Rogers maintains retail DNA rates still not allowed under CRTC policy

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

Rogers Wireless notes that comments submitted in response to its application requesting the CRTC to enforce determinations made in Telecom Decision 2005-6 clarify circumstances surrounding DNA link rates, but they don’t justify the practice.  The following is an edited excerpt from Rogers’ February 13 reply...

ROW Editorial

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

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Mobile TV is here. Well, almost.  That was one of the messages delivered at the Canadian Wireless Telecommunic-ations Association’s All About ME (Mobile Entertainment) conference in Toronto this week.  Faster networks and better handsets have improved the user experience, but we are still a...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 02/15/2006 5:00 am EST

CEP to oppose Bell’s income trustThe Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP) will oppose plans by Bell Canada to create an income trust, which would provide telephone service in rural Ontario and Quebec. The CEP has also condemned the announcement by BCE that it will be cutting 3,000 to 4,000 jobs, and said that the income trust could endanger affordable phone service in that area. "The total...

NL People

telecom | 02/15/2006 5:00 am EST

The International Institute of Telecommunications (IIT) has appointed Mary Ann Bell chairman of the organization. Bell has been a member of the ITT since May 2003, and served on the ITT-R board of directors since its inception in April 2004. She has been employed at Bell Canada for over 20 years and is currently a senior vice president.  Vancouver-based IP Applications Corp. has named John Jacobson president and CEO,...

MTS Allstream throws support behind Rogers against unfair pricing

telecom | 02/15/2006 5:00 am EST

MTS Allstream Inc. is lending its support to a Rogers Wireless application over what it claims are unfair prices for competitor services. The incumbent telephone company notes in its comments that it, too, has been subjected to retail pricing in cases where the commission has clearly ruled that only competitor prices should apply.  The following is an edited excerpt of MTS Allstream’s submission to the CRTC.  MTS Allstream supports the relief requested in Roger’s application. In Decision 2005-6 the Commission classified all ‘other CO connecting links’ as category 1 competitor services since the ILEC is the only carrier capable of providing these links. There are no...

NL Editorial

telecom | 02/15/2006 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  The demise of the Canadian Cable Telecommunications Association (CCTA) leaves a major void in the public debate over government telecom policy, and this comes only several months after the association changed its name to reflect the increasing telecom focus of its members. It could use...

Common voice for cable telephony providers to disappear in February

telecom | 02/15/2006 5:00 am EST

The Canadian Cable Telecommunications Association (CCTA), which recently stepped up to provide a common voice for cable telephony efforts at the CRTC, is shutting its doors. The news comes only a few short months after Shaw Communications Inc. decided to pull out of the association, citing difficulty in coming to a...

Vidéotron disappointed with CRTC ruling CDN, company takes big hit

telecom | 02/15/2006 5:00 am EST

Quebecor Media subsidiary Vidéotron ltée says it will suffer significant financial harm as a result of the CRTC’s recent decision (Telecom Decision 2006-7) confirming that only incumbent telephone companies have the right to receive compensation for lost revenue under the new competitor digital network access (CDNA)...

Indian carrier buys Teleglobe, keeps Canadian connection

telecom | 02/15/2006 5:00 am EST

Teleglobe International Holdings Inc.’s Canadian roots may well be fading, but that doesn’t mean the company’s ties to this country are gone.  In fact, Teleglobe’s Canadian employees and facilities will play an important roll in the firm’s latest iteration: a division of Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (VSNL), an...

CRTC to examine implementation of price regulation for Northwestel

telecom | 02/15/2006 5:00 am EST

Northwestel Inc.’s price regulations, supplemental funding and financial position will all come under review this year as the CRTC has initiated a proceeding to establish a new regulatory framework for the company. All resulting changes will take effect in 2007, according to the CRTC.  "[The outcome of the...

Competing ultra wideband groups dissolve IEEE working group

telecom | 02/08/2006 5:00 am EST

Industry Canada says that despite the inability of an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ (IEEE) working group to come to a consensus on a standard for ultra wideband technology, there will be little impact on the department’s decision to allow the technology’s use in the country.  Last month,...

WiMAX certification spurs deployment activity here and abroad

telecom | 02/08/2006 5:00 am EST

Redline Communications Inc. was one of four companies that passed the first wave of WiMAX certification last month, and a company executive tells Report on Wireless that network deployments worldwide are quickly ramping up.  Keith Doucet, VP of marketing and product management, says the certification announcement...

Wi-LAN exiting equipment business, focusing on intellectual property

telecom | 02/08/2006 5:00 am EST

One of the pioneers in the development of broadband wireless equipment Wi-LAN Inc. is exiting the equipment business and will instead focus on making money from its intellectual property (IP) and patent portfolio.  The announcement comes several months after the formation of the IP group, and about one month after an...

IMS presents challenges and opportunities for operators

telecom | 02/08/2006 5:00 am EST

The implementation of IP Multi-media Subsystem (IMS), the emerging standard governing fixed-mobile convergence, presents both challenges and opportunities for service providers.  This was the overriding theme presented during the Beyond the Black Phone: the Road to IMS webcast, presented by CED magazine last month.  Lior Weiss, VP of media gateway business line at AudioCodes Inc., said one of the main challenges facing operators is who controls the client. This is a result, he added, of the proliferation of more intelligent devices capable of running multiple applications and protocols in an open environment. The introduction of session initiation protocol (SIP) also represents a disruptive force.  "Interestingly, the introduction of SIP through those end points...

Aliant improves pre-paid wireless results with better subscriber mix

telecom | 02/08/2006 5:00 am EST

A revamping of pre-paid wireless services has helped Aliant Inc. post dramatically improved results, with the Atlantic Canadian wireless operator recording a 65% improvement in pre-paid average revenue per user (ARPU) in the fourth quarter of 2005 compared to the same quarter in 2004.  Jay Forbes, president and CEO of...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 02/08/2006 5:00 am EST

Rogers and Melodeo unveil first mobile podcast service in North AmericaRogers Wireless and Melodeo Inc. have teamed up to launch Rogers Podcast Service, the first mobile Podcast service on the continent. Through Melodeo’s Mobilcast software, Rogers Wireless customers will now have the option to listen to daily-updated Podcasts on their cell phones covering 16 different categories, including news and sports, technology,...

ROW People

telecom | 02/08/2006 5:00 am EST

AirIQ Inc. has made changes to its senior level leadership as part of a larger internal reorganization. David Brandos has been appointed chief marketing officer, while at the same time maintaining his leadership role in the Boatracs division.  Colin Zvaniga has taken on greater responsibility being charged with the VP solution delivery and quality position.  Paul J. Tufano has been named chief financial officer...

Bell fighting back against unfair charges claim by Rogers Wireless

telecom | 02/08/2006 5:00 am EST

Bell Canada notes in its response to a Rogers Wireless application regarding claims of unfair charges that there are, in fact, situations where the company is allowed to charge these rates.  The following is an edited excerpt from Bell’s February 3 response. In Telecom Decision CRTC 2002-78, Interim Competitor...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 02/08/2006 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. WiMAX certification appears to be a boon to some in the broadband wireless equipment industry and a bane to others. One only needs to look at the Wi-LAN Inc. situation to see this (see article on pages 4 and 5).  The company recently announced that it was exiting the broadband wireless equipment market to focus exclusively on generating revenue from its intellectual property, in other words its patent portfolio. The company president and CEO said during a February 2 conference call that it was simply going to cost too much money to remain in a business that was going to be dominated by the big players.  While this trend may in fact turn out to be true in the years ahead, competing in the equipment business prior to WiMAX certification announcements was a costly venture. The problem with Wi-LAN was that it amassed a large debt resulting from significant expenditures in research and development, while at the...

NL People

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

Call Genie Inc. has appointed Paul Vos as director of alliance and partner channels. The company has also hired Stephen Kendall as director of sales for the Americas. Vos will be responsible for extending Call Genie’s reach by targeting partners to sell its enhanced voice directory software. Kendall will be charged with securing new business in North, Central and Latin America as well as the Caribbean. Vos has held...

Northwestel says competitive supply to its Internet gateway service exists

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

Canada’s Far North incumbent telephone company has told the CRTC that there is competitive supply to its Internet gateway service, and Yukon independent ISPs are wrong to suggest there isn’t. The Yukon ISPs want the CRTC to order Northwestel to reduce by 25% the rates it charges for the gateway service.  The...

NL Editorial

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

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  Now, the following is undoubtedly obvious to Network Letter readers: incumbent telephone companies need to change with the times or they risk losing important market share to their competitors. This is, however, easier said than done. One only needs to look at the troubles Canada’s largest...

Stiff competition sees Bell Canada step up business transformation efforts

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

During BCE Inc.’s annual business review conference this month, president and CEO Michael Sabia outlined of the four key characteristics that will compose the "new" Bell: growth services; bandwidth/IP platforms; customer experience; and cost structure.  "We believe that a company with those four...

Amtelecom expands reach by acquiring People’s Communications

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

Amtelecom Income Fund has expanded the reach of its incumbent telephone operations through the acquisition of fellow regional incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) People’s Communications Inc. The head of Amtelecom tells Network Letter that the combined entity is well-positioned to capitalize on future opportunities....

Bundling much more important, according to regional telcos

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

Two of Canada’s larger regional incumbent telephone companies are going to rely more heavily on service bundling as a way to combat increasing local residential subscriber erosion. Executives from both Aliant Inc. and MTS Allstream said during recent fourth-quarter and year-end financial conference calls that promoting...

Ledcor principles under scrutiny in Rogers and New Brunswick dispute

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

Rogers Communications Inc.and the Province of New Brun-swick continue to spar over the applicability of the Ledcor principles – which stem from the January 2001 Decision 2001-23 – in a dispute over access to provincial highway right-of-ways (NL, Jan. 29/01). Rogers formally launched a complaint against New...

NL Short Takes

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

Nortel renames PEC SolutionsTo better reflect its goal of delivering "mission-critical systems and secure communications that empower government to secure the livelihood and well-being of its citizens," Nortel PEC Solutions has been renamed Nortel Government Solutions Inc. "The change is in name only," said Chuck Saffell, president and CEO, in a news release. "Our government customers will...

Telus considering reseller agreements, but remains leery of MVNO deals

telecom | 01/25/2006 5:00 am EST

The chief financial officer at Telus Corp. told a recent investors conference that the company might consider entering into wireless reseller agreements, but doesn’t see the value in mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs).  Bob McFarlane, Telus’ CFO, made the comments during a January 10 session at the Citigroup 16th Annual Global Entertainment, Media and Telecommunications Conference.  "We will engage with partners who bring a distribution capability and a value-add and want to sell our products through there on a mutually advantageous basis," McFarlane said. He singles out the wireless resale or distribution agreements that some of the country’s cable operators...

Teen and tween wireless growth in Canada to lag behind US for number of years

telecom | 01/25/2006 5:00 am EST

Wireless carriers in the United States are increasingly looking at tweeners – those between the ages of eight and 12 – for subscriber growth as traditional target markets begin to saturate, according to the Yankee Group.  But north of the 49th parallel, overall penetration is still hovering around the 50% mark,...

Fixed-mobile convergence: boon or bane for carriers?

telecom | 01/25/2006 5:00 am EST

The convergence between fixed and mobile telecom services begins to pick up steam as network equipment vendors start showing off technology that lets mobile phone users jump from cell phone networks to Wi-Fi networks and vice-versa. Industry observers say the advancement could affect the way mobile service providers go about their business.  Avaya...

Amateur radio enthusiasts send message to Industry Canada on BPL interference

telecom | 01/25/2006 5:00 am EST

Amateur radio service is once again under attack. While most recently some of its spectrum was being reallocated for other services (RoW, Dec. 14/05), interference from broadband over powerline (BPL) communications is being cited this time as a potential major inhibitor of continued amateur radio services.  Clubs...

Telus’ Mike network not going away any time soon: McFarlane

telecom | 01/25/2006 5:00 am EST

Rumours of the demise of the iDEN network have been greatly exaggerated, according to Telus Corp. CFO Bob McFarlane.  Speaking at the Citigroup 16th Annual Global Entertainment, Media and Telecommunications Conference on January 10, he noted that there is a convergence that’s going to occur between iDEN – the...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 01/25/2006 5:00 am EST

Greater spending on wireless than wireline: In-StatNew research from In-Stat, a US-based high-tech research firm, indicates that in 2006 US businesses of all sizes will spend more on wireless voice services than on wireline voice.  In-Stat also notes that wireless data expenditures will continue to increase, adding that enterprises – those with more than 1,000 employees – will up their wireless data spending by about 18% per year on average through to 2009. "The transformation of telecom spending continues unabated," reads an In-Stat market alert. "The relentless march toward IP-based networks, the unequivocal adoption of mobile solutions, and the pervasiveness of broadband have changed the face of business networks forever."  Spending on wireless data services in the small office home office (SOHO) segment will outpace other business categories growing to nearly US$2.2 billion by 2009, up from the 2005 level of 470 million.  In Motion and TenDigits make Ready to Rocket listVancouver-based firms In...

ROW People

telecom | 01/25/2006 5:00 am EST

Jason de Boer has been appointed VP of sales at Infowave Software Inc. He brings more than 20 years experience in sales management and business development.  De Boer will leverage that experience for global sales and business development efforts, including strategic partnerships and third-party channel distribution expansion. Prior to joining the Vancouver-based firm, he worked at NetiQ, Oracle, Epiphany and Digital...

Infolink responds to Rogers Wireless application on voicecasting

telecom | 01/25/2006 5:00 am EST

Infolink Communications Ltd. agrees with Rogers Wireless that voicecasting to deliver unsolicited messages to wireless users’ voicemail boxes for marketing purposes should be prohibited by the CRTC.  But the company notes that this should only happen when users are levied charges to access their voicemail or text...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 01/25/2006 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Fixed-mobile convergence: hype or reality? At this point it is a little bit of both, with some vendors and providers demonstrating products in recent months and others noting that the products aren’t that good yet.  As the article on pages 4 and 5 in this issue reveals, many vendors are jumping...

Bell Canada fighting back to get stay on application of current winback rules

telecom | 01/18/2006 5:00 am EST

The country’s largest incumbent telephone company Bell Canada continues to press on its battle with competitive providers and the Canadian Cable Telecommunications Association regarding the current winback rules.  The following is an edited excerpt of the company’s January 3 submission.  Each of the...

NL Editorial

telecom | 01/18/2006 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  Looking back at 2005 and forward into 2006, it is safe to say that these are exciting times in the Canadian telecommunications industry. Last year, we saw a handful of key decisions from the CRTC that were designed to further the goal of promoting facilities-based competition.  This...

Interference a real concern for broadband over powerline implementation

telecom | 01/18/2006 5:00 am EST

Broadband over powerline (BPL) could cause harmful interference to a number of wireline-based Internet access systems, and Industry Canada should proceed cautiously before allowing any implementation. A number of interveners in an Industry Canada consultation on the matter raise particular concern with access BPL systems....

Bell Canada axes 60 staffers from enterprise business group

telecom | 01/18/2006 5:00 am EST

Bell Canada is culling staff members from its enterprise-business workforce in an attempt to bring costs down. But, the move has one industry observer scratching his head.  "If you’re serious about the enterprise market, you don’t cut a third of your customer-contact people," says Ian Angus of Angus...

Grassroots effort calls on feds to preserve basic telecommunications goals

telecom | 01/18/2006 5:00 am EST

Basic telecommunications goals are under attack from big business, and the federal government needs to preserve and promote them, according to a declaration from 37 national organizations.  Led by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, the declaration identifies specific principles and protections in the...

Cablecos’ share of telephony market continues to grow at steady pace

telecom | 01/18/2006 5:00 am EST

The share of the local telephony market owned by cable companies continues to increase at a steady pace, according to figures released by the country’s major players. Vidéotron ltée, Shaw Communications Inc., Cogeco Cable Inc. and Rogers Communications Inc. all released subscriber results in the past couple of weeks and they are all demonstrating healthy subscriber gains at this early stage of their service deployments (see table for subscriber figures).  Quebec’s largest cable company Vidéotron is leading the way with approximately 163,000 subscribers. The cableco introduced its cable telephony service in the first quarter of 2005 and has steadily upped market share during a...

Bringing broadband to rural British Columbia

telecom | 01/18/2006 5:00 am EST

A not-for-profit organization dedicated to bringing broadband to British Columbia’s Kootenay region hopes this year will see the same kind of progress that 2005 did.  After planning since 2001 for an open network bringing high-speed access to a 88,000 square-kilometre area of the BC interior, the Columbia Mountain Open Network (CMON), a...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 01/18/2006 5:00 am EST

Telus can’t avoid criminal charges in AlbertaAlberta incumbent telephone operator Telus Corp. will face criminal charges over allegations the company ignored a court order to produce cell phone records requested by the RCMP. The company has now complied with the order and handed over the information, but it didn’t come until about five months after the RCMP initially made the request. Telus maintains that its failure...

NL People

telecom | 01/18/2006 5:00 am EST

Nortel Networks Corp. has named Don McKenna as VP of global manufacturing services, responsible for all aspects of the company’s production operations. He joins the company from General Electric where he led manufacturing processes, supply chain and quality assurance efforts.  Jean Brazeau has been appointed VP of telecommunications regulatory affairs at Shaw Communications Inc. He will be responsible for...

Inukshuk forges ahead with massive buildout; company on track to hit targets

telecom | 01/10/2006 5:00 am EST

Revived broadband wireless access provider Inukshuk Internet Inc. is forging ahead with a massive network rollout in many parts of the country, but rumours of a 200-cell site deployment in southern Alberta are untrue.  David Robinson, VP of business implementation at Rogers Wireless Inc., whose parent company Rogers...

Wireless key revenue driver for Telus this year: CFO McFarlane

telecom | 01/10/2006 5:00 am EST

Rapidly increasing revenue from Telus Corp.’s wireless activities will continue to play a significant role in the company’s financial results into 2006, executive VP and CFO Bob McFarlane said during a conference call with analysts.  "We’re having a strong flow through – north of 60% – of incremental network revenue into our EBITDA line. So that’s led to, obviously, the overall EBITDA margin expansion, and what we’re saying today is we expect to see continued margin expansion," he said last month.  Wireless subscriber growth in 2006 is projected to come in at about 550,000 net additions or similar to the outlook projected for 2005, representing approximately a 12% increase in the overall subscriber base to more than five million. Telus is expected to...

Predictions Fixed wireless deployments continue to bring broadband to rural Canada

telecom | 01/10/2006 5:00 am EST

Greater relief to Canadians living in rural and remote regions of the country not able to get high-speed Internet access should be coming this year. Service providers are battling it out in the rural and remote trenches in a bid to secure subscribers.  Two main factors suggest 2006 could prove to be a banner year for...

Wi-LAN ends fiscal 2005 on difficult note, begins 2006 with big patent win

telecom | 01/10/2006 5:00 am EST

Senior managers at Wi-LAN Inc. hope the struggles of 2005 are behind them and that a significant win early in fiscal year 2006 could mean brighter days are ahead.  Last year was "a year of transition and a very difficult year financially for our employees and shareholders," Bill Dunbar, president and CEO of...

Spectrum allocation housecleaning below 1.7 GHz offer new opportunities

telecom | 01/10/2006 5:00 am EST

Industry Canada plans to implement some spectrum allocation changes that should offer up new opportunities for users. Introduced in DGTP 004-05, some of the bands below 1.7 GHz will be realigned to match US allocations, while other under used bands will be opened up for additional uses.  The changes as proposed in the...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 01/10/2006 5:00 am EST

Spotwave introduces new indoor coverage productOttawa’s Spotwave Wireless has introduced a new wireless signal enhancement product designed to strengthen signals for cell phone networks. Dubbed Zen, the product is ideally suited for small and home office spaces of up to 2,500 square feet.  "The Zen product is the only network-protecting, intelligent coverage system available for the small office home office...

ROW People

telecom | 01/10/2006 5:00 am EST

Jean Brazeau has been appointed VP of telecommunications regulatory affairs at Shaw Communications Inc. He will be responsible for developing a comprehensive telecom policy as it relates to government and regulatory affairs. Prior to joining Shaw, Brazeau held a number of senior positions within the telecommunications, including most recently overseeing Rogers Telecom’s strategic partnerships and regulatory affairs....

Users in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec to get WNP first

telecom | 01/10/2006 5:00 am EST

The CRTC ruled on December 20 that wireless number portability (WNP) should be made available in stages and much sooner than September 2007 as proposed by the Canadian wireless industry.  The commission noted that it would be reasonable to expect WNP to be available in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec by...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 01/10/2006 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. At the end of last year, Report on Wireless noted in this space that the year 2006 would be the year of fixed wireless deployments. It does appear to be shaping up that way, but there will be other key happenings on mobile side of the industry as well this year.  First and foremost, now that...

VoIP and cable telephony growing past early adopter market: Decima Research

telecom | 12/21/2005 5:00 am EST

New consumer research from Decima Research Inc. suggests that alternative home phone technologies such as Voice over IP (VoIP) and cable telephony are poised to expand beyond the early adopter phase. The survey results reveal that about 8% of Canadian households are already using these types of residential telephone...

Bell takes issue of alleged customer slamming from Primus to commission

telecom | 12/21/2005 5:00 am EST

Bell Canada is alleging that Primus Telecommunications Canada Inc. and other local service providers are switching customers over to their service without having first received proper consent. The practice is known as slamming and the incumbent telephone company wants the CRTC to intervene by ordering Primus Canada and the other offending carriers to stop the practice.  "Ultimately what we’re saying to the CRTC here is they have to take very quick and very decisive action to indicate to the industry and to consumers that this type of behaviour won’t be tolerated," Bell Canada’s chief of regulatory affairs Mirko Bibic tells Network Letter.  The company’s December...

Telcos offer different opinions about recent CRTC reorganization

telecom | 12/21/2005 5:00 am EST

A senior MTS Allstream executive praises the recent reorganization at the CRTC, but hopes it will not slow the streamlining being undertaken on the telecom side. "I think frankly if there was a question, you would want to hope that the momentum that the commission has developed on the telecom side doesn’t get...

Canada needs to do more to address lagging productivity, Ottawa conference told

telecom | 12/21/2005 5:00 am EST

Improving Canada’s labour productivity will take a concerted effort from government, the private sector and educational institutions, attendees of a recent conference in Ottawa heard. Speakers from the public and private sectors as well as Canadian economy analysts noted that there are many things that need to be done to...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 12/21/2005 5:00 am EST

Canadian businesses spend less on ICT than US counterpartsA new report for the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC) reveals that Canadian businesses spend considerably less than companies in the United States on information and communications technologies (ICTs). Compiled by the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS), the study illustrates the gap in ICT spending. In 2004, the average level of ICT...

NL People

telecom | 12/21/2005 5:00 am EST

Randy Reynolds has been appointed president of Rogers Telecom Inc., effective December 12. Rogers Telecom is the former Call-Net Enterprises Inc. operation that Rogers Communications acquired this year. Reynolds, who will report to Nadir Mohamed, president and COO of the communications group at the company, will be responsible for driving Rogers Telecom’s focus on the small, medium and large businesses. He has...

Pulver lays out predictions for VoIP in 2006; US struggles with legacy regulation

telecom | 12/21/2005 5:00 am EST

There is little doubt that Voice over IP services will represent an increasingly greater share of the local and business telephony in the United States and in Canada next year. Jeff Pulver, IP communications pioneer and founder of pulver.com, addresses the future of VoIP with his 2006 predictions. The following appeared December 6 on his blog.  Broadband penetration will continue to snowball in the US, but not at a pace fast enough to raise America’s mediocre global standing in broadband penetration. We, however, begin to appreciate the benefits of Metcalf’s Law, as broadband penetration snowballs and opens the door for an unprecedented surge in creativity and uptake of new Internet...

NL Editorial

telecom | 12/21/2005 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. As we look back on 2005, it would be hard to argue that it wasn’t an exciting year in Canadian telecommunications.  The CRTC ruled on a number of key proceedings including price floors, competitor digital network access, and incumbent telco promotions. Of course, we can’t forget about the...

Canada’s radio amateurs losing primary allocation on key growth spectrum

telecom | 12/14/2005 5:00 am EST

Industry Canada is taking some spectrum away from radio amateurs and re-designating it for land-mobile use. DGTP-004-05, Proposals and Changes to the Spectrum in Certain Bands Below 1.7 GHz, outlines several spectrum realignments designed to harmonize the country’s spectrum allocations with those in the United States and...

Rogers Communications well-positioned for growth in wireless business

telecom | 12/14/2005 5:00 am EST

The chief executive of Rogers Communications Inc. says the company is well-positioned to capitalize on a growing Canadian wireless market in large part due to its acquisition of Microcell Telecommunications Inc. last year. Ted Rogers, chair and CEO of Rogers Communications, made the comments at the Credit Suisse First...

National strategy on ICT adoption required: BCE chief executive Sabia

telecom | 12/14/2005 5:00 am EST

The chief executive of communications giant BCE Inc. is calling on the federal government to make information and communications technologies (ICT) adoption a national priority. Michael Sabia made the comments in Ottawa on December 6 at CAN>WIN 05, a one-day event which discussed ways to improve Canada’s lagging labour...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 12/14/2005 5:00 am EST

Wireless to be key, Telus executive says, despite mergerTelus Corp.’s wireless operations will continue to be key for the company as it moves forward in the post George Cope era, according to Telus’ executive VP of business transformation and CIO Kevin Salvadori. In an interview with Report on Wireless, he said that business and operational practices from the wireless organization will be imported to the newly created...

ROW People

telecom | 12/14/2005 5:00 am EST

Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. pulled off a major coup this month when it announced that Pierre Blouin was joining the company as its chief executive. He will serve as CEO of both Manitoba Telecom and MTS Allstream Inc. Blouin will be charged with transforming the telecommunications service provider into a nimble and agile provider – one that can compete more effectively against the likes of Bell Canada and Telus Corp....

Activity in fixed wireless spectrum to heat up next year: Maravedis

telecom | 12/14/2005 5:00 am EST

Deployments of systems operating in the 2.3 GHz and 2.5 GHz bands in the United States is expected to speed up next year as the licences are set to expire in 2007, according to research firm Maravedis. The following is an edited excerpt of the executive summary of the BRS, EBS and WCS Regulatory and Licensing Analysis...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 12/14/2005 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. A look back at Canada’s wireless industry in 2005 reveals that the industry is performing well with penetration now topping the 50% mark and the wireless carriers posting record subscriber additions.  The big three wireless operators will continue to forge ahead with attractive offers, new...

NL Editorial

telecom | 12/08/2005 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Newly appointed MTS Allstream CEO Pierre Blouin has a difficult job of in front of him: transform a former provincial monopoly telephone company – and now national telecom services provider – into a force to be reckoned with. This won’t be an easy undertaking, but Blouin is certainly an individual who is more than capable of leading the project, dubbed Transition Phase II (see "MTS ALLSTREAM REFOCUSES").  Blouin takes charge just as the telecommunications industry is going through incredible and rapid change. Voice over IP is changing the rules of the game not just in the consumer market but especially in the business segment, where MTS Allstream will generate the majority of its revenue. A key question the former Bell executive is going to have to answer, however, is how MTS Allstream plans to compete against the emerging and growing presence of systems integrators enterprise segment. If the...

TELUS merging wireline and wireless units in corporate reorganization

telecom | 12/08/2005 5:00 am EST

Convergence is being cited as one of the primary reasons for Telus Corp.’s decision to merge its wireline and wireless units. The corporate reorganization will see the incumbent telco offer products and services based on two customer segments: business and consumer. The company has, however, decided to keep its Quebec...

Pulver takes stock of 2005 predictions for Voice over Internet Protocol

telecom | 12/08/2005 5:00 am EST

Voice over IP continues to gain momentum in many geographic markets, prompting many analysts, industry observers and thought leaders to speculate as to what the future IP world might look like. Jeff Pulver, IP communications pioneer and founder of pulver.com, revisits some of his 2005 predictions for the VoIP industry....

Better wholesale regime needs to be put in place: Coalition of Quebec ISPs

telecom | 12/08/2005 5:00 am EST

The spokesperson for the Coalition of Quebec ISPs says there is a lack of a coherent and effective wholesale network access regime and the struggle by independent Quebec-based ISPs to get affordable access to Bell Canada’s network illustrates that.  Sophie Leger, president of Inter.net Canada, tells Network Letter in...

MTS Allstream kickstarts Phase II transition with job cuts, saving $100 million

telecom | 12/08/2005 5:00 am EST

MTS Allstream is realigning its businesses to better position the telecommunications company for future growth. Dubbed Transition Phase II and announced on November 29, the plan entails cutting between 750 and 800 employees, a move expected to save the telecom provider $100 million a year in operating costs. But MTS...

IT component of business telecom, an issue the CRTC is thinking about: French

telecom | 12/08/2005 5:00 am EST

Systems integrators are going to play an increasingly significant role in the business telecommunications competitive landscape because they can offer an integrated package of IT and communications services.  The country’s largest incumbent telephone company has raised this issue with the CRTC in a September 2005 Part VII application requesting changes to the way Type 2 or mixed customer specific arrangements (CSAs) are treated. Network Letter recently asked the CRTC’s vice-chair of telecommunications Richard French about this and other issues.  Network Letter: There has been a lot of talk about the significance of systems integrators in the business market, and you recently...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 12/08/2005 5:00 am EST

Shaw Communications pulls out of cable associationCiting difficulty on coming to "industry-wide consensus on various issues," Shaw Communications has withdrawn its membership to the Canadian Cable Telecommunications Association (CCTA), effective December 6. The company noted in a news release that "it is becoming increasingly clear that the member companies of the CCTA have divergent interests and differing...

NL People

telecom | 12/08/2005 5:00 am EST

Blouin appointed new CEO of MTS AllstreamManitoba Telecom Services Inc. pulled off a major coup this week when it announced that Pierre Blouin was joining the company as its chief executive. He will serve as CEO of both Manitoba Telecom and MTS Allstream Inc.  Blouin will be charged with transforming the telecommunications service provider into a nimble and agile provider – one that can compete more effectively...

UTC Canada and UPLC lend support to consultation on broadband over powerline

telecom | 12/08/2005 5:00 am EST

The United Telecom Council of Canada (UTC Canada) and the United Power Line Council (UPLC) have thrown their support behind the proposal Industry Canada put forward regarding the regulation of broadband over powerline (BPL) technology (SMSE-005-05).  The two associations believe the rules strike an appropriate balance...

Industry Canada to issue call for applications to develop satellite orbital slots

telecom | 12/01/2005 5:00 am EST

Industry Canada plans to issue a call for applications to develop several satellite orbital locations, but it is not yet known when the department will proceed with an announcement. The news comes after the spectrum regulator publicly announced November 8 the closing of a call for applications regarding a number of...

Wireless resale market changing south of border, post-paid coming on strong

telecom | 12/01/2005 5:00 am EST

New mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) in the United States aren’t following the traditional model of offering voice service on pre-paid pricing plans, a recent web cast was told. Increasingly, MVNOs are looking to content and post-paid pricing as two keys to their growth strategies going forward.  Amp’d...

Finance’s creation of CAN-Trade a boon to SMBs: BC wireless association

telecom | 12/01/2005 5:00 am EST

The Wireless Innovation Network of British Columbia (WINBC) is applauding the Depart-ment of Finance’s proposal to create CAN-Trade, an initiative aimed at spurring international trade for the country’s small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). CAN-Trade would invest $485 million over the next five years to stimulate...

Rogers unveils mobile workforce system for small- and mid-sized businesses

telecom | 12/01/2005 5:00 am EST

Rogers Communications Inc. says its new wireless data-collection system decreases paperwork for field services pros, and could improve its presence in the small-and mid-sized business (SMB) market. One observer says SMBs seek this type of productivity enhancement.  Toronto-based Rogers earlier this month unveiled its...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 12/01/2005 5:00 am EST

VIA Rail inks Wi-Fi deployment deal with ParsonsVIA Rail has signed Parsons Corp. to a five-year deal that will see the engineering and program management firm deploy Wi-Fi in all VIA 1 and Comfort class cars, as well as 22 stations and all seven Panorama lounges in the Windsor-Quebec City corridor. The service is primarily targeted at business people and students, but opens the door for the implementation of other...

ROW People

telecom | 12/01/2005 5:00 am EST

SR Telecom Inc.’s interim CEO has retained the services of William Aziz until December 31, 2006. Aziz is managing partner of BlueTree Advisors and was initially named chief restructuring officer of the Montreal-based company in April 2005. As well, Paul Griswold has been named vice-chair and secretary of the board of directors effective immediately. Griswold was named to the board in August 2005.  Gennum Corp. has launched a search for a new president CEO following the resignation of Ian McWalter. The announcement was made on November 23. The president and CEO suite will be filled temporarily by Donald Woodley. Cognos has announced that Claudio Silvestri will join the company as CIO, effective December 5. He will be responsible for worldwide information systems and infrastructure. Silvestri is a veteran of the software and telecom industries, having worked at Business Objects, Microsoft Canada Co. and Compaq Canada.  George King has resigned as chair of the board of directors of Norsat International Inc., but will remain...

Industry Canada tells Bell-Rogers to comply with spectrum aggregation limit

telecom | 12/01/2005 5:00 am EST

Canada’s spectrum regulatory has told Bell Canada and Rogers Wireless that they have to comply with spectrum cap rules following the two companies’ decision to pool 2300 MHz and 3500 MHz in Inukshuk Internet Inc. The following is the letter Industry Canada sent to the two companies.  This letter is to confirm our...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 12/01/2005 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.Christmas came early for the country’s small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) this year when federal finance minister Ralph Goodale unveiled a series of initiatives aimed at improving the plight of one of the country’s key economic drivers.  But with Canadians heading to the polls on January...

Telcos, ISPs surprised over provisions in lawful intercept legislation

telecom | 11/23/2005 5:00 am EST

Communications service providers are criticizing certain provisions of proposed lawful intercept legislation introduced into the House of Commons last week. Bill C-74, sponsored by Public Safety and Emerg-ency Preparedness Canada (PSEPC) and read into the House on November 15, aims to modernize wiretapping laws that are...

Rogers cries foul over New Brunswick access charges, seeks CRTC relief

telecom | 11/23/2005 5:00 am EST

Rogers Communications Inc. says the New Brunswick government isn’t playing fair regarding the money the province demands from carriers to access highways, which service providers need for transmission infrastructure maintenance.  Rogers is turning to the CRTC for a remedy: the company filed an application on November...

Cable versus telco: who’s going to win battle for control of the digital home

telecom | 11/23/2005 5:00 am EST

With TELUS Corp. announcing the launch of its TV over DSL services earlier this month and Bell Canada preparing to do the same at some point in the future, the battle for control of the digital home is going to heat up.  The cable operators have been taking it to the telcos for several months now since they introduced telephony services, but telcos are set to respond and will soon face off against cable companies on their own turf.  "So who wins? Cable or telco?" John Henderson, telecom and cable equity analyst at Scotia Capital, asked at the recent Scotia Capital IPTV versus VoIP conference.  Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. (MTS) and Saskatchewan Telecom-munications...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 11/23/2005 5:00 am EST

Vidéotron locked in billing dispute with Bell CanadaVidéotron Telecom Ltd. (VTL) has launched a formal complaint against Bell Canada with the CRTC over billing practices the Quebec cable company says are unfair. "The dispute between VTL and Bell arises from a disagreement as to whether certain one-way Bell circuits terminating on VTL’s network should be classified for billing purposes as EAS (extended area...

NL People

telecom | 11/23/2005 5:00 am EST

Bruce Simmonds has been appointed CEO of Minacs Worldwide Inc., succeeding Elaine Minacs on November 21. A chartered accountant, Simmonds is a seasoned executive and entrepreneur with a proven track record of building businesses in both Canada and the United States. Most recently, he founded and served as CEO of ClubLink Corp. Prior to establishing ClubLink, he was CFO of the family business A.C. Simmonds & Sons Ltd....

Bell fights back against competitor concerns over CSA application

telecom | 11/23/2005 5:00 am EST

Bell Canada has responded to concerns raised by competitors regarding its application asking the CRTC to change the way it treats Type 2 customer specific arrangements (CSAs). The incumbent telephone company states that there is substantial competition in the enterprise segment, reason enough for the commission to change...

NL Editorial

telecom | 11/23/2005 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 federal government took a big step forward in modernizing the country’s decades-old wiretapping laws when it introduced Bill C-74 last week – proposed legislation regarding lawful intercept.  While this is good news for law enforcement agencies, which indeed need new rules because of the...

Mobile commerce getting major boost from country’s national wireless operators

telecom | 11/16/2005 5:00 am EST

Canada’s three national wireless carriers have once again joined forces to bring innovative, interoperable mobile services to wireless subscribers. Bell Mobility, Rogers Wireless Inc. and Telus Mobility announced November 7 the creation of Wireless Payment Services (WPS), a three-way joint venture aimed at developing...

PEI and New Brunswick implement new 911 fee collection mechanism

telecom | 11/16/2005 5:00 am EST

The provinces of Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick plan to implement a new 911 emergency services collection mechanism, which has angered at least one wireless operator because it believes it is being forced to be the governments’ new tax collector. Parke Davis, senior regulatory and government affairs advisor at...

Pre-paid wireless beginning to take on greater significance in Canadian market

telecom | 11/16/2005 5:00 am EST

Attracting pre-paid wireless subscribers has become an important aspect of the country’s three national wireless operators’ business, according to their third quarter financial and subscriber results. This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise given the impact that Virgin Mobile Canada is having on the pre-paid market,...

RIM 101: a retrospective on Canadian tech star’s patent fight in U.S.

telecom | 11/16/2005 5:00 am EST

Waterloo ON-based Research In Motion Ltd. (RIM) is a scrapper, not only in the mobile data-device arena, but also in the courts. The firm has fought a number of companies over the past five years or so: on the product front, Palm Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co. count as some serious contenders for the portable computing crown...

iGotcha offering different kind of hotspot: computers come included with service

telecom | 11/16/2005 5:00 am EST

A Montreal area firm is offering a novel twist on Wi-Fi hotspots to independent businesses around the city:it’s providing the computers as well.  "If you’re a café and you desire our service, we’ll install a Wi-Fi router and our location server and WebPads in your location, and then people can either access the Internet over their laptops, or...with the WebPads," says Greg Adelstein, president of iGotcha Media Corp. In exchange for providing that connectivity, iGotcha Media charges business owners either a monthly fee or an upfront installation charge. "There has to be a small barrier to entry, to make sure they’re going to take care of the machines and make...