ROW Editorial

telecom | 08/25/2006 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 wireless industry appears to be headed for some significant changes in the near future as the impact of Vidéotron ltée’s entry into the market and the hiring of Wade Oosterman to head Bell Mobility reverberate across the sector.  Normally, the entry of a wireless reseller and the...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 08/17/2006 4:00 am EDT

Yellow Pages to acquire MTS directoriesMTS Allstream has announced that it has reached an agreement to sell its telephone directories business to Yellow Pages Group Co. for $281 million, of which $275 million will be paid in cash. "This transaction is a clear sign of our commitment to create and deliver long-term value for our shareholders," MTS Allstream, president and CEO Pierre Blouin said in a news release....

NL People

telecom | 08/17/2006 4:00 am EDT

Isabelle Courville has stepped down as president of Bell Canada’s enterprise group. Courville has led a number of important initiatives at Bell including leading the integration of Télébec and NorthernTel while she was president and CEO of the Bell Nordiq Group. She also spearheaded the creation of the Bell Nordiq Income Fund, the first of its kind in the Canadian telecommunications industry. Since being named...

Bell states case for adoption of Policy Direction to CRTC

telecom | 08/17/2006 4:00 am EDT

Comments to Industry Minister Maxime Bernier’s proposed Policy Direction to the CRTC are rolling in with respective parties arguing why it should or should not be adopted. Below is an excerpt from Bell Canada.  It is widely agreed that telecommunications regulation in Canada is urgently in need of reform. It places...

NL Editorial

telecom | 08/17/2006 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  As you most likely read in Network Letter’s lead article, there appears to be a rather large gap in how and where VoIP service complaints are dealt with. The CRTC’s Paul Godin says complaints about dropped calls from a VoIP customer are not the responsibility of the commission.  That seems like a puzzling answer since the commission ruled that VoIP service will be treated the same as traditional circuit-switched telephony for regulatory purposes. If VoIP is the same as traditional phone service, then why aren’t complaints dealt with in the same manner? The answer: the forbearance ruling removed the CRTC from regulating some aspects of VoIP including connection quality. Here, he must be referring to the Internet connection at the customer’s premise and Internet access is largely unregulated.  This is where the confusion begins to set in. If a VoIP customer gets shoddy VoIP service, it’s...

Fog obscures VoIP complaint resolution process

telecom | 08/17/2006 4:00 am EDT

Telephone-service customers on incumbent phone networks have a straightforward path to complaint resolution and restitution should the services they receive fail to impress, but the same can’t be said for VoIP service customers.  While the CRTC reviews the complaints it receives from phone users, and engages carriers to help solve problems, the...

ILECs, competitors begin debating definition of wireless substitution

telecom | 08/17/2006 4:00 am EDT

While the CRTC very well may determine that mobile wireless services should be considered in the same market as wireline services with respect to forbearance, which wireless subscribers can be counted against an ILECs market share will be another issue altogether.  "The fact that there are some households for whom...

Canada still battling rural/urban digital divide on Internet usage

telecom | 08/17/2006 4:00 am EDT

A new survey released by Statistics Canada says that fewer Canadians living in rural and remote areas of the country were accessing the Internet with a high-speed connection in 2005 compared to those living in urban areas.  According to the Canadian Internet Use Survey, approximately 2.7 million Canadians who accessed...

Look to UK for evidence of effective wholesale regime: MTS Allstream

telecom | 08/17/2006 4:00 am EDT

MTS Allstream is warning the federal government that if it adopts the proposed policy direction issued and tabled in Parliament by Industry Minister Maxime Bernier on June 13 as it is currently written, telecom competition in the country will wane.  The telephone company says that the government needs to adopt a...

Competitors: rate ranges should only be allowed under certain guidelines

telecom | 08/17/2006 4:00 am EDT

Consumers will be the main beneficiaries of the increased influences of market forces on pricing due to the use of rate ranges for telecommunications services according to a joint submission to the CRTC from Bell Canada, NorthernTel LP and Télébec. Of course, the ability to respond to competitive pricing quicker will...

AWS auction consultation document coming this fall: Industry Canada

telecom | 07/27/2006 4:00 am EDT

The spectrum auction for advanced wireless services (AWS), commonly referred to as 3G, will not take place in March 2007, according to Industry Canada officials. It was rumoured that the auction of 80 MHz of spectrum in the 1700 MHz and 2100 MHz bands was scheduled for next March, but two key department officials involved...

Virgin Mobile taking full advantage of pre-paid renaissance

telecom | 07/27/2006 4:00 am EDT

The recent assertion from Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Mobile Canada, that it had 250,000 subscribers demonstrates the country’s pre-paid wireless market is picking up steam again. In fact, pre-paid is showing signs of a renaissance not seen since 2001 (see chart below).  Fiscal 2005 saw new net pre-paid...

If you use handheld devices while driving, at least do it safely: IMS

telecom | 07/27/2006 4:00 am EDT

While the influx of technology into cars has been increasingly taking drivers’ hands off the wheel and eyes off the road, a Waterloo ON-based company is using technology to help put the focus back on driving. Intelligent Mechatronic Systems Inc.’s (IMS) iLane is a hands- and eyes-free wireless email solution...

Technicalities slow Toronto Hydro Telecom’s Wi-Fi deployment

telecom | 07/27/2006 4:00 am EDT

Not enough electricity. Concerns from the police and health agencies. And a need to address all of these things. No wonder Toronto Hydro Telecom Inc.’s (THT) Wi-Fi "blanket" for downtown Hogtown is behind schedule.  In a July press conference, THT representatives explained how various hurdles have slowed the wireless data network rollout. Phase I, covering the financial district, was supposed to be up and running in June. Now THT says it will be launched September 7. The press conference was meant to focus on technical details, but journalists largely wanted to know why the plan is off its time-budget.  In fact, technical aspects have a lot to do with THT’s tardiness. For instance, consider the carrier’s plan to install Wi-Fi access points on street light poles....

Mobile TV technology to shift to multi-cast services in the future: Juniper

telecom | 07/27/2006 4:00 am EDT

A new white paper from Juniper Research Ltd. suggests that as demand for mobile TV programming increases a shift from streaming services such as MobiTV to broadcast-like technologies will occur, leaving the unicast cellular model behind.  Mobile TV: Watch it Grow highlights technology trends, possible winners and...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 07/27/2006 4:00 am EDT

Nokia and Motorola continue to capture the lion’s share of cell phone shipments with second quarter 2006 the market share figure nearly hitting 55%, according to Q2 estimates from IDC. Motorola saw huge jump in handset shipments and this is largely attributed to stellar sales of its RAZR handset and surprising popularity of iDEN devices. While many thought this could be the year that one billion handsets would be...

ROW People

telecom | 07/27/2006 4:00 am EDT

Intrinsyc Software International Inc. has appointed Glenda Dorchak as its new CEO and will take a seat on the board of directors, succeeding Derek Spratt. She comes to Intrinsyc from Intel Corp. and has 30 years experience in the technology industry. Dorchak began her career at IBM Canada and spent more than 20 years with the firm in Canada and the United States.  She held a number of positions, including director of...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 07/27/2006 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 Industry Canada has publicly stated that a consultation to set the rules for the 3G spectrum auction is coming soon, talk will once again shift to the competitiveness of the Canadian wireless industry.  The merits of current government regulation (or lack thereof) and policies will be...

NL People

telecom | 07/24/2006 4:00 am EDT

Claude Mongeau and John David Watson have been appointed to Nortel’s board of directors. Mongeau has been the executive VP and CFO of Canadian National Railway Company since October 2000. He is also chairman of the audit committee and a member of the governance committee at SNCLavalin Group Inc. Watson was the executive VP and CFO of EnCana Corp. from its formation in 2002 until his retirement earlier this year. Prior to that he was the VP of finance and the CFO of Alberta Energy Company Ltd. Nortel also acknowledged the years of contribution and service by outgoing board directors Robert Brown, John Cleghorn, Robert Ingram and Ronald Osborne.  Tom Deyo has been appointed VP business development at Azcar Technologies Inc. For more than 20 years, Deyo has held business development and management positions with Sony’s Broadcast and Production Division and Harris Broadcast Division in Minneapolis, DC, Los Angeles and Chicago. Markham ON-based Azcar provides high-definition digital media solutions the broadcast, telecommunications,...

Bar association objects to ISPs monitoring of subscribers

telecom | 07/24/2006 4:00 am EDT

The Canadian Bar Association is sounding alarm bells over Internet service providers’ practice of monitoring their subscribers’ communications. The association says this could have a serious impact on lawyer-client confidentiality.  The CBA has raised its concern with the ministers responsible for the Department of...

NL Editorial

telecom | 07/24/2006 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  Incumbent telephone companies sternly criticized Primus Telecommunications Canada’s call for a resetting of the no-winback rule to 12 months (see article in this issue).  This shouldn’t come as a surprise as the ILECs believe that the current no-winback rule of three months is...

Northwestel seeks price regulation, opponents decry proposed rate increases

telecom | 07/24/2006 4:00 am EDT

Consumer groups, northern businesses and territorial governments had dramatically different reactions than Telus Corp. to Northwestel Inc.’s proposal for a new telecommunications regulatory framework for the north. At a four-day-long public hearing last week, northerners also had a difference of opinion with Northwestel...

Vidéotron benefiting from low-priced telephony strategy: UBS

telecom | 07/24/2006 4:00 am EDT

A new report from UBS Securities Canada indicates that the aggressive pricing approach Vidéotron ltée used to secure upwards of 225,000 telephony subscribers "didn’t leave money on the table."  The investment house concludes that lower telephony pricing has positioned the Quebec-based cable company for...

Moving convergence from out of reach to profitable reality

telecom | 07/24/2006 4:00 am EDT

Thanks to convergence, we have the remarkable flexibility to communicate via voice, video and data – separately or all at once, at home or in the office and even as we travel. It represents a unique and unparalleled channel for service delivery and for carriers it’s a seemingly straightforward concept. However, when it...

ILECs tell CRTC to reject Primus Canada’s application on winback rules

telecom | 07/24/2006 4:00 am EDT

Incumbent telephone companies have resoundingly told the CRTC that it should reject Primus Telecommunications Canada Inc.’s application for a re-establishment of the 12-month no-winback rule (NL, June 22/06).  Aliant Inc., Bell Canada and SaskTel state in their July 6 response that Primus’ application runs counter...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 07/24/2006 4:00 am EDT

Bell ready to connect sea-to-sky corridorBell Canada has announced the final groundbreaking for the laying of fibre optic cable from Vancouver to Whistler. Once completed, the 120-kilometres of cable will be the backbone for all communications needs for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. This will include live broadcasting feeds to more than a billion viewers worldwide, Internet sharing of news stories and...

Department sets rules for fixed and mobile services in channels 2 to 59

telecom | 07/14/2006 4:00 am EDT

Industry Canada has set the rules for allowing the deployment of fixed and mobile wireless services in analog TV channels two to 59, but according to a representative from Canada’s wireless industry lobby group, it’s not yet clear where services can be implemented and how the licensing process is going to work....

Satellite licensing process more transparent: Industry Canada

telecom | 07/14/2006 4:00 am EDT

Industry Canada has kicked off an aggressive satellite licensing process with the goal of awarding 29 licences in 16 orbital slots. Telesat Canada, Ciel Satellite Communications Inc., Bell ExpressVu and Eutelsat SA are just some of the companies that have already expressed interest in some of the available licences. Announced on July 11, the department hopes to award the licences in about nine months or sometime in the spring of 2007.  This isn’t the first time Industry Canada has set an aggressive time frame for awarding a number of satellite positions and licences. Four years ago, the department initiated a consultation to assign certain orbital slots in the broadcasting-satellite services (BSS) band and to gain full international rights to other orbital locations (RoW, June...

More changes come for Bell Mobility: struggle or transition?

telecom | 07/14/2006 4:00 am EDT

Bell Mobility, one of the country’s three national wireless operators, has once again switched leaders. The company announced July 5 that three-year BCE Inc. veteran Robert Odendaal had decided to leave the firm to pursue other interests. Odendaal was also president of Bell Distribution Inc. (BDI).  This is third...

Bell Mobility aims for customer interaction with marketing program

telecom | 07/14/2006 4:00 am EDT

Fun is not a word one would automatically associate with Bell Mobility, the stalwart wireless service provider attached to Canada’s largest wireline carrier. But Bell Mobility’s marketing leaders are trying to change the company’s image with a summer program designed to raise the firm’s fun factor and increase...

Wireless companies are focused on building solid businesses, products: OWC

telecom | 07/14/2006 4:00 am EDT

The chair of the Ottawa Wireless Cluster (OWC) Neil Knudsen says he wasn’t surprised by the results of a survey of the Ottawa wireless industry last month which showed wireless companies in the nation’s capital are more intent on building their customer base and expanding their sales and marketing teams than they are on...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 07/14/2006 4:00 am EDT

Contract questions arise in BGM-CHUM discussionOn a July 12 conference call held to discuss the acquisition of Chum Ltd. by Bell Globemedia (BGM), at least one analyst raised the question of how the deal might affect Chum’s existing wireless partnerships.  Tim Casey from BMO Nesbitt Burns asked Chum CEO Jay Switzer how the analyst community should view the existing content and branding relationship Chum’s...

ROW People

telecom | 07/14/2006 4:00 am EDT

Dale Kearns, CFO of Zi Corp., will resign from the company in August to become the CFO and COO of a Toronto Stock Exchange-traded software company based in Calgary that does not compete with Zi. Milos Djokovic, Zi’s president and CEO, thanked Kearns for his contributions over the last five years in a news release.  If needed, Kearns will assist Zi during a transition period to be agreed upon. Calgary-based Zi Corp. delivers interface solutions to enhance the user experience of wireless and consumer technologies.  Broadband fixed wireless access solutions provider SR Telecom Inc. has named Serge Fortin its new president and CEO. Fortin most recently served in an executive capacity at Flag Telecom in London, England. Previous to that he held senior management positions, including COO, at Teleglobe, and he was also president and CEO of Bell Actimedia, and president and CEO of Tata Teleservices. Fortin succeeds William Aziz who has served as the company’s interim president and CEO since July 2005.  Burntsand Inc., a...

Report finds some companies non-compliant with TPC regulations

telecom | 07/14/2006 4:00 am EDT

A new report, conducted by Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton (RCGT) Consulting for Industry Canada, concludes that 16 out of 46 audited companies breached terms and conditions of the Technology Partnerships Canada (TPC) funding program. The following is an edited excerpt of the report.  Forty-seven companies were selected...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 07/14/2006 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 Canadian government continues to make additional spectrum available for the deployment of new services in rural and remote areas, and this is good news to users starving for higher-bandwidth services. It is equally good for service providers which will soon have access to additional spectrum to...

Economic regulation not required to protect business customers: CCT

telecom | 07/06/2006 4:00 am EDT

The Coalition for Competitive Telecommunications (CCT) continues to argue that the prices of incumbent telephone companies’ business services don’t require economic regulation. The CCT states in comments to the CRTC’s review of the VoIP ruling (Telecom Decision 2005-28) that ILECs can’t simply raise prices and not...

NL Editorial

telecom | 07/06/2006 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  Who can resist the big red Rogers? And not the company or its products, but those six upper-case letters that signify the Rogers brand. Exactly how much clout does that name itself carry?  Internet and phone service providers in certain Ontario cities like Hamilton, Burlington, St....

Cablecos need to defend their Internet, voice service from Rogers brand

telecom | 07/06/2006 4:00 am EDT

In two moves last month Rogers Cable Communications Inc. bolstered its national presence by expanding its Rogers Yahoo high-speed Internet offerings outside of its cable areas. Internet service providers in these regions now have more than just another competitor to contend with: they’ll have to defend their subscriber...

Yak might be on its way out of the VoIP market

telecom | 07/06/2006 4:00 am EDT

In a period of nine days Yak Communications Inc., a legacy and VoIP telephone services provider, made two announcements that could signify the beginning of the end of the company.  First, Yak established an independent committee to "review, study, explore and analyze various strategic alternatives to maximize its shareholder value,"...

Incumbents cheat at cards: competitors

telecom | 07/06/2006 4:00 am EDT

Who knew customer-appreciation cards could cause such a kerfuffle? Quebecor Media Inc. (QMI) is complaining once again that Bell Canada’s customer-appreciation cards violate the CRTC’s "winback" restrictions, but Bell says that’s not the case. Meanwhile Shaw Communications Inc. points to Telus Corp.’s customer-appreciation cards as...

Security, a concern for business VoIP systems: Above Security

telecom | 07/06/2006 4:00 am EDT

A Canadian VoIP security specialist says that service providers should heed warnings of potential security risks associated with IP telephony implementation. Robert Potvin, VP of strategic consulting with Above Security noted during a recent conference in Montreal that companies aren’t generally concerned about VoIP...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 07/06/2006 4:00 am EDT

US cable operator to use Nortel VoIP solutionOne of the 10 largest cable operators in America, Suddenlink Communications, will be using a VoIP solution from Nortel to provide telephone and multimedia services to its customers. The solution includes network design, integration, management and maintenance services, and the new network will provide VoIP services to Suddenlink’s customer base from California to North Carolina. "Nortel’s services and expertise, the proven interoperability of its VoIP solution and its IMS roadmap give us confidence that they can uniquely help our company launch and maintain a new VoIP service," said Terry Cordova, senior VP of engineering at Suddenlink, in a news release. Deployment of the network is expected to begin later this year and be completed by the end of 2007.  Canada, California establish high-bandwidth connectionA growing partnership between California and Canadian research leaders has resulted in the completion of a new high-bandwidth connection between Canada’s national...

NL People

telecom | 07/06/2006 4:00 am EDT

John Roese has been named CTO at Nortel Networks Corp. with the responsibility for the company’s overall research and development strategy and execution across all product portfolios. As well he will have the task of working closely with the chief strategy officer on emerging technologies, market opportunities and strategic partnerships. Roese joins Nortel from Broadcom Corp. where he was VP and CTO for network...

Industry Canada pushing public safety communications forward

telecom | 06/29/2006 4:00 am EDT

Slowly but surely, Canada’s spectrum regulator is forging ahead with policies to make it easier for public safety agencies to communicate with each other during times of emergency.  What started more than four years ago with a conference on public safety communications requirements is now coming to fruition with the...

CAB questions aspects of proposed mobile broadcasting exemption order

telecom | 06/29/2006 4:00 am EDT

The Canadian Association of Broadcasters is telling the CRTC that it should only exempt unicast mobile TV services – those offered over the cellular networks of Bell Mobility, Rogers Wireless and Telus Mobility – under its proposed exemption order for mobile television broadcasting undertakings.  The...

Mobile social networking could transform society: virtual reality pioneer

telecom | 06/29/2006 4:00 am EDT

Mobile telecommunications are "the social hormone" of 21st-century society, one of the pioneers of virtual reality said during a session at New Media BC’s recent Vidfest conference in Vancouver.  During the session, titled "The Future of Mobile Content," Mark Pesce, who was instrumental in...

Partnerships key to getting more money from wireless content: KPMG

telecom | 06/29/2006 4:00 am EDT

Canada’s wireless carriers should give serious consideration to advertising-supported content as a way to derive more revenue from their mobile data services, urges a new report from KPMG. The study, Consumers and Convergence, polled nearly 3,600 cell phone owners around the world, including 200 Canadians.  The report found that more than one-third of North American survey respondents wouldn’t pay a premium for converged services such as surfing the Internet, instant messaging and interactive gaming. Another 20% indicated they would be willing to spend 10% more than they do now, however.  The findings have significant implications for the wireless sector in Canada, as the study...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 06/29/2006 4:00 am EDT

Sirit wins $5.9 million contract in CaliforniaToronto-based RFID provider Sirit Inc. has secured an order valued at up to $5.9 million from the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) in California.  Beginning next month and running for one year, the contract requires Sirit to deliver a combination of its traditional sealed and new battery replaceable Title-21-based toll transponders at retail locations. "We are working...

ROW People

telecom | 06/29/2006 4:00 am EDT

John Roese has been named CTO at Nortel Networks Corp. with responsibility for the company’s overall research and development strategy and execution across all product portfolios. As well, he will have the task of working closely with the chief strategy officer on emerging technologies, market opportunities and strategic partnerships.  Roese joins Nortel from Broadcom Corp. where he was VP and CTO for network...

CWTA raises copyright concerns in consultation on mobile broadcasting

telecom | 06/29/2006 4:00 am EDT

The Canadian Wireless Tele-communications Association (CWTA) has red-flagged a provision in the proposed CRTC exemption order for mobile broadcasters.  The wireless industry lobby group questions the commission’s rationale in proposing a "signal retransmission consent requirement" for over-the-air...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 06/29/2006 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. A new report from KPMG suggests that wireless carriers should consider using an advertising-supported approach to offering content and other mobile data services to their subscribers. This, the firm says, is because consumers don’t want to pay more for such things as entertainment content,...

SaskTel points to elements of competition present in the province

telecom | 06/22/2006 4:00 am EDT

SaskTel took exception with comments from Access Communications to the proceeding reconsidering the VoIP decision. The following is an edited excerpt from those comments.  The commission noted in Decision 2005-28 that the ILECs are the dominant providers of local exchange services in Canada , based on market share; but...

NL Editorial

telecom | 06/22/2006 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  At a time when the telecommunications giants in the country are calling for less regulation of the sector, one of the industry’s main competitive providers is bucking the trend.  Primus Telecommunications Canada has told the CRTC that it was wrong to decrease the no-winback period from...

Return no-contact provision in winback rules to 12 months: Primus

telecom | 06/22/2006 4:00 am EDT

One of Canada’s main competitive telephone companies is telling the CRTC that it made a mistake when it returned the no-winback period to three months from 12 months in the local forbearance ruling (Telecom Decision 2006-15).  Primus Telecommunications Canada Inc. says while it agrees with the commission’s approach...

Few big grins for Minister Bernier’s policy directive to CRTC

telecom | 06/22/2006 4:00 am EDT

Telecom service provider representatives had mixed reactions to Industry Canada’s new policy direction to the CRTC. While some carrier are cautiously optimistic, others say it will be some time before the sector can decide whether this federal government statement is good news or bad.  On June 13 at the 2006 Canadian...

Canada seeks equilibrium in broadband rollouts

telecom | 06/22/2006 4:00 am EDT

The telecom industry continues to struggle to find the right balance between private and public interests to bring broadband to remote communities, according to a panel session at the 2006 Canadian Telecom Summit held June 12 to 14 in Toronto.  But this isn’t news as a variety of approaches to making broadband available on a national basis have been bandied about over the years. The theme has surfaced repeatedly over the years with no apparent consensus on how this important social and economic objective should be met.  Bill St. Arnaud, senior director, advanced networks at CANARIE Inc. urged the adoption of a "community-owned network", whereby citizens own the network’s underpinning infrastructure and carriers provide services. He pointed to Vasteras, Sweden as a...

‘Facilities-based competition has failed’: Blouin

telecom | 06/22/2006 4:00 am EDT

If Canada’s telecom regulators really want to foster industry-wide competition, they have to drop this notion that facilities-based competition is the only way forward, according to the CEO of MTS Allstream Inc. "Facilities-based competition has failed," Pierre Blouin declared in a keynote speech at the 2006 Canadian Telecom Summit on June...

Linux presents cost savings to cash-strapped carriers

telecom | 06/22/2006 4:00 am EDT

Telecom service providers looking to wring costs out of their business cycles should consider using the Linux operating system as one of the building blocks in their communication servers, according to an open-source software advocate.  Speaking at the 2006 Wireless & Mobile Expo and Conference in Toronto on June 8, Ibrahim Haddad, initiative...

Bell and Telus oppose abridged time frame proposed by Barrett on deferral accounts

telecom | 06/22/2006 4:00 am EDT

Bell Canada and Telus Corp. have taken Barrett Xplore Inc. (BXI) to task over its request that the CRTC impose a shorter time frame for comments and replies relating to its application to stay portions of its deferral account decision (Telecom Decision 2006-9). Barrett has asked the commission to implement an abridged time...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 06/22/2006 4:00 am EDT

Rogers responds to Comwave application on LNPRogers Communications Inc. has noted in its response to a Comwave Telecom Inc. application that it is not contravening CRTC rules with respect to porting numbers to the VoIP provider (NL, May 11/06). In a June 5 filing, the communications giant says that "the problems experienced by Comwave directly result either from their misrepresentation of their service requirements,...

NL People

telecom | 06/22/2006 4:00 am EDT

Johnston & Buchan LLP has announced that Jay Kerr-Wilson has become a partner of the firm. Kerr-Wilson was formerly VP of legal affairs at the now-defunct Canadian Cable Telecommunications Association (CCTA) where he was primarily responsible for acting on behalf of the Canadian cable industry in copyright, internet and broadcasting matters. Kerr-Wilson will practice primarily in the areas of communications and public law, with a particular emphasis on copyright. Jim Gibson has joined TelePlus Group as VP of business development. He brings 15 years of experience in the telecommunications industry in executive management areas of operations, product development, customer service and sales and marketing. "His expertise and success in the field will drive multiple product launches, channel partnerships and strategic alliances with others in the telecommunications space," reads a June 16 news release. Most recently, Gibson served as executive VP of sales and marketing at Horizon Group, a VoIP technology company. He also...

RIM connects with carriers, grows BlackBerry service

telecom | 06/15/2006 4:00 am EDT

Delivering secure reliable service, connecting with carriers in more countries and making it easier for consumers to use BlackBerry were all identified as key areas going forward by Research in Motion Ltd. (RIM) CFO Dennis Kavelman during his presentation at the Lehman Brothers Inc.’s Worldwide Wireless and Wireline Conference in New York last month....

Wireless operators testing mobile advertising, no clear model yet

telecom | 06/15/2006 4:00 am EDT

Mobile advertising, with its ability to reach consumers anytime and anywhere, is quickly becoming a critical marketing tool, attendees to the American Marketing Association’s (AMA) May 24 meeting in Toronto heard.  This new means of connecting companies with consumers also generated substantial buzz at the Canadian...

Municipal Wi-Fi in Canada easier than it is in the United States

telecom | 06/15/2006 4:00 am EDT

Philadelphia may well be the city of brotherly love, but a few years ago two factions were at each other’s throats over a technology project that would forever change the municipality’s fortunes in such matters.  In 2004, the city wanted to build a massive Wi-Fi network. Local telecom service provider Verizon...

Wireless data services fail to offset voice declines: analysts

telecom | 06/15/2006 4:00 am EDT

Wireless data services might not be the big revenue boon that carriers expect, according to Informa Telecoms & Media, a research firm based in the United Kingdom.  On behalf of Vocel, a San Diego-based software maker, Informa studied average revenue per user (ARPU) trends of many wireless operators, paying...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 06/15/2006 4:00 am EDT

Tira extends support to Brew-based applicationsTira Wireless has announced that it has enhanced its Tira Jump Product Suite to support mobile content and applications based on Qualcomm Inc.’s Brew platform.  This latest version of Tira’s mobile content deployment technology allows content developers and publishers to efficiently adapt and manage Brew applications for wireless operators. "Tira Wireless is...

ROW People

telecom | 06/15/2006 4:00 am EDT

Nokia has appointed Paul Chapple general manager for Nokia Products Ltd., Canada. Chapple has held various positions at Nokia since joining the company in 1999, including business development director for the T-Mobile account team, director of product marketing for Symbian/Series 60, and manager of US business development and product marketing for Nokia Wireless Software Solutions.  In his new position he will be...

Stoddart pegs RFID as potential hazard to personal information privacy

telecom | 06/15/2006 4:00 am EDT

In her annual report to Parliament, Canada’s Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart takes aim at RFID tags as representing a possible mechanism for collecting personal information without consumer’s knowledge. Below is an excerpt from the section on RFID.  The full report from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 06/15/2006 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Non-voice revenue is growing in significance to wireless operators as they struggle to find new revenue streams to replace declining voice revenue. Even though this may be more pronounced in other parts of the world, Canada’s carriers are trying to get more revenue from mobile data as well.  But...

Localized and user-created content sparking buzz in wireless space

telecom | 06/15/2006 4:00 am EDT

Wireless service providers in Canada and around the world are increasingly turning to user-created content to spur adoption of wireless data services. This was the message from Simi Grosman, senior VP of business development at Oöober, an online marketplace for mobile content.  He said that while licensed content from BMG, Universal Studios, Warner Brothers and others has a broad appeal, user-created content can create ties to a community of interest or particular geographic location. It’s this closer link to a specific community that has sparked interest from the carriers.  Speaking at the IP Telecom EXPO in Montreal on May 31, Grosman said that wireless operators are extremely...

Public Safety ministry tight lipped about possible re-introduction of C-74

telecom | 06/08/2006 4:00 am EDT

A spokesperson for Stockwell Day, the minister responsible for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (PSEPC), says the government has yet to make a decision about re-introducing Bill C-74 – legislation that would modernize the country’s wiretapping laws. However, sources have told Network Letter that the...

Barrett Xplore focuses deferral account redress efforts on commission

telecom | 06/08/2006 4:00 am EDT

Satellite and fixed wireless Internet provider Barrett Xplore Inc. is turning up the heat on the CRTC to address what it considers to be a fundamental misunderstanding of the rural broadband market. The Woodstock NB-based provider filed an application with the commission asking it to reconsider its ruling on deferral...

Convergence creating challenges for communications providers

telecom | 06/08/2006 4:00 am EDT

The convergence of communications on a single IP-based network presents a number of challenges for service providers, a conference in Montreal heard last month.  Speaking at the IP Telecom EXPO, Paul Desrocher, a project manager with CGI Inc., explained that providers are not only trying to come to grips with the...

Free out calls from Skype could affect VoIP providers: analyst

telecom | 06/08/2006 4:00 am EDT

Last month Internet communications company Skype Ltd. announced that all SkypeOut calls within Canada and the United States will be free for the remainder of the year. However, free long-distance calling is apparently no longer enough to strike fear in the hearts of telecommunications industry competitors.  "To me...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 06/08/2006 4:00 am EDT

CRTC releases cost of telecom regulationThe CRTC has announced that it will collect more than $26 million in fees to regulate the telecommunications industry in Canada for the fiscal year 2006-2007. Estimated regulatory costs are expected be $25.435 million, but an adjustment of $1.196 million for last fiscal year brings the total telecom regulatory costs to $26.631 million.  Rogers Telecom gets good and bad news from commissionThe CRTC has approved a Rogers Telecom request that it mandate Bell Canada to revise the rate charged for billed number screening (BNS) database service for additions, removals and changes in billing restrictions of numbers and the porting of numbers. However, the commission denied a Rogers’ request that it mandate Bell from charging BNS database service transaction charges for each telephone number that Rogers ports. Telecom Decision 2006-24 stems from a Rogers Telecom (formerly known as Call-Net Enterprises Inc.) application filed on March 14, 2005. Bell Canada argued in its application that BNS database...

NL People

telecom | 06/08/2006 4:00 am EDT

Michael Hennessy has joined Telus Corp. as VP of broadband and video. Most recently, he served as the president and CEO of the now-defunct Canadian Cable Telecommunications Association. Hennessy is a long-time veteran of telecommunications policy and regulation having also served at Bell Mobility in the past. Peer 1 Network Enterprises Inc. has appointed Bill White to the newly created position of chief information...

VoIP ruling follows spirit of Telecom Policy Review: PIAC

telecom | 06/08/2006 4:00 am EDT

The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) is telling the CRTC that the VoIP ruling (Telecom Decision 2005-28) of May 12, 2005 is just another step toward the goal of letting market forces dictate the competitive environment as was suggested by the Telecommunications Policy Review Panel. In PIAC’s June 5 response to...

NL Editorial

telecom | 06/08/2006 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  Barrett Xplore has decided to take its case against the currently prescribed use of ILEC deferral account money to the CRTC, only weeks after asking the federal Cabinet to stay portions of the ruling. In this space two weeks ago, Network Letter suggested that since there have already been...

Mobile interactivity increasingly takes centre stage in revenue generation

telecom | 06/01/2006 4:00 am EDT

Increased household wireless penetration presents a number of opportunities for the country’s wireless carriers, a conference in Toronto last week was told. Now that nearly two-thirds (64%) of Canadian households have at least one cell phone, the potential for adopting new revenue generating services is increasing (RoW,...

Good news/bad news for wireless industry growth

telecom | 06/01/2006 4:00 am EDT

Despite its dubious distinction as the developed world’s wireless laggard, Canada’s mobile industry could really take off in the next few years, according to financial investment experts. But many challenges could also confound this potential upward mobility.  Financial and industry analysts aired their concerns and hopes for the sector at a...

Former Microcell exec lambastes Canadian wireless industry

telecom | 06/01/2006 4:00 am EDT

The Telecommunications Policy Review Panel’s (TPRP) recommendations about spectrum management aim to help Canada’s wireless industry move up from its current back-of-the-pack status among the world’s mobile sectors, according to André Tremblay, a TPRP panel member.  The former CEO of Microcell...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 06/01/2006 4:00 am EDT

Motorola launches world’s thinnest QWERTY handheldMotorola Inc. has launched the Motorola Q smartphone, the thinnest QWERTY handheld in the world.  The phone was made available in the US on May 31 through Verizon Wireless and will be offered by a Canadian CDMA carrier in the coming weeks. The handset, which is designed for one-handed use, leverages the design of the RAZR, creating a smartphone that is only 1.15cm...

ROW People

telecom | 06/01/2006 4:00 am EDT

James Skippen has been named president and CEO of Wi-LAN Inc., effective June 20. Skippen joins Wi-LAN from MOSAID Technologies, where he was senior VP patent licensing and general counsel, and was responsible for MOSAID’s patent licensing program.  He is also a former chairman of the Toronto Computer Lawyers Group and a former vice-chairman of the Canadian Diabetes Association. He is currently a board member of...

Superior loses fight against TBayTel over digital roaming

telecom | 06/01/2006 4:00 am EDT

The CRTC has settled a digital roaming dispute between Superior Wireless and Thunder Bay Telephone (TBayTel) with TBayTel coming out on top. The commission ruled that Superior’s customers were not subjected to unjust discrimination when TBayTel cut off digital roaming.  The following is an edited excerpt of Telecom Decision 2006-33.  The commission considers that because other wireless service providers’ customers are permitted to roam on TBayTel’s digital network in area Tel-24, while Superior’s customers are not, Superior and its customers are subject to discrimination by TBayTel within the meaning of section 27 of the Act. At the same time, the commission notes that discrimination in and of itself is not contrary to the Telecommunications Act. The commission...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 06/01/2006 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Investment analysts expressed concern at a recent Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association conference that data services could actually hurt wireless operators in the future.  They suggested that using VoIP over hotspots could take a bite out of per-minute billing of voice charges levied...

Wi-LAN: Licensing process should not hinder WiMax growth

telecom | 06/01/2006 4:00 am EDT

When Qualcomm Inc. signed a licensing agreement with Soma Networks Inc. in April, some analysts took it as an indication that the company would be aggressively enforcing its WiMAX patents much the same way it did with its CDMA patents.  According to one industry peer, being too vigorous in enforcing patents can hurt an...

Right mix of technology, experience a plus for Barrett Xplore

telecom | 06/01/2006 4:00 am EDT

Rural Internet access provider Barrett Xplore Inc. possesses what it believes to be the right blend of technology to be a major player. In a recent interview with Report on Wireless, company founder and chair of the board Ed Barrett talks about how Barrett can succeed without additional subsidies.  "We would...

Lawful access bill to be re-introduced into Parliament

telecom | 05/25/2006 4:00 am EDT

Getting tough on crime is one of the new Conservative Party of Canada’s key priorities for this session of Parliament.With this in mind, the government has decided to get the ball rolling again on lawful access. Bill C-74 was introduced last fall, but died on the order table when Parliament was prorogued in November...

Barrett appeals to Cabinet CRTC ruling on deferral accounts

telecom | 05/25/2006 4:00 am EDT

Barrett Xplore Inc. (BXI) wants the federal Cabinet to stay parts of the CRTC’s controversial decision to allow incumbent telephone companies to use deferral account money to roll out high-speed networks. The Woodstock NB-based company says the commission’s determination to allow ILECs to use the funds to extend broadband into rural and remote regions will do more harm than good.  The February 16 ruling says that incumbent telcos have to use 95% of their deferral account money to extend broadband into regions previously unserved, and the telcos are to file their detailed plans by June 30 (NL, April 27/06). The remaining 5% is to be used for improving accessibility of telecommunications services for the disabled. If there is money left over, the ILECs are to implement price...

Carriers should be careful with new applications expectations

telecom | 05/25/2006 4:00 am EDT

Carriers should avoid hanging their hopes for future prosperity on the impressive communications applications that IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) technology is supposed to bring (see box), says one skeptical industry observer.  Keith Nissen, principal analyst at Scottsdale AZ-based In-Stat, says this type of thinking...

Nortel’s CEO still confident in his plan to rebuild the company

telecom | 05/25/2006 4:00 am EDT

At two conferences over two days, Nortel Networks Corp.’s president and CEO Mike Zafirovski reiterated his vision for rebuilding the once-great telecommunications equipment maker by being relevant in both the carrier and enterprise space and staying the course he outlined earlier this year (NL, April 12/06)....

SMB strength, product portfolio and brand key aspects of Mitel’s IPO

telecom | 05/25/2006 4:00 am EDT

Mitel Networks Inc. used its initial public offering (IPO) prospectus to point out that it has a good chance of succeeding as one of the prime contenders in the business IP communications marketplace. Filed on May 9, the IPO document highlights why Mitel’s management believes it will be a key player going forward....

NL Short Takes

telecom | 05/25/2006 4:00 am EDT

Nortel networking technology being deployed in AustraliaSilk Telecom, a telecommunications provider formed from the telecom interests of three Australian electricity distribution companies, is building an advanced optical network in Australia using high-capacity networking technology form Nortel Networks. The network will support high-speed services for Silk’s enterprise customers in regional Victoria and South...

NL People

telecom | 05/25/2006 4:00 am EDT

Les Rechan has been named COO of Cognos. Rechan most recently held the position of senior VP and global general manager, CRM strategy, at Oracle. He brings with him more than 20 years of industry experience including senior positions at Seibel Systems, and IBM. At Cognos, he will be responsible for leading the company’s worldwide sales, services and marketing operations. "Les has a superb track record and...

MTS lends support to Rogers Telecom in rate dispute with Bell

telecom | 05/25/2006 4:00 am EDT

MTS Allstream Inc. has waded into a dispute between Rogers Telecom and Bell Canada over rates charged to lease some of the incumbent’s telcos facilities. Rogers launched a complaint against Bell last month when it filed a Part VII with the CRTC. Below is an edited excerpt of MTS Allstream’s May 10 response, which...

NL Editorial

telecom | 05/25/2006 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 CRTC’s deferral account decision – which mandates the incumbent phone companies to extend broadband into unserved areas – is again under criticism.  This time, though, it is from a competitive ISP that says its business will be severely damaged if the decision is allowed to...

Pre-paid and acquisition costs dominate wireless carrier results

telecom | 05/18/2006 4:00 am EDT

The story of the Canadian wireless industry over the last few quarters has been the growing significance of the pre-paid subscriber and the rising cost of acquisition (COA). The trend held true in Q1 of 2006.  Subscriber results reveal that the pre-paid market is turning into a battle between just two carriers (see...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 05/18/2006 4:00 am EDT

Nokia showcases new gaming platformCell phone giant Nokia Corp. unveiled its latest mobile gaming platform at the 2006 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3).  The pre-installed application allows consumers to easily find, buy and play rich and immersive games on a range of Nokia Nseries multimedia devices. "Our aim with this new strategy is to make entertaining, top quality mobile games accessible to as many people as possible," Nokia’s director, games, multimedia Jaakko Kaidesoja said in a news release.  "With this new mobile gaming experience available on a range of Nokia smartphones, we’re making gaming a core part your mobile entertainment."  Mobile payments to hit US$10 billion by 2010New data from Juniper Research indicates that mobile payments are expected to hit the US$10-billion mark by 2010.  The research firm says that this is a result of the entry of new players offering mobile payment schemes and growing consumer demand. Most notably, Juniper highlights the entry of PayPal services...