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...

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

Smart antenna developer TenXc Wireless continues to strengthen its management team. The Ottawa-based company has appointed Al Javed as CTO and John Litva as chief scientist.  Javed brings more than 30 years experience to the company, most notably his tenure at Nortel Networks Corp. where he pioneered development and integration of a number of technologies, helping to lay the foundation for Nortel’s wireless access...

Broadband spectrum cap policy rescinded for upper frequencies

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

Industry Canada has announced that its previous policy of maintaining a spectrum cap on how much spectrum could be held by a single entity is no longer relevant in today’s competitive environment.  With the release of DGTP-004-06, the department rescinds its spectrum policy, effective immediately, for the 24 GHz, 28...

Comwave contests Rogers Telecom’s number porting activities

telecom | 05/11/2006 4:00 am EDT

The head of Comwave Telecom Inc. says Rogers Telecom Inc. is breaking CRTC rules by cherry picking customers for which it will provide local number portability. But more importantly, Rogers refuses outright to transfer its own customers to Comwave, even if the client requests a move, says Yuval Barzakay, Comwave’s...

Exemptions raise ugly head during CRTC hearings on DNC regulations

telecom | 05/11/2006 4:00 am EDT

The issue of exemptions to a national Do-Not-Call (DNC) telemarketing registry was raised during CRTC hearings into the matter on May 2 to 4.  Groups representing financial advisors, bankers and insurance companies want the commission to consider making additional exemptions for such things as: referrals, business-to-business calls, and friends, family and acquaintances. Even the Canadian Marketing Association supports an exemption for businesses.  The association of Canadian financial advisors, Advocis, pressed the commission for the introduction of a new exemption regarding referrals. Gary McLeod, chair of the national board of the organization, said personal referrals are the...

2006 budget priorities made friends with the small business community

telecom | 05/11/2006 4:00 am EDT

Businesses of all sizes will get a boost from the tax breaks outlined in the Conservative Party of Canada’s May 2 federal budget, but whether these tax savings improves the productivity of Canada’s small businesses is a yet-to-be-answered question.  "With a little more cash because of these tax breaks,...

Internet, video and wireless keys to replace lost landline revenue

telecom | 05/11/2006 4:00 am EDT

Bell Canada and Telus Corp. are implementing a number of measures to reduce lost revenue from local landline erosion. Both companies indicate that growth areas such as video, Internet and wireless will help offset losses in their traditional legacy telephony business.  As a result of pressure from the cablecos and VoIP...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 05/11/2006 4:00 am EDT

Cabinet sends VoIP decision back to CRTCThe federal Cabinet has done what incumbent telephone companies wanted it to do: tell the CRTC to take another look at its controversial May 12 ruling on Voice over IP services. The commission has 120 days to reconsider the decision. "After careful study of the CRTC decision, and the subsequent appeals, the government believes it is in the public interest for the CRTC to...

NL People

telecom | 05/11/2006 4:00 am EDT

The BC Innovation Council has appointed seven new directors to its board, two of which have experience in the communications industry. Greg Aasen is the chief strategy officer at PMC-Sierra, a company he helped found. Over 27 years, he held a number of positions at the company, including VP and GM of the communications products division and COO and CTO. In 1986, Aasen joined MPR Teltech, and later established the Pacific...

Dalfen clarifies CRTC position on TPR panel report, forbearance

telecom | 05/11/2006 4:00 am EDT

CRTC chair Charles Dalfen recently gave a speech at the 2006 Telecommunications Invitational Forum, explaining the commission’s response to some of the recommendations of the Telecommunications Policy Review Panel. He also talked about criticism of the CRTC’s forbearance ruling. The following is an edited excerpt of his...

NL Editorial

telecom | 05/11/2006 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 latest federal budget – a first in 13 years for the Conservatives – does very little to support the adoption of information and communications technologies (ICTs). Prime Minister Stephen Harper seems to believe that the best way to improve the economic output of the country,...

Canada’s wireless carriers put emphasis on business services

telecom | 05/04/2006 4:00 am EDT

The country’s three national wireless operators appear to be taking a harder look at the business segment as a key battleground in the Canadian context.  All three operators believe themselves to be the leaders in this space, but that isn’t stopping them from pursuing the higher-revenue customer, namely the...

Look takes big step towards commercial availability of its mobile TV network

telecom | 05/04/2006 4:00 am EDT

One piece of the mobile broadcast network puzzle has fallen into place for struggling wireless cable operator Look Communications Inc. The firm announced on April 20 that its mobile multimedia network, or M3, is live in Milton ON.  To demonstrate the network, which uses digital video broadcast-handheld (DVB-H)...

American cell users want more to use more applications: Pew Research

telecom | 05/04/2006 4:00 am EDT

New data from Pew Research Center indicates that American cell phone subscribers want greater access to applications such as maps, weather information and stock quotes.  The research firm also notes that text messaging and taking pictures tops the list of applications consumers use the most, with 35% and 28% respectively of American cell phone users admitting to using these features (see table below for more detail).  "Fully 47% of cell owners say they would like this feature and 38% say they would like to have instant messages from select friends sent to their cells," reads the report. "Some 24% of cell owners say they would like to use their phones to conduct...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 05/04/2006 4:00 am EDT

Bell, MTV reach mobile pactMTV content will be available exclusively to Bell Mobility subscribers as part of the first mobile partnership for MTV in Canada.  Available now on Bell devices, the 10 Spot Grab includes video highlights, screensavers and ringtones taken from shows in MTV’s 10 Spot programming block, broadcast Monday to Friday from 10:00 pm to 11:00 pm. "Over six million homes in Canada already...

ROW People

telecom | 05/04/2006 4:00 am EDT

As part of the process to complete Wi-LAN Inc.’s transformation from a wireless technology development and equipment company to a patent licensing company, a group of concerned shareholders announced a new proposed slate of directors: Dr. Michel Fattouche, John K. Gillberry, William K. Jenkins, Dr. Robert Schulz and Hatim Zaghloul.  The company has also identified a number of candidates to fill the position of CEO...

CWTA and Look at odds over usage of 1670-1675 MHz band

telecom | 05/04/2006 4:00 am EDT

The Canadian Wireless Telec-ommunications Association and Look Communications don’t see eye to eye on the potential use of the 1670-1675 MHz for mobile television services. Below you will find excerpts of both submissions to Industry Canada consultation on frequency reallocation to the bands below 1.7 GHz.  The CWTA...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 05/04/2006 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Things are shaping for a reunion of sorts in the Canadian wireless space in the near future: Look Communications and Inukshuk Internet joining together.  Look used to be half owner of Inukshuk along with Microcell Telecommunications, but after falling on hard times a number of years ago, the...

Bell Canada and Telus still analyzing their plans for deferral accounts

telecom | 04/27/2006 4:00 am EDT

Canada’s two largest incumbent telephone companies continue to work through their plans to extend broadband to rural and remote areas – investments that were set out in the CRTC’s deferral account decision (Telecom Decision 2006-9).  The commission ruled on February 16 that monies accumulated in the ILECs’ deferral accounts would be best used for bridging the digital divide between rural and remote regions of the country and urban centres. The CRTC also indicated that 5% of the ILECs’ deferral account money would have to go to improving telecommunications services for the disabled. Bell Canada and Telus Corp. are mostly satisfied with the decision, noting that extending...

Utility telecoms eye BPL and Wi-Fi for revenue growth opportunities

telecom | 04/27/2006 4:00 am EDT

Utility telecoms (utelcos) have found themselves at a crossroad: expand into the highly competitive consumer market, or stay the course and remain in relative obscurity. At this point, taking on the big players in the consumer space is going to most likely happen with either wireless access or broadband over powerline....

’Net neutrality: is it possible to find some common ground?

telecom | 04/27/2006 4:00 am EDT

Ask Peter Bissonnette, president of Shaw Communications Inc., about the $10 fee his company charges customers to ensure that the Internet phone services they use work as well as possible, and he’ll sound bemused.  Ever since VoIP provider Vonage Canada pegged the fee as anticompetitive at best – and, at worst, an...

All roads lead to FTTP, but which one should the telcos take?

telecom | 04/27/2006 4:00 am EDT

Cost, coverage and bandwidth must all be balanced by telephone companies choosing how to build their IPTV networks. And while competition from cablecos in the voice market has forced the telcos into television, they still have to decide which considerations initially warrant the most weight.  When it comes to deploying...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 04/27/2006 4:00 am EDT

Meriton Networks captures another tier 1 carrierOttawa-based network developer Meriton Networks Inc. has been contracted to deploy KT Corp.’s next generation I-WDM (Intelligent WDM) network, featuring the Meriton Agile Optical Networking (AON) architecture. The agreement with KT, formerly Korea Telecom, adds another tier 1 carrier to Meriton’s portfolio, which includes Verizon Communications Inc., BT and Telecom...

NL People

telecom | 04/27/2006 4:00 am EDT

President and CEO of Aliant Inc. Jay Forbes will be leaving the company effective July 31. Forbes has held the position since March 2002. His departure coincides with the anticipated reception of regulatory approvals necessary for the creation of the new Bell Aliant Regional Communications Income Fund.  Stephen Wetmore, group president, corporate performance and national markets for Bell Canada, has been named the...

MTS Allstream awarded nearly $10 million from CRTC

telecom | 04/27/2006 4:00 am EDT

Manitoba ILEC MTS Allstream Inc. has won an appeal of a CRTC decision, giving the company a $9.8 million windfall. The following is an edited excerpt of the commission’s Telecom Decision 2006-20.  MTS Allstream noted in its submissions that there was substantial doubt as to the correctness of Decision 2005-52 because the commission had failed to...

NL Editorial

telecom | 04/27/2006 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  CRTC hearings into the creation of rules governing the use of telecom services for telemarketing purposes are set to begin next week, but there are still some controversial issues left to be settled. As has been previously highlighted in Network Letter, the existing business relationship...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 04/19/2006 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. With Canada’s wireless-only household penetration nearly topping the 5% mark on a national basis and nearly 10% alone in Vancouver, it’s time the CRTC recognized that cell phone service is the equivalent to landline for reasons of local service forbearance. While the commission chose not to...

Sirit gets bigger by acquiring SAMSys, but the philosophy stays the same

telecom | 04/19/2006 4:00 am EDT

Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology provider Sirit Inc. has once again made waves in the market by acquiring competitor SAMSys Technologies Inc. slightly more than a month after buying TradeWind Technolgies LLC. of Tennessee. The purchase was announced on April 6.  While the motivation behind the TradeWind purchase was primarily to incorporate its line of plug-and-play RFID readers into Sirit’s product offerings (RoW, March 9/06), acquiring SAMsys has broader strategic implications.  "We’ve been competing for a long time, we know each other and respect each other," Norbert Dawalibi, president and CEO of Sirit tells Report on Wireless. "Clearly from...

CRTC rules that mobile TV is an Internet service, falls under NMEO

telecom | 04/19/2006 4:00 am EDT

A ruling from the CRTC that mobile TV services fall under the auspices of the 1999 New Media Exemption Order should constitute a boon to the provision of mobile television programming and other wireless data services to consumers.  The head of the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) agrees that the...

Bite TV eats up CRTC ruling

telecom | 04/19/2006 4:00 am EDT

While many conventional broadcasters are worrying about the impact of mobile video services on their business, Mississauga ON-based Bite TV is one television program-mer that’s leaping into the new technology without hesitation.  "We aren’t unencumbered by ‘we can’t do that because it’ll wreck our business over here,’" says Bite TV president and CEO Jeffrey Elliott. "We, being a little...

Always on, full mobility offers life-saving potential to first responders

telecom | 04/19/2006 4:00 am EDT

Seamless mobility represents the ultimate state of convenience for wireless users, but for public safety first responders such as police, fire and ambulance, it could mean the difference between life and death.  In his presentation at March’s Ottawa Wireless Cluster event, Motorola Inc.’s Derek Prada gave a...

Cell phone-only households solidify presence in Canada

telecom | 04/19/2006 4:00 am EDT

The number of Canadian households only using cell phone service has more than doubled to 615,000 in the last two years, according to recently released figures from Statistics Canada’s Residential Telephone Service Survey.  On a national basis, nearly 5% of households have dropped their landline service altogether in...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 04/19/2006 4:00 am EDT

MTI, SR Telecom enter radio design agreementBroadband fixed wireless access solutions designer SR Telecom Inc. has entered into an agreement with Microelectronics Technology Inc. (MTI) for the co-design of advanced WiMAX access radio systems.  The new partners will further develop radio solutions for subscriber station and base station radio units for SR’s symmetry MX WiMAX product offerings. "This partnership will enable the customers of SR Telecom to better address multiple market segments with a standardized WiMAX airlink, across different radio bands," said Montreal-based SR’s chief technology officer Chaz Immendorf in a news release.  Chicago police, Wave Wireless fight crimeThe Chicago Police Department has deployed Wave Wireless Corp.’s SpeedMesh routers for crime prevention initiatives throughout the city. The new SpeedMesh 9200 routers were installed by RMS Technology Solutions and will operate in the 4.9 GHz band.  The mesh network helps transmit video from wireless surveillance cameras to various...

ROW People

telecom | 04/19/2006 4:00 am EDT

Nortel Networks Corp. has made a couple of key management changes in the last two weeks. Dietmar Wendt has been named president of Nortel’s global services division effective May 1.  Reporting directly to president and CEO Mike Zafirovski, Wendt will be responsible for the company’s global services business, including financial performance, portfolio development and go-to-market strategies.  He comes to...

CRTC calls for comment on mobile broadcasting undertakings

telecom | 04/19/2006 4:00 am EDT

The CRTC is proposing to create a new exemption order for mobile broadcasting undertakings in the wake of its ruling not to regulate mobile TV services. The following is an edited excerpt of Public Notice 2006-48.  In Public Notice 2006-47, the commission stated the view that there may be reasons for service providers...

Forbearance ruling brings criticism and applause from telecom companies

telecom | 04/12/2006 4:00 am EDT

The CRTC’s landmark decision setting the framework for local service forbearance has been hailed by some and criticized by others. Incumbent telephone companies complained the commission missed the boat, while cablecos and competitive providers applauded the CRTC for allowing competition to develop.  The commission...

Price versus features: what is the real selling point?

telecom | 04/12/2006 4:00 am EDT

Quality, price, features and markets were the points of emphasis in a discussion on the deployment of Voice over IP (VoIP) at VON Canada in Toronto last week.  "You can’t come at [the VoIP market] assuming that better-than-cell-phone service is acceptable," said Matt Stein, VP new technology and services...

Carriers get creative with service strategies

telecom | 04/12/2006 4:00 am EDT

If communications service providers want to survive the changes occurring in their industry, they have to alter their mindsets, according to some carrier representatives.  Incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) such as Bell Canada and MTS Allstream Inc. face new competitors that offer enticing prices and packages to consumers and businesses,...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 04/12/2006 4:00 am EDT

Avensys Inc. to acquire ITF OpticalQuebec-based Avensys Inc. has entered into an agreement to acquire most of the assets of ITF Optical Technologies Inc. The assets of ITF, a designer and manufacturer of photonic solutions based on proprietary all-fibre technology, will complement the Avensys product lineup and potentially provide access to a new customer base. As well, ITF’s R&D unit will be merged with Avensys...

NL People

telecom | 04/12/2006 4:00 am EDT

Todd Rutherford, president and general manager of the network solutions group at Cyngal Technologies Corp. is leaving the company to pursue other interests. Jos Wintermans, president and CEO of Cyngal will assume Rutherford’s duties and oversee the network solutions sales team on an interim basis. Markham-based Cyngal is a full-service provider of wired and wireless communications networks. TransGaming Technologies...

Bell Canada “Thank You” card violates winback rules: CRTC

telecom | 04/12/2006 4:00 am EDT

The CRTC has ruled that Bell Canada’s practice of sending former customers "Thank You" cards violates winback rules and has ordered the company to stop the practice.  Below is an edited excerpt of Telecom Decision 2006-17.  Mirko Bibic, Bell’s chief of regulatory affairs, questions the decision....

NL Editorial

telecom | 04/12/2006 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 recent determination on local forbearance has, as highlighted in the lead article in this issue, elicited some opposing points of view. But at least one part of the decision has some confused.  The stipulation that ILECs have to provide quality of service to competitors for a six-month period prior to filing a forbearance application is a bit confusing. The rationale, as laid out by the commission, is that competitors rely on certain ILEC network components to provide local service, and therefore the quality of service on those components should constitute part of the criteria for forbearance application approval.  This provision doesn’t seem to hold water, particularly in the case of EastLink, which has already garnered 28% of the market in Halifax. How has the cableco been able to gain this much market share if required ILEC network components weren’t provided at a level that...

Department clarifies Inukshuk situation for Rogers and Bell

telecom | 04/06/2006 4:00 am EDT

Industry Canada has approved the transfer of Bell Canada’s and Rogers Communications’ spectrum licences into Inukshuk Internet.  But the department also took the opportunity to clarify some issues surrounding the spectrum licences. The following is an edited excerpt of the letter from director-general Jan Skora....

Telecom Policy Review Panel recommends shifting of spectrum management

telecom | 04/06/2006 4:00 am EDT

One of the major recommendations from the Telecommunications Policy Re-view Panel is to move spectrum management operations from Industry Canada to the CRTC in recognition of the convergence between wireline and wireless communications.  While policy development would remain with the department, the licensing of...

GTA Wi-Fi network a natural extension of utelcos presence in region

telecom | 04/06/2006 4:00 am EDT

Toronto Hydro Telecom president Dave Dobbin says it makes sense to build out a Wi-Fi network covering the entire Greater Toronto Area. Dobbin made the comments at last month’s UTC Canada conference in Vancouver on March 28.  In his presentation covering new revenue opportunities for utelcos, he highlighted a number...

Nortel’s six-point plan part of complete business transformation

telecom | 04/06/2006 4:00 am EDT

Wireless networks will figure prominently in the future of Nortel Networks Corp. as the company announced a commitment to investing in profitable growth areas as part of a three- to five-year process to recreate the company.  This was the overriding theme of a conference call Nortel held on March 10 to layout the...

Sparking up usage of wireless data services key for Telus Mobility

telecom | 04/06/2006 4:00 am EDT

Increasing usage of rich media wireless data services such as mobile TV are driving a change in the way the mobile handset is being used, and Canada’s mobile network operators are looking to cash in.  Chris Langdon, VP of wireless services at Telus Corp., notes that applications such as TV, radio and even mobile podcasting are "really turning the phone into a digital entertainment and communications centre." This change in subscriber usage of the handset is key to driving future revenue for not only Telus Mobility, but also the other wireless operators in the country. Rob Bruce, president of Rogers Communications Inc.’s wireless division, said during a recent...

Mobile virus threat increases with first malware jumping from PC to wireless device

telecom | 04/06/2006 4:00 am EDT

The first virus to jump from a personal computer to a mobile device was recently detected, and this ups ante in the battle to protect wireless subscribers from malicious software.  Mobile viruses have reared their head in the past but the emergence of multiplatform viruses only serves to underscore the importance of...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 04/06/2006 4:00 am EDT

Industry Canada to auction parts of 2500 MHz bandIndustry Canada has indicated in a new policy (DGTP-002-06) that it will ask for the return of parts of the 2500-2696 MHz band and auction it off to competitors.  The move comes as the department clarifies the rules surrounding the band and the implementation of mobile services in this frequency range. Existing licensees such as Inukshuk Internet Inc. and Look...

ROW People

telecom | 04/06/2006 4:00 am EDT

An independent group of Wi-LAN Inc. shareholders and investors are proposing an alternative slate of directors for election at the company’s annual and special meeting of shareholders on April 20.  This alternative list of directors includes the company’s former CEO and founder Hatim Zaghloul. Others up for election are Michel Fattouche, Robert Schulz, David Tilston and Jay Pazos. This group of independent...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 04/06/2006 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Industry Canada’s decision to take back portions of the 2500 MHz spectrum band to auction for mobile services isn’t likely to be well-received by the Canadian wireless industry (see lead brief item on page 3 for more information).  Current licensees won’t be at all happy to relinquish their...

Debate rages over implications stemming from Panel’s recommendations

telecom | 03/29/2006 5:00 am EST

When the Telecommunications Policy Review Panel released its recommendations, it was expected that some would cheer while others would decry them as counterproductive. This is the case as BCE Inc. lauds the panel’s recommendations as necessary, and MTS Allstream says the report will do very little to stimulate...

Productivity improvements top CEOs’ wish list: Gandalf Group

telecom | 03/29/2006 5:00 am EST

Chief executives from some of the country’s top 1,000 companies want the new federal government to focus on ways to improve Canadian productivity and competitiveness, according to a new survey from Ottawa-based Gandalf Group. The results form the basis of the consulting and research firm’s C-Suite Quarterly Survey,...

Alberta SuperNet a good sales pitch for Axia’s international endeavours

telecom | 03/29/2006 5:00 am EST

As part of an agreement announced last month, Calgary-based Axia NetMedia Corp. and its partner VINCI Networks, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sogea Construction of France, are currently operating eight IP network concessions in France that reach 470 communities and 100,000 businesses.Axia was sought out by VINCI in large...

BCE combines rural telephone lines with Aliant and Bell Nordiq

telecom | 03/29/2006 5:00 am EST

BCE Inc. is shuffling the corporate asset deck, spinning off its rural telephone lines in Ontario and Quebec and combining them with those of Aliant Inc. and Bell Nordiq in an income trust. The move is designed to better serve rural and regional telephone customers in Central Canada and in the four Atlantic Canadian...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 03/29/2006 5:00 am EST

CEP wants end to secret trade talks on foreign ownership of telcosThe Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, the country’s largest union of telecommunications and media workers, is calling on the Harper government to end secret trade talks that would open up the domestic telephone industry to foreign ownership. Brian Payne, president of the 150,000-member union, spoke in reaction to a leaked document from the General Agreement on Trade in Services talks in Geneva which shows Canada has signed on to a "plurilateral request" for World Trade Organization member nations to essentially do away with foreign ownership limits in telecommunications.  "If our trade bureaucrats at the GATS talks have decided on their own to use telecommunications as a bargaining chip, they are doing so contrary to existing Canadian law and should be ordered to stop," said Payne at a news conference on Parliament Hill. Because telecommunications and broadcasting are essentially one industry, says Payne, removing foreign...

NL People

telecom | 03/29/2006 5:00 am EST

Rogers Communications Inc. has announced major changes to its 16 member board of directors. Gar Emerson, who was appointed to the RCI board in 1989 and named chair in April 1993 is resigning from the positions of director and chairman of the board. Ted Rogers lauded Emerson’s turn on the board saying he was an excellent chairman and provided great leadership in corporate governance.Alan Horn, the CFO at Rogers has been...

Bell Canada fighting Vidéotron over broadband access policy for VoIP

telecom | 03/29/2006 5:00 am EST

Bell Canada has launched a complaint against Vidéotron ltée over the cable company’s practice of requiring customers who subscribe to its cable telephony service to subscribe to its high-speed Internet service. The following is an edited excerpt of Bell’s March 15 application.  Bell Canada has already identified...

NL Editorial

telecom | 03/29/2006 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  Incumbent telephone companies are lauding the recently released report from the Telecommunications Policy Review Panel, which recommends they be regulated to a much lesser degree.  Of course not all ILECs are happy with the direction of the recommendations. MTS Allstream complains the...

Independent hotspot operators maintain competitive spirit despite new options

telecom | 03/22/2006 5:00 am EST

Entry into the hotspot market by the national wireless carriers and municipal Wi-Fi coverage, such as the Toronto Hydro Telecom network set to blanket all of Toronto within the next three years, raise not only the profile of Wi-Fi services in this country but also questions about the ability of independent companies to...

Atlantic Canada to become more competitive wireless market

telecom | 03/22/2006 5:00 am EST

The battle for subscribers, both consumer and business, is likely to get more heated in Atlantic Canada following the agreement that sees Aliant Inc.’s mobile operations rolled into Bell Mobility.  The move was part of BCE Inc.’s decision to spin off its regional telephone lines into an income trust, a transaction that is expected to close in the third quarter of this year.  While executives from both Aliant and Bell didn’t predict any increased competitive pressure on rivals, they foreshadowed the fact by noting wireless is a highly competitive market and economies of scale are required to compete as efficiently as possible.  BCE CEO Michael Sabia noted during a conference call regarding the creation of a new regionally focused income trust that rolling Aliant...

Wireless devices of the future look the same, but act all new

telecom | 03/22/2006 5:00 am EST

What will cell phones, PDAs and other wireless devices look like in the future? Judging from comments made at a recent technology conference, they’ll look a lot like the devices on the market now – unless you take the backs off.  Wireless industry insiders provided predictions for the mobile device market at...

Tech problems to plague voice over wireless LAN technology

telecom | 03/22/2006 5:00 am EST

Communication service providers might be in a good position to capitalize on voice over wireless LAN (VoWLAN) technology, judging from comments at an IT event earlier this month.  But the technology is far from perfect, and it could be a while before it really starts to pad carriers’ pocketbooks. VoWLANs let users...

Music and video key ingredients to carriers’ ARPU growth strategy

telecom | 03/22/2006 5:00 am EST

Canada’s wireless carriers seem to have found a couple of key applications that will help them drive their average revenue per user (ARPU) upwards at a faster rate: music and video. All three of the country’s national operators are offering music and TV services and appear to be banking a significant part of their ARPU...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 03/22/2006 5:00 am EST

Tranzeo demonstrates WiMAX product at CeBITBritish Columbia-based Tranzeo Wireless Technologies demonstrated its future WiMAX products at the annual CeBIT conference, which took place in Germany from March 9 to 15.  Tranzeo will be basing its WiMAX equipment on advanced chips from Montreal-based Wavesat Inc. Tranzeo is leveraging its experience in the 802.11 equipment space to expand into the 3.5 GHz licensed bands....

ROW People

telecom | 03/22/2006 5:00 am EST

Pierre Blouin, CEO of MTS Allstream Inc., has been appointed to the company’s board of directors.  The board has also approved James MacDonald and Kishore Kapoor as nomimees to the board. MacDonald is currently chair and managing partner at Enterprise Capital Management Inc., an investment management company.  Kapoor was executive VP of corporate development at Loring Ward International Ltd. from November...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 03/22/2006 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. The Telecommunications Policy Review Panel will release its recommendations this week and many will be going through them with a fine-toothed comb to determine their implications.  The report is expected to loosen the regulatory noose around the necks of the incumbent telephone companies, giving...

Primus arguing for greater regulation of wireless carriers in WNP context

telecom | 03/22/2006 5:00 am EST

Primus Telecommunications Canada Inc. has told the CRTC that it should institute winback rules so that the collective dominance of the country’s three national operators can’t thwart competition.  The following is an edited excerpt of Primus’ March 6 reply comments.  In their comments, Bell Canada, MTS...

Securing VoIP a joint responsibility of network operators, device makers and consumers: Certicom

telecom | 03/15/2006 5:00 am EST

The continued rollout of Voice over Internet Protocol services will, unfortunately, increase the prevalence of the security risks associated with it, according to security firm Certicom Corp.  Although these potential threats - viruses, hackers, spam - have not fully revealed themselves,...

US carriers forge ahead with IP despite customer reticence

telecom | 03/15/2006 5:00 am EST

Canadian carriers know all about IP. Bell Canada offers hosted versions of IP phone systems for all segments. Telus Corp. was first out of the gate with an IP-Centrex offering in 2003. Rogers Communications Inc. rolled out IP voice services some time ago.  But what's the situation south of the border? Judging from comments made at VoiceCon, an IT event in Orlando earlier this month, US carriers face a tough situation. But that's not keeping some of them from ramping up their IP service efforts. Lisa Pierce, VP of IT analysis firm Forrester Research Inc., said almost half of the US businesses her company surveyed about IP phones are reluctant to move from legacy TDM technology, IP's predecessor. "More than 50% of the market [is] not convinced of the benefit,"...

Bigger issue of ‘Net neutrality needs greater public discussion: Vonage

telecom | 03/15/2006 5:00 am EST

A dispute over access to cable company Quality of Service (QoS) by independent VoIP providers erupted into a war of words this month when Vonage Canada and Shaw Communications Inc. traded barbs over the controversial charge.  But Vonage Canada's opposition to Shaw's $10 monthly surcharge is part of a larger...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 03/15/2006 5:00 am EST

Nortel Networks to delay financial results releaseBrampton ON-based Nortel Networks Corp. has decided to delay releasing its fourth-quarter and year-end 2005 financial results after the company said it was going to restate certain financial results for the 2003 and 2004 fiscal years and the first nine months of 2005. The company noted in a news release that there will be negative revenue implications of $157 million and...

NL People

telecom | 03/15/2006 5:00 am EST

Pierre Blouin, CEO of MTS Allstream Inc., has been appointed to the company's board of directors. The board has also approved James MacDonald and Kishore Kapoor as nomimees to the board. MacDonald is currently chair and managing partner at Enterprise Capital Management Inc., an investment management company. Kapoor was executive VP of corporate development at Loring Ward International Ltd. from November 2003 to June...

Canada’s payphone companies want refund on overcharges by ILECs

telecom | 03/15/2006 5:00 am EST

Canada Payphone Corp. and FCT Communications Inc. - known as the competitive providers - have filed an application with the CRTC asking it to order the ILECs to refund overcharges that they say are not allowed. Below is an edited excerpt of the payphone providers' application.  The pay telephone access line (PAL)...

NL Editorial

telecom | 03/15/2006 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  Canada's incumbent phone companies are missing an important opportunity in winning business for their IP communications services.  They have focused largely on the large enterprise sector as the primary means of driving revenue to the bottom line - a miniscule portion in terms of size of the entire Canadian business market. According to IDC, the small/medium business sector represents approximately 99% of all Canadian companies.  While this may be regrettable, it has opened the door for a number of small IP communications providers. One in particular appears ready to take the SMB market by storm.  Calgary-based Shift Networks has been targeting the SMB market with its on-demand IP telephony services. It recently got an endorsement from research firm Loewen, Ondaatje and McCutcheon.  Shift has to date focused on providing IP telephony services, but will by the end of the first quarter...

Shift Networks preparing to expand products and market reach

telecom | 03/15/2006 5:00 am EST

Shift Networks Inc. could be on the verge of announcing a round of investment from Bay Street after grabbing the attention of financiers. The Calgary-based company is performing extremely well in securing IP communications business from the country's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Western Canada and is now...

Solid subscriber results for wireless carriers, acquisition/retention spending up last year

telecom | 03/09/2006 5:00 am EST

Canada’s three national wireless operators spent more money on acquiring and retaining customers in 2005, meaning the battle for the all-important customer appears to be getting more difficult.  Although Bell Mobility acknowledged it had to deal with the fallout from 2004 billing problems...

Fixed-mobile convergence opens door to the ‘digital home’

telecom | 03/09/2006 5:00 am EST

Despite engineering issues and an unproven business model, fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) will play an important role in the emerging "digital home" sector, according to a Motorola Inc. executive.  Speaking at The Strategy Institute’s Digital Home Summit in Toronto on February 22, Charles Dougherty,...

No consensus achieved on proposed use of 220-222 MHz band

telecom | 03/09/2006 5:00 am EST

Opposition has emerged to an Industry Canada provisional policy proposal regarding the allocation of the 220-222 MHz band to fixed and mobile services.  The band was previously used by amateur radio services and the reallocation has been opposed by the Radio Amateurs of Canada (RoW, Dec. 14/05).  Bell Canada has...

Greater content usage beginning to show up on carriers’ balance sheets

telecom | 03/09/2006 5:00 am EST

Rogers Communications Inc. continues to lead the Canadian wireless industry in wireless data usage, reporting that 9.4% of all wireless revenue came from data services such as ringtone and music downloads and messaging.  But the Toronto-based communications giant also noted that there appears to be a shift away from...

Sirit’s plug-n-play devices take RFID to the mass market

telecom | 03/09/2006 5:00 am EST

Sirit Inc. is removing the complexity and lowering the cost of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and moving the technology further into the consumer marketplace with its new line of plug-and-play RFID products.  The launch was made possible through the acquisition of Tennessee-based RFID systems developer,...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 03/09/2006 5:00 am EST

Nortel, Cingular ink three-year dealAmerica’s largest wireless provider, Cingular Wireless, has signed a three-year deal with Nortel Networks Corp. to supply wireless network services and equipment.  Under the agreement, Cingular’s network expansion and subscriber growth will be bolstered by Nortel’s GSM and UMTS wireless voice core technology, thus reducing costs and increasing network reliability for the...

ROW People

telecom | 03/09/2006 5:00 am EST

Mario Palumbo, VP of engineering for Spectrum Signal Processing Inc. has decided to leave the company this May and has already started the transition. Palumbo, who joined the Burnaby BC-based software company in 1998, is leaving to pursue a senior management role in a start-up venture. A search for Palumbo’s successor is currently underway. CMP Media has recognized David Roberts of McAfee Inc. as a CRN Channel...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 03/09/2006 5:00 am EST

Don’t be fooled by speculation or rumour that the federal government is going to endorse or encourage the creation of a new fourth national wireless operator. Setting aside spectrum in an auction that is at least two to three years away, implementing mandated tower-sharing, eliminating foreign ownership restrictions, even phasing in wireless number portability will do very little to increase competitive rivalry in the country. They will help, but consider this: a set-aside of spectrum is perhaps one of the more effective ways of stimulating competition in the wireless sector, but waiting two years to participate in an auction will only give the incumbent cellcos time to increase their share of the market, perhaps to as much as 65%. Industry Canada has also resisted setting aside spectrum in the past. This doesn’t mean it won’t happen, but a set-aside would go against the grain for the department. In addition, the cost of this spectrum will be astronomical in Canadian terms. While it will likely be nowhere near the US$9 billion some...

Bell and Primus unable to settle slamming dispute, going back to CRTC

telecom | 03/07/2006 5:00 am EST

Bell Canada and Primus Telecom-munications Canada Inc. have been unable to settle a dispute over customer slamming during a CRTC-mediated investigation, and Bell is preparing to ask the commission to restart the formal process, Network Letter has learned.  Late last year, Bell filed a Part VII complaint against Primus...

Application to use 511 for crisis prevention submitted to CRTC

telecom | 03/07/2006 5:00 am EST

An application from a variety of groups to use 511 for crisis prevention has upped the ante in the battle for Canada’s last available three-digit code. The Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (CASP), which is part of the Canadian Distress Line Network, and the Canadian Mental Health Association submitted the...

Uniserve has become a buyer to expand from coast to coast

telecom | 03/07/2006 5:00 am EST

Vancouver-based Uniserve Com-munications Corp., one of Western Canada’s largest independent communications companies, has further extended its reach across the country by acquiring Inter.net Canada Ltd. of Montreal, only a year after it acquired Alberta’s Interbaun Communications.  The high-speed Internet, VoIP and...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 03/07/2006 5:00 am EST

Secure Network Access Switch unveiled by NortelNortel Networks Corp. released its new secure network access (SNA) switch, which will allow the company’s Secure Network Access (SNA) solution to be applied to the enterprise LAN as well as the remote VPN applications that it already serves. The SNA solution provides endpoint security by requiring devices trying to access the network to comply with a common set of security...

NL People

telecom | 03/07/2006 5:00 am EST

Dennis Brown has been named executive vice president, strategic business development for Nortel Government Solutions, based in Fairfax VA. The role will include strategic planning, marketing and business development, partner relations, marketing communications and product and service offering integration. Brown spent nearly 30 years in the US Air Force and has extensive experience working with government contractors, federal agencies and the military. He also served three years as director of the Center for Information Management for the Defense Information Systems Agency. He most recently held the position of senior VP, department of homeland security, at Robbins-Gioia. Nortel Government Solutions delivers services, systems and communications that aid the government in ensuring the well being of its citizens.  Photo management and technical illustration software maker, ACD Systems International Inc. has announced the resignation of its VP of sales and business development, Nasir Sheikh. Sheikh joined ACD in February 2005, and was...

ITS Canada fires back at commission over allowed Part VII

telecom | 03/07/2006 5:00 am EST

Intelligent Transportation Sys-tems Society of Canada (ITS Canada) has taken issue with a recent Part VII asking the CRTC to consider assigning the 511 three-digit code for purposes other than transportation. The group has fired back at the regulatory agency that it has not respected the procedures regarding these...

NL Editorial

telecom | 03/07/2006 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  There is something wrong with the supposedly highly competitive Internet service business when one of the country’s largest Internet providers can raise prices with little fear of competitive pressure from its rivals.  Nonetheless, Rogers Communications plans to hike its Internet...

Carriers aim to get a foot in door of ‘digital home’ sector

telecom | 03/07/2006 5:00 am EST

Telcos like Bell Canada and cablecos such as Rogers Communications Inc. may be poised to pull in substantial revenue from digital home services, but the carriers face some serious competition in this emerging market.  Digital home systems link heating, air conditioning, entertainment devices and even appliances, and...

Contentious issues remain in CRTC’s look at national do not call list

telecom | 03/07/2006 5:00 am EST

Despite two tries at forming an effective national Do-Not-Call (DNC) registry for the telemarketing industry, there are still some contentious issues that will come to the fore during a CRTC process designed to create the regulations governing such a list. The commission issued Telecom Public Notice 2006-4 on February 20....

Intrinsyc unveils handset development platform at 3GSM in Spain

telecom | 02/23/2006 5:00 am EST

A small Canadian company says that its most recent handset development platform will save device makers such as Nokia Corp., Samsung and Motorola Inc. time and money in coming to market with new handsets.  Intrinsyc Software International Inc. unveiled Soleus at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona earlier this month,...

Wireless messaging continues strong growth, MMS picking up steam

telecom | 02/23/2006 5:00 am EST

Mobile messaging continues to be a strong revenue source for wireless operators in Canada and around the world, and it is only expected to get better.  Last year approximately one trillion mobile messages were sent globally and it is estimated that figure will jump to about 2.5 trillion in five years.  While...

Roadpost to bring broadband satellite services to North America

telecom | 02/23/2006 5:00 am EST

North America’s remote worker has been given a large hand-up in the quest to transform isolated workplaces into standard office environments with the announcement on February 6 that Roadpost Inc. has entered a partnership with France Telecom to provide broadband global area network (BGAN) services to...

TrueContext still driving towards profitability with its field service solution

telecom | 02/23/2006 5:00 am EST

Microsoft’s mobility strategy is simply to "extend the value of the desktop experience out and beyond the office space," said Alex Nanos, mobility business manager for Microsoft Canada Co. at February’s Ottawa Wireless Cluster event.  Alvaro Pombo, president and CEO of Ottawa’s TrueContext Inc., is...

Superior Wireless wants digital roaming with TBayTel turned back on

telecom | 02/23/2006 5:00 am EST

John Lyon, a VP with Superior Wireless Inc., won’t say what the CRTC should do to settle a digital roaming dispute between his firm and rival Thunder Bay Telephone (TBayTel). But he notes the simple solution would be for TBayTel to turn digital roaming back on, then get back to the table and negotiate a longer-term solution.  "The solution that makes the most sense is to turn [digital roaming] back on and negotiate some kind of timeline for that," Lyon tells Report on Wireless. "Something that’s reasonable and gives us a chance to adjust without disadvantaging our customers and our company."  The two Thunder Bay ON-based wireless operators have been waging a...