ROW Short Takes

telecom | 06/03/2005 4:00 am EDT

Glentel inks distribution agreement for AMR systemGlentel Inc. has signed a memorandum of understanding with Hyundai Digital Technology (HDT), granting Glentel the exclusive rights to market and distribute HDT’s automatic meter reading (AMR) system. HDT’s AMR system is used in both the residential and commercial segments of the electricity, gas and water utility meter markets. "Today, the ability to effectively,...

ROW People

telecom | 06/03/2005 4:00 am EDT

William Pieser has been appointed VP of marketing at Infowave Software Inc. He brings more than 20 years experience in product development, corporate marketing, business development, and mergers and acquisitions to the company. He has worked in a number of industry sectors including military/aerospace, communications/networking and enterprise software. Most recently, Pieser was executive VP of business development for...

No single network to win, content key for 3G, wireless future bright: Seybold

telecom | 06/03/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Many key Canadian and global industry players and influencers were in Calgary last month at the Wireless Connections 2005 conference. Many talked about the great things to come in the wireless industry. Andrew Seybold, one of the industry’s foremost analysts and commentators, provided his views on the future of the...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 06/03/2005 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 future of mobile TV in Canada appears to be bright, according to recent research conducted by Decima Reports affiliate company Decima Research. The data reveals that about 20% of cell phone users aged 18 to 24 are extremely/very interested in accessing mobile TV content on their cell...

NL Update

telecom | 06/01/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Commission further tweaks tariff processThe CRTC in Circular 2005-7 has made changes to the tariff application procedure dealing with the destandardization or withdrawal of services. It hopes the changes will greatly reduce the processing times associated with the applications, and that they will “provide greater regulatory certainty by identifying clear, publicly-known steps, timelines and criteria that can be consistently relied upon by both customers and carriers.” The changes are in response to a January Part VII application by Bell Canada seeking a new regime for withdrawal and standardization. In considering the application, the commission agreed with Bell that the current system doesn’t work well. Stopping short of allowing for automatic approvals, the commission has created a new regime that takes into account reasonable substitute services, transition plans, notice to affected customers and timeframes that allow for public comment. The new rules come into effect today.Regulator approves CISC document on CLEC access to...

VoIP is voice, says the CRTC in landmark ruling, ILECs vow to launch appeal

telecom | 05/25/2005 4:00 am EDT

 The federal Cabinet will be presented with two starkly different visions of what’s good for telecommunications competition in Canada when Bell Canada and TELUS Corp. files their appeals of the long-awaited Voice over IP decision. The CRTC on May 12 issued its ruling on whether to forbear or not from regulating VoIP...

Providers want extension to CRTC deadline for VoIP 911 implementation

telecom | 05/25/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Two incumbent telephone companies and two Voice over IP providers are asking the CRTC to delay the implementation of an interim VoIP 911 solution, saying there isn’t enough time to make sure it works before the July 3 deadline.  While MTS Allstream provides few details as to why it is asking for an extension,...

Analysts give thumbs up to Rogers’ all-stock acquisition of Call-Net

telecom | 05/25/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Analysts are calling Rogers Communications Inc.’s all-stock acquisition of Call-Net Enterprises a good move for both companies. Under the agreement, which has been approved by both boards but still needs the regulator’s greenlight, Call-Net common and Class B shareholders will receive a fixed exchange ratio of one...

Mid-size market heating up for VoIP deployment: Info-Tech

telecom | 05/25/2005 4:00 am EDT

 About 23% of mid-sized enterprises in Canada have already invested in Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), and the technology will account for 50% to 60% of the mid-sized enterprise telephony market within the next three years, states a report by Info-Tech Research Group.  The report found that 40% of the...

Bell and Shaw promise compliance with VoIP decision rules

telecom | 05/25/2005 4:00 am EDT

Both Bell Canada and Shaw Communications Inc. say they will comply with the rules set out in Decision 2005-28 as soon as possible in the wake of the ruling to settle two contentious issues. In April, Bell Canada was called to task by rivals for launching a Voice over IP service in Quebec, a measure largely seen as a...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 05/25/2005 4:00 am EDT

VoIP ruling fair for both ILECs and competitors: MCI CanadaThe general manager of MCI Canada says the CRTC’s recent Voice over IP ruling was the right one, allowing competitors to gain market share, while also recognizing that when the market changes, so will the rulings of the commission. Robert Quance, recently appointed as GM of MCI Canada, agrees with CRTC chair Charles Dalfen’s statement that this is the quickest...

Industry consolidation causes concern for PIAC, cautions Competitor Bureau

telecom | 05/25/2005 4:00 am EDT

Michael Janigan, executive director and general counsel for the Public Interest Advocay Centre, tells the Competition Bureau of Canada that consolidation in the telecom industry has led to a duopoly and that isn’t good for consumers. In a letter to commissioner Sheridan Scott, Janigan says the bureau should "exercise...

NL Editorial

telecom | 05/25/2005 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Is the CRTC’s ruling on VoIP the quickest path to competition? That is up for debate. But we should remember that 97-8 was to have brought us a fully competitive telecommunications landscape. That framework did little to spur competition and in fact saw the rise, and subsequent fall, of a number...

ROW Update

telecom | 05/24/2005 4:00 am EDT

   SuperNet brings opportunities for Alberta wireless ISPsThe near completion of the Alberta SuperNet initiative is opening up more opportunities for smaller independent wireless Internet service providers as they look to the province-wide network for key backhaul facilities. An upcoming issue of Report on Wireless will present the perspective of the WISP and the significance of SuperNet in allowing them to compete more effectively for customers. Nearly 400 rural and remote Albertan communities are now connected to the pan-provincial network. It is slated for completion this fall. Wireless Connections presents future of wirelessThe Wireless Connections 2005 conference, held May 17 and 18 in Calgary, featured a number of key Canadian and international speakers who gave their view of the wireless future. There was a fair bit of conversation about TV to the handset and other types of wireless data services that are going to drive the average revenue per user of the carriers. However, many still assert that voice is going to “pay the...

Inter-carrier Wi-Fi roaming work going slow, plans for launch later this year

telecom | 05/17/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Independent Wi-Fi operators will have to wait a little bit longer before they can interconnect to the big three wireless operators’ hotspots. Rogers Wireless Inc., Bell Mobility and Telus Mobility are taking their time to make sure that inter-carrier Wi-Fi roaming works on their respective networks before opening...

New method of delivering audio/video wireless devices making some noise

telecom | 05/17/2005 4:00 am EDT

 An upstart video-to-the-handset company says it has come up with a better way to deliver high-quality video and audio to thousands of simultaneous wireless device users. The two principals at Ontario-based LogoVision Wireless Inc. tell Report on Wireless that the current method of bit streaming video and audio won’t...

Freewave radios give Dycor competitive advantage over much larger rivals

telecom | 05/17/2005 4:00 am EDT

 An executive with Alberta-based defence contractor Dycor Technologies Inc. says a decision about a dozen years ago to use radio equipment from Freewave Technologies Inc. has allowed the company to be competitive with larger rivals such as Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics. Mark Marsden, a VP with...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 05/17/2005 4:00 am EDT

Rogers Wireless introduces new music download servicesRogers Wireless Inc. has introduced a new music download service that allows songs to be downloaded to a subscribers’ cell phone or to their PC. The announcement makes Rogers Wireless the first wireless operator in North America to offer such a service. In conjunction with the launch of Rogers MusicStore, the company announced that RealTrax ring tunes will be...

ROW International Briefs

telecom | 05/17/2005 4:00 am EDT

Bluetooth and UWB begin combination discussionsCompanies representing Bluetooth and ultra-wideband wireless technologies have started discussions about developing a new technology combining both protocols. Earlier this month, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group announced that it began working with the WiMedia Alliance.  Discussions with the WiMedia Alliance and the UWB Forum are still in early stages, and it’s unclear at this point whether any collaborative work will result in a cross-platform combining the two technologies. Both are considered cable replacement technologies with applications in the computer and consumer electronics markets. Many have speculated that UWB would win out in the home entertainment segment because of its higher data throughput rates. A major objective of the Bluetooth SIG, as stated by the group, would be to allow short-range communications compatibility between Bluetooth devices and those integrated with UWB. "UWB could replace the existing air interface used by Bluetooth for the purpose of...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 05/17/2005 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 national wireless operators aren’t doing enough to bring public Wi-Fi to the Canadian masses. Bell Mobility’s agreement with Mail Boxes Etc. to light up 275 locations is a step in the right direction, but it’s a far cry from what needs to be done in this country (see article...

Spectrum policy framework overhaul in the works, comments due this fall

telecom | 05/17/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Industry Canada plans to overhaul its spectrum policy framework and spectrum management program in light of technological and industry changes. While most of the department’s proposals for the re-working are slight modifications of previously adopted measures, there are a number of significant new provisions that...

Bell Mobility suffers tough quarter, blames billing and competitive pricing

telecom | 05/17/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Bell Mobility suffered a net loss of approximately 5,000 post-paid subscribers in the first quarter of 2005, but was lifted into the black primarily by the launch of Virgin Mobile Canada during the the quarter. Overall, net subscriber additions for Q1 were 37,000, significantly lower than the 65,000 Rogers Wireless...

NL Update

telecom | 05/16/2005 4:00 am EDT

Bell, TELUS must file VoIP tariffs, rules CRTCThe CRTC ruled that it would continue regulating Voice over IP services as a form of local telephony in a decision Bell Canada and TELUS Corp. officials said that they would appeal to Cabinet. On May 12, the CRTC ruled that incumbent telcos would continue to have to file tariff applications with the commission when selling services in-territory. The regulator reached its...

Local service deregulation discussions set to begin, initial comments due June 22

telecom | 05/10/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Discussions are already underway among Canadian telecom executives about what conditions should exist before incumbent telecom companies are deregulated after the CRTC released on April 28 Public Notice 2005-2, a process to examine local forbearance. The process, to determine how soon incumbent telcos will see the...

Lower prices, stronger telcos priorities for Canadians in telecom review: Decima

telecom | 05/10/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Canadians say the recently appointed panel of experts examining this country’s telecommunications rules should help homegrown telcos become stronger before encouraging a greater number of competitors, regardless of their ownership.  A newly-released poll by Decima Research Inc. indicates that Canadians hope the...

Commission changes stance on price floors, opts instead for status quo

telecom | 05/10/2005 4:00 am EDT

 The CRTC has sharply reversed its position on price floor safeguards and bundling in an April 29 decision that has been widely seen as maintaining the status quo on the minimum prices charged by ILECs on tariffed services.  In Telecom Decision 2005-27, the CRTC has ordered ILECs to charge at least imputed costs...

Commission allows incumbents to offer promotions, but imposes strict limits

telecom | 05/10/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Bell Canada and cable operators have sharply different views of a recent CRTC decision that puts strict new limits on the kinds of promotions incumbent telephone companies can run to win customers. While Bell was able to lift a more-than-two-year ban on promotions against which it complained this spring (NL,...

ILECs allowed to draw down from deferral account for TTY upgrade

telecom | 05/10/2005 4:00 am EDT

 The head of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) disagrees with a recent CRTC decision that allows MTS Allstream, TELUS Corp. and Bell Canada to take draw downs from their deferral accounts to upgrade their payphones with teletypewriter (TTY) devices.  The CRTC mandated in July 2004 that incumbent telcos had to offer more payphone service to the deaf from 2004 to the end of 2010 (NL, July 20/04). The commission agreed last month that they could recover some of the costs of installing TTY devices through draw downs from the companies deferral accounts (Telecom Decision 2005-23).  "I’m disappointed that the commission has seen suited to require contributions for this exercise solely from the consumers rather than any other stakeholders in the industry. And we are...

Indie VoIP players to have difficulty gaining market share: Decima study

telecom | 05/10/2005 4:00 am EDT

 New data from Decima Research Inc. suggests that independent Voice over IP (VoIP) service providers could have a more difficult time attracting subscribers than their telco or cableco counterparts. In a new survey of more than 2,000 Canadian residential Internet subscribers, more than two-thirds of those who indicated...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 05/10/2005 4:00 am EDT

Call-Net to buy local, IXC assets in NB, NSAs part of its acquisition of the 360networks Corp. customer base in Eastern Canada from Bell Canada, Call-Net Enterprises Inc. has announced it will purchase various local and IXC assets in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia (NL, Nov. 25/04). The deal foresees Call-Net buying virtually all of the former Group Telecom (GT) assets in those provinces including long-haul and access...

NL People

telecom | 05/10/2005 4:00 am EDT

Ottawa-based SIPquest has made two additions to its senior management team, appointing Brian Coulter as VP of worldwide sales and Mike Kelly as CFO. Coulter will be responsible for building strategic sales partnerships, while Kelly will handle the company’s strategic financial direction. Prior to joining SIPquest, Coulter was VP of the service provider business unit at Polycom where he was in charge of the go-to-market...

NL Editorial

telecom | 05/10/2005 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. You can’t win them all. That’s what the incumbent telephone companies are likely saying to themselves right now following a report that the CRTC is going to regulate Voice over IP services much in the same way that they regulate traditional TDM, circuit-switched voice. But they shouldn’t...

ROW Update

telecom | 05/09/2005 4:00 am EDT

BlackBerry tops 3-million subscriber markResearch in Motion Ltd. has announced that the subscriber count to its popular, and seemingly ubiquitous, BlackBerry device has topped the three million mark, with approximately one million new subscribers added in the past six months alone. RIM reached its first million subscribers in February 2004 and then 10 months later had topped the two-million mark. “With over 50,000 retail points of presence, accelerated geographic expansion and the anticipated addition of 100 new carriers in 2005, we are scaling our operations for the five million and 10 million subscriber milestones,” RIM chair and co-CEO Jim Balsillie said in a news release. palmOne creates new product categoryOne of the world’s largest device manufacturers, palmOne Inc. has created another product family that is designed to meet the growing demand for mobile content. The mobile manager category, which will see its first product introduced later this month, is targeted at customers who want to take advantage of “digital...

ROW Special Update

telecom | 05/05/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Lower prices and stronger telcos emerge as priorities for Canadians in upcoming telecom review: Decima pollCanadians say the recently appointed panel of experts examining this country’s telecommunications rules should put helping homegrown telcos become stronger before encouraging a greater number of competitors, regardless of their ownership. A newly-released poll by Decima Research Inc. indicates that Canadians...

NL Special Update

telecom | 05/05/2005 4:00 am EDT

Lower prices and stronger telcos emerge as priorities for Canadians in upcoming telecom review: Decima pollCanadians say the recently appointed panel of experts examining this country’s telecommunications rules should put helping homegrown telcos become stronger before encouraging a greater number of competitors, regardless of their ownership. A newly-released poll by Decima Research Inc. indicates that Canadians hope...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 05/04/2005 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  Canada’s wireless carriers and the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association must be as transparent as possible about the cost of implementing wireless number portability (WNP), now that they’ve taken a huge step forward in deciding to move ahead on their own instead of waiting to...

Industry Canada allocates more licence-exempt bandwidth in 5 GHz

telecom | 05/04/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Industry Canada has opened up more licence-exempt spectrum in the 5 GHz band – a development that has at least one wireless Internet service provider optimistic that it will now be able to serve customers more effectively. Principals from Rainy Day Software Corp. say the government’s decision is a welcome step in...

Carriers agree to deploy wireless number portability in advance of review

telecom | 05/04/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Canada’s wireless carriers have trumped a pending review of wireless number portability by the CRTC and agreed to implement the feature on their own. The Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) announced on April 21 that the country’s major wireless operators came to a consensus on implementing...

Consumer apps take over lead from BlackBerry in data revenue: Rogers

telecom | 05/04/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Consumer applications and services now make up the bulk of Rogers Wireless Inc.’s wireless data services revenue, company executives noted during its recent first-quarter 2005 financial results conference call. Previously dominated by revenue generated from BlackBerry users, Rogers Wireless said that consumer...

MAINSPOT inks deal with iPass, expands reach of hotspot service to global scale

telecom | 05/04/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Upstart hotspot operator MAINSPOT Inc. has inked a Wi-Fi roaming agreement with iPass, a move that will see the Toronto provider gain instant international reach. Paul Min, the company’s president and founder, tells Report on Wireless the iPass agreement is particularly important for MAINSPOT as it allows the...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 05/04/2005 4:00 am EDT

Redline introduces WiMAX-based product familyRedline Communications has introduced its RedMAX family of WiMAX-compliant base stations, subscriber units and backhaul equipment. The Toronto-based company plans to present these products for WiMAX certification this July. The RedMAX line of products include: the AN-100U, serving as both a base station and backhaul equipment, the RedMAX SU-O subscriber unit, and the RedMAX...

ROW People

telecom | 05/04/2005 4:00 am EDT

Sierra Wireless Inc. has decided to split the responsibilities of chair and CEO, announcing that the lead independent director position will be replaced by a non-executive chair position. To that end, Peter Ciceri has been named chair, taking over from David Sutcliffe, who maintains the position of CEO and adds the role of president. The company also announced that Sutcliffe, who has served as CEO for 10 years, will retire at the end of this year. He will, however, stay on with the company as a director.  Bridgewater Systems has opened a new regional office in Asia and announced that Steven Yat Ming Szeto, the company’s VP of Asia-Pacific, will head up the office. He will be based in Singapore. Szeto has more than 20 years experience in selling telecommunications technology to network operators in the Asian market. Prior to joining Bridgewater, he was VP and GM of Convergys Corp.’s Asian operations.  Norsat International Inc. made some changes to its board of directors earlier this month. Following the resignations of Ken...

ROW International Briefs

telecom | 05/04/2005 4:00 am EDT

Ringtone, screensaver crackdown coming: AmTechA new analyst brief from American Technology Research analyst Albert Lin says the market for ringtones, wallpaper and screensavers could be headed for a slowdown in sales. Reports out of the United States suggest that the wireless carriers are now working together to develop a code of conduct for ringtone distributors. It is expected to be released in about a month. "We...

NL Update

telecom | 05/02/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Commission seeks comments on setting rules for local service forbearanceThe CRTC is looking to set the stage for local residential and business service forbearance (Telecom Public Notice 2005-2). The commission is not wasting any time as it expects to release a decision about five months following the close of the proceeding. The CRTC plans to hold a public consultation in September. The commission also noted that...

Commission moves to reduce burden on telecom firms with several new initiatives

telecom | 04/26/2005 4:00 am EDT

 The CRTC outlined several ways it hopes to reduce the administrative burden on telecom players at a stakeholder meeting April 25, including a publicly-released plan to streamline the approval of retail tariff applications, the quiet modification of several requirements for monthly and quarterly filings, and a plan to...

VoIP services competition heating up with independents and cable companies

telecom | 04/26/2005 4:00 am EDT

 The competition between the independent Voice over IP providers such as Vonage Canada and the cable companies is beginning to heat up, and it’s too early to tell which is gaining the lion’s share of new additions. But there is general consensus in the industry that following the entry of Vidéotron ltée and...

Price continues to be main component of marketing strategy for VoIP players

telecom | 04/26/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Voice over IP service providers, whether cable companies or independent players, continue to focus on price as the main component of their VoIP marketing strategies, according to one telecom analyst. Jeff Fan, director, equity research analyst, telecom and media for UBS Securities Canada Inc., says the move by cablecos and telcos to use bundles as a key marketing tool has turned the VoIP fight into one based almost solely on price. His comments were made during an analysts’ roundtable last week at the VON Canada conference in Toronto.  Despite all the talk of the capabilities that VoIP can offer such as unified messaging, find-me follow-me, and others, IP telephony providers...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 04/26/2005 4:00 am EDT

Feds launch $2.98-million critical infrastructure studyPublic Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada and Science and Engineering Research Canada will launch six studies in conjunction with various partners to study the interdependencies of Canada’s major infrastructure systems. Some of the $2.98 million it will cost to conduct the studies has been earmarked for researching communications systems, and the initiative...

NL People

telecom | 04/26/2005 4:00 am EDT

Ron Kaczorowski has been appointed executive VP of sales and marketing, health at Emergis Inc. He brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in information technology combined with an understanding of the healthcare industry, making him an ideal candidate for the job. Kaczorowski has worked at Philips Medical Systems Canada, Agilent Technologies and HP Canada.  Imagis Technologies Inc. has appointed Rick Peterson as...

NL International Briefs

telecom | 04/26/2005 4:00 am EDT

Bloomberg announces far-ranging telecom plan for NYCNew York City mayor Michael Bloomberg has unveiled a plan to improve the city’s telecommunications infrastructure. The plan was developed as a collaborative effort between the Economic Development Corp., the Department of Information Technology and Telecommuniations (DoITT), and the Department of Small Business Services. It makes 21 recommendations for the city to...

NL Editorial

telecom | 04/26/2005 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 decision this week to move more quickly on retail tariff filings and to finally deal with some major issues in the next couple of weeks is welcome news to many in the industry (see lead article for reaction). But it doesn’t replace the need to have a broad review of the telecommunications...

ROW Update

telecom | 04/25/2005 4:00 am EDT

Wireless industry trumps CRTC revisiting of wireless number portabilityCanada’s major wireless operators have saved the CRTC the time and money of revisiting the thorny issue of wireless number portability (WNP), opting instead on their own to begin implementation of the service. Announced on April 21 by the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA), the next step will be to find a consultant that will...

BelAir Networks launches new multiservice wireless mesh architecture

telecom | 04/19/2005 4:00 am EDT

 BelAir Networks is upping the ante in the broadband wireless arena with the introduction of a new equipment platform, the Wireless Multi-service Architecture, designed to support both fixed and mobile applications and reduce the significant costs associated with deploying new networks. In a wide ranging interview with...

Rogers Wireless and RIM promote BlackBerry as more than email device

telecom | 04/19/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Representatives from Research in Motion Ltd. and Rogers Wireless Inc. were in Ottawa last week extolling the benefits of the BlackBerry device as more than just a simple mobile email solution at a breakfast seminar on the benefits of wireless data and the BlackBerry. Introduced in 1999, the wireless handheld was...

Rogers and Bell to launch mobile television services in second quarter

telecom | 04/19/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Two of the country’s national wireless operators plan to introduce mobile television services in the second quarter of this year. Rogers Wireless Inc. unveiled its plans on April 14 and Bell Mobility issued a statement later that same day announcing that it, too, would introduce services next month.  During a...

Wireless e-coupons making a comeback four years after Canadian failure

telecom | 04/19/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Couponing in the mobile wireless space could make a comeback if a partnership between mobile marketing company MyThum Interactive and Givex Corp. proves successful. The two companies inked an agreement on April 5 that they hope will combine the benefits of loyalty programs with SMS to being able to offer wireless subscribers discounts through e-coupons sent to their handsets.  The deal calls for the two companies to jointly offer the Mx-Coupon program – a method of delivering redeemable coupons through text messaging.  More than four years ago, SUMmedia.com Inc. came out to the market with e-coupon for wireless operators. The plan was to deliver coupons to wireless...

Frulla reponse to Lincoln report calls for no changes to foreign ownership

telecom | 04/19/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Canadian Heritage minister Liza Frulla’s response to the Lincoln report on broadcasting recommends that existing foreign ownership limits for broadcasting and telecommunications be maintained at current levels.  Her response, contained in the document Reinforcing Our Cultural Sovereignty – Setting Priorities...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 04/19/2005 4:00 am EDT

Universities choose Aruba mobility product for campusesRyerson University and the University of Windsor have installed wireless coverage products from Aruba Networks, the company announced. Aruba notes in a media release that both sales represent a change in vendors for the schools. Ryerson is installing 200 single-radio 802.11 a/b/g access points to cover 24 buildings throughout its campus, with another 300 to follow by...

ROW People

telecom | 04/19/2005 4:00 am EDT

Toronto-based BenQ has promoted Jimmy Davlouros from VP and general manger of BenQ Canada Corp. to executive VP, BenQ North American. Davlouros will leave the company’s Toronto office to work from its headquarters in Irvine CA. In his new position, he will be responsible for U.S. and Canadian sales, marketing and product management divisions and enhancing the BenQ brand in North America. Davlouros has previous marketing...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 04/19/2005 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 race to capture Canadian mobile TV viewers is on now that Rogers Wireless Inc. and Bell Mobility have announced plans to offer television to the handset. Both companies announced offerings that will hit the market during the second quarter of this year. While the two fierce rivals will compete...

NL Update

telecom | 04/19/2005 4:00 am EDT

Bell offers free accelerated dial-up Internet serviceBell Canada is using software from Slipstream Data Inc. to speed up its customers’ dial-up Internet access, the company announced April 14. Customers can immediately download the Dial-Up Accelerator software from Bell’s site and see an improvement in download speeds of up to five times faster. The Accelerator is being offered for free, and joins several other value-added services available from Bell including parental controls, anti-pop-up services, anti-virus software and 2 GB of email storage. The Accelerator is available at www.bell.ca/downloadaccelerator.MetroPhotonics announces successful testOttawa-based MetroPhotonics Inc. says its SurePath Monitor product has successfully completed qualification by Telcordia. The product offers high speed monitoring of DWDM channels enabling advanced control and protection within networks, and is offered as a discrete component or module. “This qualification allows us to rapidly give our customers a technology and circuit read-across on the...

NL Update

telecom | 04/19/2005 4:00 am EDT

Bell offers free accelerated dial-up Internet serviceBell Canada is using software from Slipstream Data Inc. to speed up its customers’ dial-up Internet access, the company announced April 14. Customers can immediately download the Dial-Up Accelerator software from Bell’s site and see an improvement in download speeds of up to five times faster. The Accelerator is being offered for free, and joins several other...

NL Update

telecom | 04/19/2005 4:00 am EDT

Bell offers free accelerated dial-up Internet serviceBell Canada is using software from Slipstream Data Inc. to speed up its customers’ dial-up Internet access, the company announced April 14. Customers can immediately download the Dial-Up Accelerator software from Bell’s site and see an improvement in download speeds of up to five times faster. The Accelerator is being offered for free, and joins several other...

Commission tightens up consumer safeguards for 900 services

telecom | 04/13/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Telephone companies offering 900 services say they welcome new consumer safeguards governing the offerings that were issued by the CRTC March 30, finally putting to close some issues that were raised as far back as November 2001. Both TELUS Corp. and Bell Canada say the new rules are a positive move as...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 04/13/2005 4:00 am EDT

Don’t change foreign ownership rules: FrullaCanadian Heritage minister Liza Frulla’s response to the Lincoln report on broadcasting recommends that existing foreign ownership limits for broadcasting and telecommunications be maintained at current levels. Her response, contained in the document Reinforcing Our Cultural Sovereignty – Setting Priorities for the Canadian Broadcasting System that was tabled in the House...

NL People

telecom | 04/13/2005 4:00 am EDT

Chris Burke, Peter Charbonneau and David Homer have joined March Networks’ board of directors. Burke is a former CFO and CIO for Voadafone UK Ltd. Charbonneau is currently general partner at Skypoint Capital Corp. Homer is currently director of strategic outsourcing at IBM Global Services.   Josh Blair, VP of learning and development at TELUS, was named Learning Leader of the Year for 2005 at the annual...

Keep what works, throw what doesn’t: CCTA says of upcoming telecom review

telecom | 04/13/2005 4:00 am EDT

The Federal Government has announced its intent to have a wise-persons panel that will make recommendations concerning Canada’s telecommunications policies by year-end. On the tenth anniversary of the Information Highway Initiative, CCTA believes that the panel provides an excellent opportunity to deliver a report card on...

NL Editorial

telecom | 04/13/2005 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.Despite the many and various interpretations of what constitutes a level playing field in telecommunications, a universal starting point is that the regulated will play by the rules. Markets can only function if the rules are recognized and observed. In any market, breaches of the rules may result in...

Telecom process changes on the way at CRTC, according to commission’s Katz

telecom | 04/13/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Major changes in the way the CRTC deals with telecom processes are on the way, possibly within a matter of weeks, according to newly-hired director Len Katz – no stranger to industry frustrations with the lengthy amount of time it can take the commission to deal with matters both large and small. He tells Network...

Industry players applaud government decision on scope of telecom review

telecom | 04/13/2005 4:00 am EDT

 A large-scale review of Canada’s telecommunications laws, urged on by a broad spectrum of industry players with Bell Canada at their head, has been concretely set into motion following the appointment of its panel members and the setting of its scope April 11.  On Monday, the government announced that a three-person panel made up of Hank Intven, Gerri Sinclair and André Tremblay will be responsible for examining a mish-mash of policy areas from competition in the digital age through solving the digital divide. The panel is to report back with recommendations to the government before the end of 2005.  Industry reaction to the announcement was generally positive as industry...

Local winback rules in Calgary under fire from western ILEC TELUS

telecom | 04/13/2005 4:00 am EDT

 TELUS Corp. is telling the CRTC that it should be treated on equal footing with the cable companies in the local telephony market when it comes to competing for customers. The western-based incumbent telephone company filed an application with the commission asking it to repeal the local residential winback...

Bell Canada’s VoIP service launch under fire from competitors

telecom | 04/13/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Bell Canada’s decision to launch Voice over IP services in three Quebec markets and the CRTC decision not to intervene has angered competitors, but they take solace in the fact that the CRTC has set a May 12 deadline for issuing its much-anticipated ruling on Voice over IP regulation. Canada’s largest telco...

ROW Update

telecom | 04/11/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Wireless Matrix releases MBS2-RailWireless Matrix Corp. has introduced the MBS2-Rail, a new wireless modem for the rail industry. The device, which is the next generation of SDM 1200, is less than four inches long and is designed to support key rail industry applications. Further, the MBS2-Rail allows more flexible communications with locomotives. Wireless Matrix president and CEO J. Richard Carlson said, “With...

Bell and Rogers offering “free” BlackBerries to attract new subscribers

telecom | 04/06/2005 4:00 am EDT

 Bell Mobility and Rogers Wireless Inc. appear to be pulling out all the stops in a bid to secure new subscribers to the BlackBerry with the ultimate objective of increasing wireless data services revenue. Both companies have in recent months entered into agreements with unlikely partners, offering "free"...

Unique Broadband’s deal with CHUM shows off versatility of network

telecom | 04/06/2005 4:00 am EDT

 The head of Unique Broadband Systems Inc. says the deal it struck with CHUM Ltd. to build a terrestrial subscription radio network for the private broadcaster illustrates the flexibility of its mobile multimedia network. The Concord ON-based company announced last year the development of a mobile broadband video network that it was planning to deploy this year (RoW, Dec. 15/04).  The network build contract is contingent on CHUM being licensed by the CRTC for subscription radio. Two other Canadian groups, backed by the two American satellite radio companies, have also applied for subscription radio licences. The commission is expected to rule on the matter by this summer....

Opportunities abundant in Australia and Singapore for wireless content

telecom | 04/06/2005 4:00 am EDT

 The advanced stage of wireless technology in Australia and Singapore has a group of Canadian new media content producers excited about opportunities to export their wares. In late February and early March, a group of 12 producers from across Canada explored the market opportunties in those two countries during a...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 04/06/2005 4:00 am EDT

Telesat and Barrett Xplore bring Internet to rural Canada Telesat Canada and Barrett Xplore Inc. have signed a multi-year distribution contact that will deliver a whole new level of communications connectivity to Canadians in rural and remote communities. The agreement makes Barrett a national service provider for a new satellite broadband service operating on Telesat’s Anik F2 satellite. Subscribers can use the...

ROW People

telecom | 04/06/2005 4:00 am EDT

Gary Kunis has been appointed CTO of Nortel Networks Corp., taking over from Brian McFadden, who had only served in the position for a few months. McFadden has been appointed as chief research officer. Kunis is the former chief science officer at Cisco Systems Inc., a position he held in 2002.   Keith Bittner has been appointed as CFO of Wi-LAN Inc. Bittner joined Wi-LAN in September 1999 as controller, was...

Broadband wireless will anchor fixed mobile and media convergence

telecom | 04/06/2005 4:00 am EDT

 The convergence of fixed and mobile is creating challenges for service providers and vendors alike. The issue, according to the Yankee Group is that these various technology implementations make it difficult to support mass market initiatives. The problem, the Yankee Group says, is that service providers and vendors...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 04/06/2005 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.When cable companies began offering voice services and telcos entered the TV services arena, the dual approach to communications regulation became outdated. The key for the government now is to define the scope of the telecom review with the goal of regulating these converged service providers under a...

NL Update

telecom | 04/04/2005 4:00 am EDT

CRTC orders 911 functionality for VoIP providersThe CRTC has ordered Internet voice providers to offer emergency calling functionality equivalent to that offered by incumbent telephone companies in their territory. VoIP providers, which offer nomadic services, are required within three months to implement a solution that mirrors that offered by the ILEC whether that be 911 or E911. Providers, which offer their subscribers...

NL Regulatory Briefs

telecom | 03/31/2005 5:00 am EST

Call-Net application for IX routes competitor tariff deniedCall-Net Enterprises Inc. has had an application it filed with the CRTC seeking a competitor tariff for inter-exchange (IX) digital transport services between Halifax and St. John’s denied. Call-Net had argued that it wasn’t economically feasible to build a network between the two cities and that Aliant Telecom, the incumbent provider, is in a dominant...

NL Regulatory Briefs

telecom | 03/31/2005 5:00 am EST

Call-Net application for IX routes competitor tariff deniedCall-Net Enterprises Inc. has had an application it filed with the CRTC seeking a competitor tariff for inter-exchange (IX) digital transport services between Halifax and St. John’s denied. Call-Net had argued that it wasn’t economically feasible to build a network between the two cities and that Aliant Telecom, the incumbent provider, is in a dominant...

NL Editorial

telecom | 03/31/2005 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Several of Ontario’s utility telecom companies have joined forces to attack the business and institutional market, a move certain to turn up the competitive heat in the province. But their recently formed alliance, announced on March 17, should only be considered a first step as they strive to gain market share (see lead article). If the 10 utelcos are to provide true competition to the national telcos, they need to make the leap and take their alliance to the national arena.  Industry analysts agree that the utelcos need to broaden their geographic reach. Iain Grant of the SeaBoard Group has long called for the hydro telecoms to join forces on a national scale if they are to provide a true alternative to the incumbent telephone companies. They need to become like Stentor, the former telco monopoly group, he says.  Not only will these “new entrants” be able to offer the same services as an ILEC, they...

Ontario utelcos band together to offer multi-office firms pan-provincial services

telecom | 03/31/2005 5:00 am EST

Several Ontario utility telcos (utelcos) have joined forces to better provide telecommunications services to businesses, governments and other public institutions with multiple offices in different cities across the province.Utelcos are emerging as a force in the business telecommunications services competitive landscape,...

ILECs find positives in decision forcing them to rebate customers for poor service

telecom | 03/31/2005 5:00 am EST

 The head of TELUS Corp.’s regulatory shop is calling a recent decision on consumer quality of service (QoS) a positive step for giving ILECs an out when major unforeseen events stretch their resources.  On March 24, the commission issued Telecom Decision 2005-17, which sets out 13 quality of service standards...

IP phone number directory could change economics of telephone service business

telecom | 03/31/2005 5:00 am EST

 A plan to map all IP telephone numbers into a single database and allow IP calling to bypass the PSTN altogether could dramatically alter the way revenue is distributed in Canada’s traditional telephone business.  ENUM, a numbering standard under development by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), aims...

Benefits of VoIP implementation questioned by SMBs at Ottawa conference

telecom | 03/31/2005 5:00 am EST

 The supposed benefits of implementing Voice over IP services were questioned by members of Ottawa’s small- and medium-sized business community at a recent conference in the nation’s capital. The Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation (OCRI) held a one-day conference that was to have dispelled the myths and...

Eliminate Billed Number Screening fees in one case, reduce it in other: Call-Net

telecom | 03/31/2005 5:00 am EST

 Call-Net Enterprises is asking the CRTC to stop Bell Canada from charging it Billed Number Screening (BNS) fees when it migrates telephone numbers to its service. BNS fees charged by Bell Canada have cost the CLEC millions of dollars in the past six years, Call-Net states in a Part VII application filed on March 14.  The filing not only asks the CRTC to order Bell Canada to cease charging BNS fees for each telephone number that it migrates to its service, but also to lower the charges that the ILEC applies when it adds, deletes or changes the screening status of Call-Net’s customers’ local telephone numbers in the BNS database, known as the Line Identification Database...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 03/31/2005 5:00 am EST

CANARIE announces CA*net 4 network funding programCANARIE Inc. has released details of its CANARIE Intelligent Infrastructure Program (CIIP), a new program that is designed to promote scientific and educational collaboration in the development of innovative network applications that exploit the advanced capabilities of CA*net 4. The intent of the program is to help Canadian industry create a strong competitive position in...

ROW Update

telecom | 03/28/2005 5:00 am EST

 Fidus wins second contract from SymbiumElectronic device design company Fidus Systems has won a second major contract from Symbium Corp. for the design of a remote controller for network servers. The product, which is a combination of hardware and software, will allow the servers to become self-managing and self-healing. Fidus’ VP of business development Peter Connolly says the hybrid solution is essentially a...

Virgin Canada strikes right chord with target subscriber base: Decima Research

telecom | 03/23/2005 5:00 am EST

 Virgin Mobile Canada has struck the right chord with its intended target audience, according to new data from Decima Research Inc., suggesting the company’s splashy launches in Toronto and Montreal hit the mark with the under-24-age group. Decima Research polled 1,023 Canadians between March 10 and 14 on their...

Antenna tower recommendations met with lukewarm response from industry

telecom | 03/23/2005 5:00 am EST

 Recommendations to improve Industry Canada’s antenna towering siting procedures and policies are being met with a lukewarm response from the Canadian wireless industry, which says there are still some unresolved issues. The National Antenna Tower Policy Review report, released last month, made 34 recommendations on...

Bell Canada to use Clearwire as testbed for VoIP and broadband wireless

telecom | 03/23/2005 5:00 am EST

 Bell Canada is partnering with Clearwire Corp. to develop the expertise it needs to effectively deploy broadband wireless capabilities here in Canada, it says. "This is not a strategic move outside of Canada, but it’s more of a strategic initiative aimed at developing our wireless broadband capabilities, which...

RIM pays US$450 million to settle three-year-old patent infringement suit with NTP

telecom | 03/23/2005 5:00 am EST

 Research in Motion Ltd. had a change of heart in the past two months and has opted to settle a three-year-old patent infringement suit rather than fight the claim all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court as the company had vowed earlier this year. Last week, the Waterloo ON-based company agreed to pay NTP Inc. a...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 03/23/2005 5:00 am EST

TIW sells Czech and Romanian cellular companies to VodafoneTelesystem International Wireless Inc. (TIW) has inked an agreement to sell its Romanian and Czech Republic wireless operators to Vodafone Group plc for approximately US$3.5 billion plus an estimated US$950 million in debt. The deal is worth US$16 per share, representing a 21.3% premium over TIW’s three-month average share price and a premium of 43% over the...

ROW People

telecom | 03/23/2005 5:00 am EST

Michael Sabia has joined the board of directors of Clearwire Corp. following Bell Canada’s investment of $100 million in the American company. Clearwire is one of the only successful commercial providers of high-speed access using broadband wireless technology in the 2.5 GHz band. For more on the investment, see article on pages 4 and 5 of this issue.  The Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association’s board...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 03/23/2005 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  With the recommendations now in on how to improve Industry Canada’s antenna tower siting policies and procedures, it is up to Industry Canada to weed through the 34 recommendations. Department officials say they should complete their review by this summer and will then determine how to proceed.  But there is no rush for the department to report quickly back to the industry with its own set of proposed policy improvements despite what some to believe to be systemic problems with the current policy. Many of the issues associated with antenna tower siting are really the exceptions rather than the rule.  There is no doubt that Industry Canada can make improvements to its current client procedure circular. It does have to become more involved in the local consultation process. It also needs to step up to the plate and take a greater leadership role in providing information to local land-use authorities...