worked at Bell Canada.  Lawrence Cunningham is now VP corporate affairs and general counsel for Total Telecom Inc. Cunningham has been a director of the Edmonton-based company and had practiced commercial law at the firm of Hustwick, Wetsch and Co. Norigen Communications...

NL Editorial

telecom | 04/10/2000 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, the Canadian Cable Television Association released the first volley in a new lobby campaign aimed at reducing the commission's heavy regulatory load by persuading it to rely more on exemption, forbearance and dispute resolution.  Outlined in a discussion paper entitled E-TV: The Integration of Culture and Commerce, the CCTA calls for the deregulation or forbearance in all areas where there are no bottleneck facilities or potential abuses of market power. What the CCTA is proposing is more evolutionary than revolutionary. An increasing number of regulatory battles are already occurring behind the scenes between industry players and CRTC staff operating within the guidelines of the commission's Interconnection Steering Committee . Companies are also relying more heavily on Part VII applications and the courts to resolve disputes. Industry players want the commission to shift its focus from...