MTS Allstream, Call-Net say they are in compliance with rules after mergers

telecom | 03/16/2005 5:00 am EST

 MTS Allstream and Call-Net Enterprises Ltd. contend that they are following CRTC rules and say they are perplexed by a Part VII application filed by TELUS regarding tariff obligations arising out of recent mergers.  "I don’t know what they are trying to achieve. I can see what the application asks for. We...

March Networks plans IPO; no mention of VoIP services in prospectus

telecom | 03/16/2005 5:00 am EST

 March Networks filed a preliminary prospectus for an initial public offering earlier this month, but there was no mention in the 100-plus page document of the company’s proposed expansion into the provision of Voice over IP services. Last year during a conference call discussing the appointment of Peter Strom as...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 03/16/2005 5:00 am EST

Avalon signs letter of intent to sell ISP businessOttawa-based Avalon Works Corp. has signed a letter of intent to sell its wholly owned subsidiary 1085083 Ontario Inc. to Cypersurf Corp. of Calgary for $2.5 million. The numbered company owns and operates Avalon’s Internet service provider business under the name Information Gateway Services. The price tag will be plus or minus adjustments for net working capital as at...

NL People

telecom | 03/16/2005 5:00 am EST

Dave Masotti has been hired as executive VP and chief marketing officer at Call-Net Enterprises Inc. He joins Call-Net from DFM Consulting where he was principal. Prior to that, he was president and CEO at Skulogix Inc. and president of Spar Space Systems. He has also worked at Rogers Cablesystems, Spar Aerospace, Northern Telecom, and Sprint Canada, where he helped develop the company’s entry into the wireless business...

NL International Briefs

telecom | 03/16/2005 5:00 am EST

CoreMedia introduces new product at IT trade showCoreMedia unveiled the latest version of its CoreMedia CMS 2005 product at the CeBIT telecommunications and IT trade show in Hanover, Germany. CMS 2005 offers improved functionality over the previous version, with a redesigned WebEditor, among other new elements. The product’s new user interface is based on the Longhorn User Experience, which is planned for launch by Microsoft in 2006. The enhanced feature set of CMS2005 also positions the product as a strategic content management tool. The trade show will also see CoreMedia, along with its partners IBM, Interone Worldwide, Kapow Technologies, and others, demonstrate business applications based on the CMS 2005 product. Report connects networking and competitiveness: CiscoA report sponsored by Cisco Systems has found a connection between country indices for ‘Networked Readiness’ and global competitiveness. The Global Information and Technology Report 2004-2005 states that a country’s Networked Readiness Index (NRI) "is...

NL Editorial

telecom | 03/16/2005 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 CRTC needs to level the playing field in the local services market, not to protect competitors from the predatory practices of incumbents, but to allow incumbents to compete on an equal footing with the “protected competitors” and emerging players using alternative delivery methods. One way the...

NL People

telecom | 03/16/2005 5:00 am EST

Dave Masotti has been hired as executive VP and chief marketing officer at Call-Net Enterprises Inc. He joins Call-Net from DFM Consulting where he was principal. Prior to that, he was president and CEO at Skulogix Inc. and president of Spar Space Systems. He has also worked at Rogers Cablesystems, Spar Aerospace, Northern Telecom, and Sprint Canada, where he helped develop the company’s entry into the wireless business...

AOL Canada to roll out national VoIP service within next two months

telecom | 03/16/2005 5:00 am EST

 AOL Canada plans to roll out Voice over IP services across the country over the next 60 days, and the company’s GM of enhanced services is bullish on the market opportunity. Steve Koles tells Network Letter that while the ISP remains conservative on subscriber projections, the company will employ a wide range of...

ROW Update

telecom | 03/15/2005 5:00 am EST

Ericsson releases new payment system for mobile operatorsEricsson has introduced its Internet Payment eXchange (IPX) system, a payment solution that simplifies the business model among content providers, wireless operators and consumers. Research shows that consumers are reluctant to enter into new billing relationships, and IPX helps eliminate this by making use of the mobile phone and the existing relationship the...

Pressure turned up on CRTC to quicken pace of addressing WNP

telecom | 03/08/2005 5:00 am EST

 The Canadian government has turned up the heat on the country’s telecommunications regulator to move quicker in addressing wireless number portability (WNP), an issue the CRTC put to bed more than five years ago, but recently decided to reopen. The federal government announced in its February 23 budget that it...

Virgin’s arrival in Canada to stimulate penetration gains: company CEO says

telecom | 03/08/2005 5:00 am EST

 The head of Virgin Mobile Canada believes there will be enough new subscribers entering the market over the next several years for the company to capture adequate market share. In an interview with Report on Wireless, Virgin Canada’s president and CEO Andrew Black says there will be approximately eight million new...

Structural changes coming at Bell Canada, according to SeaBoard Group analyst

telecom | 03/08/2005 5:00 am EST

 More structural changes could be in the offing at Bell Canada as the country’s largest incumbent telephone company looks for more effective ways to sell services, according to one telecom industry analyst. The regrouping of the Video Services group and Bell Mobility under the control of Robert Odendaal, following...

Telcos take advantage of money from wireless operations, using it differently

telecom | 03/08/2005 5:00 am EST

 With revenue from wireless operations continuing to soar, Bell Canada, TELUS Corp. and Rogers Communications Inc. are looking to invest in and roll out advanced wireless devices such as camera and video phones more rapidly to take advantage of growing wireless data services revenue, according to analysts.  The...

Objections raised over proposed changes to satellite broadcasting spectrum

telecom | 03/08/2005 5:00 am EST

 Two companies are raising objections to proposed changes to satellite broadcasting spectrum that would make it more difficult and more expensive to use. Telesat Canada and U.S.-based Air TV Ltd. are concerned that Industry Canada’s proposal (DGTP-012-04) could in effect give fixed service (FS) priority over certain fixed satellite services (FSS), thus making it more difficult for satellite broadcasting services to be deployed using the 17.8 GHz to 18.4 GHz spectrum. (For more on Air TV Ltd.’s concerns, see the Newsmakers column on page 8.) Telesat doesn’t object to the soft segmentation approach adopted by the department to protect each service from interfering with the...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 03/08/2005 5:00 am EST

Infowave and ClickSoftware team up for customer supportInfowave Software Inc. and ClickSoftware Technologies Ltd. have teamed up to leverage each other’s strengths to improve the operational performance of their customers. The two will combine their respective technologies, which will enable customers to maximize the use of their field forces, minimize costs and increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. "By...

ROW People

telecom | 03/08/2005 5:00 am EST

Wi-LAN Inc. makes big changes to its executive team. Late last month, the company announced the appointment of Bill Dunbar as president and CEO replacing Sisso El-Hamamsy.  The Calgary company also revealed that Hatim Zaghloul would remain as chair of the board of directors, but would no longer have any executive responsibilities. Dunbar has 40 years experience in the telecommunications industry, both domestically...

Proposed changes to satellite spectrum could hurt operators: Air TV

telecom | 03/08/2005 5:00 am EST

 Industry Canada has proposed changes to spectrum allocations governing bandwidth used by both fixed terrestrial services and fixed satellite services. While most Canadian interested parties believe the proposed changes are the best move for the country, Telesat Canada and American Air TV Ltd. don’t think so. The...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 03/08/2005 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  There’s no question that Canada should get on board with the rest of the world and implement wireless number (WNP) portability, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have a meaningful debate about the implications of WNP implementation.  The federal government’s budget call for the...

NL Update

telecom | 03/07/2005 5:00 am EST

Nortel preparing for new leadershipNortel Networks Corp. appears to be readying for a changing of the guard. The company announced on Friday March 4 that it had appointed former Cisco Systems Inc. executive Gary Daichendt as president and COO, effective March 14. That date will also see Bill Owens, currently president and CEO, become CEO and vice-chair of the board of directors. Also effective March 14, Pascal Debon, currently president of carrier networks, will assume the role of special advisor to the vice-chair and CEO. According to analysts this position is usually reserved for executives who are on the out of the executive offices. Peter Currie, who became CFO on February 14, will add the executive VP title effective March 14. Daichendt, previously executive VP worldwide operations at Cisco, was one of the key executives in charge of the company during the 1990s when the company experienced significant international expansion.   An upcoming issue of Network Letter will have more details on the impact of the executive...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 03/02/2005 5:00 am EST

Bell, Wesley Clover establish advanced solutions centreBell Canada and a number of Wesley Clover companies held by Terry Matthews announced February 14 that they had created an advanced solutions innovation center to collaboratively develop vertical industry advanced communications solutions for the small and medium-sized business, large enterprise and government markets. The new facility is located in Kanata ON. "By...

NL People

telecom | 03/02/2005 5:00 am EST

Two of TELUS Corp.’s top executives are leaving the company: Chris Carty, executive VP of corporate strategy, has left the company, and an email to TELUS employees indicates that Mark Schnarr, executive VP of corporate development, will be leaving. The email also stated that the responsibilities of the two executives will be taken over by a team led by CFO Robert McFarlane.  Richard DeLand French has been appointed...

NL International News Briefs

telecom | 03/02/2005 5:00 am EST

Worldwide telecom industry to grow in 2005: Insight ResearchThe growth of revenues in the global telecommunications industry is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 5.9% from 2005 to 2010, according to a new market analysis report from Insight Research. The report notes that the level of sustainable growth enjoyed by the telecom segment prior...

NL Editorial

telecom | 03/02/2005 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’s call for a review of the telecommunications sector is a laudable and timely exercise that should be undertaken. It’s been nine years since the Telecommunications Act was enacted and that’s a long time in the communications world to go without any modifications, given...

Government calls for modernization of telecom policy and regulatory framework

telecom | 03/02/2005 5:00 am EST

 The telecommunications review called for by the federal government in the February 23 budget is likely to leave no stone unturned in trying to determine the best possible framework for the industry going forward. The government, under the direction of Industry Canada, will convene a three-person, "wise...

Bell spins off security business, aims to capture major share of $1 billion market

telecom | 03/02/2005 5:00 am EST

 The spin off of Bell Canada’s security business into a separate operating unit is designed to provide a more effective and holistic approach to network security provision and management, with the ultimate goal being to capture a major portion of the $1 billion Canadian security market.  Bell Security Solutions...

Changing of the guards at Canada’s largest telecommunications providers

telecom | 03/02/2005 5:00 am EST

 Executive office shuffles at Bell Canada have many asking questions about the impact of these changes on Canada’s largest incumbent telephone company. But two analysts tell Network Letter that the executive changes at Bell are related to the departure of Michael Neuman.  At Bell, Neuman resigned as president of...

Mudslinging continues in service destandardization and withdrawal process

telecom | 03/02/2005 5:00 am EST

 The two sides debating the merits of creating a new process to deal with applications for service destandardization and withdrawal continue to accuse the other of wanting to thwart the development of effective regulation.  The mudslinging is the result of a Bell Canada application filed in January seeking the...

Looking for greater challenges, TELUS execs leave

telecom | 03/02/2005 5:00 am EST

 At TELUS, the analysts characterize changes at TELUS as senior managers seeking new opportunities. They agree that it’s likely that executives are looking for new challenges as the wireline side of the business staggers.  "All of the changes at TELUS seemed to happen on the wireline side…It’s difficult to keep you’re executives when you’re faced with a lot of the same challenges that Bell is faced with, which is that it’s depressing to be in a company where your market share is declining, and your revenues are declining, and people are buying long distance for cheaper," notes Sharwood. "If you’re an up-and-coming executive, hanging on isn’t exactly the exciting career path. I think people want to be challenged a little more. I think it’s a little...

ROW Update

telecom | 02/28/2005 5:00 am EST

 Infowave Software honoured with IBM PartnerWorld Beacon AwardInfowave Software Inc. has been selected as having the best IBM WebSphere On Demand Solution in the annual IBM PartnerWorld Beacon Awards competition. The competition awards IBM business partners for innovation and customer satisfaction in providing on-demand business systems. The Telispark Mobile Enterprise software allows mobile workers to access...

Interference in licence-exempt bands becoming bigger problem for operators

telecom | 02/23/2005 5:00 am EST

 Interference in the unlicensed 5.8 GHz and 900 MHz spectrum bands is increasingly becoming a cause of concern for a number of smaller wireless ISPs, and they say access to portions of the 700 MHz band would go a long way to solving the problem. Rainy Day Software Corp., a Winnipeg-based wireless ISP and network...

Department consultation on ultra-wideband opens with broad questions

telecom | 02/23/2005 5:00 am EST

 Industry Canada has opened a public consultation on the introduction of ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless products and services into the Canadian market, asking industry constituents for comments on a wide range of issues. The consultation comes nearly 18 months after the department said it would open up such a discussion...

RCMP calls for firm deadlines for broadcasters to vacate channels 63 and 68

telecom | 02/23/2005 5:00 am EST

 Canada’s national police force is calling on the Canadian government to implement firm deadlines on broadcasters to vacate portions of the 746 MHz to 806 MHz band, as part of the transition from analog to digital TV (DTV).  In comments to an Industry Canada consultation on adding mobile and public safety...

Wireless security key to broad offering for Bell Canada’s newest subsidiary

telecom | 02/23/2005 5:00 am EST

 The president of Bell Security Solutions Inc., the recently launched security solutions provider subsidiary of Bell Canada, says one of its key differentiators is it can provide a broad-range of security services over a variety of wireless and wireline networks. Charles Salameh points out while wireline security has been top of mind for corporate chief information officers for several years, wireless security is beginning to become a lot more important to the enterprise.  Network intrusion detection, anti-spam services and firewall capabilities are currently the primary areas of wireless security development, Salameh notes. He says security for wireless networks isn’t yet as...

Navigata Communications gets cash infusion from parent company SaskTel

telecom | 02/23/2005 5:00 am EST

 Provincial incumbent telephone company SaskTel is injecting $12 million in cash into its subsidiary Navigata Communications Inc. The much need cash infusion will be used for two critical reasons: fund the company’s capital expenditure requirements and an initiative to refocus Navigata’s business direction....

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 02/23/2005 5:00 am EST

Colligo Networks introduces Workgroup version 4Vancouver-based Colligo Networks Inc. introduced Workgroup Edition 4.0 at the Microsoft Windows Anywhere conference in San Francisco. New features available with the fourth version include: secure Microsoft Windows-style folder and printer sharing; one-button touch Wi-Fi networking; archiving; enhanced security; and improved user interface. With more than 250,000 licences of...

ROW People

telecom | 02/23/2005 5:00 am EST

Bell Canada has several key executive changes with the most prominent being the departure of Michael Neuman as president of Bell Mobility and Bell Distribution Inc. after three years with the company. He played a key role in the evolution of Bell Mobility including spearheading the formation of a joint venture with British mobile virtual network operator Virgin Mobile, which is set to launch services early in March. He...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 02/23/2005 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 public safety spectrum debate continues to drag on as Industry Canada queries stakeholders for advice on how it should license the 746 MHz-806 MHz band for mobile services, while at the same time protecting the broadcasters still operating in the band (see article on pages 4 and 5). Sure,...

ROW Update

telecom | 02/14/2005 5:00 am EST

 Ringtone tariff proceeding postponedThe Copyright Board of Canada has postponed its hearing into a proposed royalty rate for mobile phone ringtones that use copyrighted music. The hearing was to have taken place on February 15, but was cancelled as objectors to the rate were not yet ready to make their arguments. A conference will be held by the parties on Tuesday, February 15 to determine a new date. The Society of...

NL Update

telecom | 02/10/2005 5:00 am EST

 Call-Net cheers CDNA ruling from CRTCCall-Net Enterprises Inc. is cheering the recent CRTC ruling setting competitor digital network access rates (CDNA) that will allow the company to save about $25 million in line leasing costs this year. Telecom Decision 2005-6 identified certain network access facilities as essential to the promotion of competition in the local residential services market, and lowered rates for...

Rogers Wireless kills CityFido with new pricing and minute cap structure: analysts

telecom | 02/08/2005 5:00 am EST

 Rogers Wireless Inc. has for all intents and purposes killed the CityFido home phone replacement program by upping the cost, decreasing local calling areas, instituting a cap on minutes and implementing expensive out-of-zone calls, according to two industry analysts. They say the name remains, but the essence of the...

2300/3500 MHz spectrum auction gives new entrants substantial bandwidth

telecom | 02/08/2005 5:00 am EST

 Industry Canada’s auction of unassigned 2300 MHz and 3500 MHz spectrum licences, which closed on Janaury 27, provided new entrants and smaller communications service providers with the resources they need to compete in the market. While companies such as 4253311 Canada Inc. secured the rights to 25 licences, and...

Canadian telematics players make impact on global market

telecom | 02/08/2005 5:00 am EST

 A number of Canadian companies are playing a leading role in shaping the global telematics market, and while they have taken different paths, they are now beginning to find their groove. Some have grown organically, while others have focused on acquiring smaller outfits to bolster existing operations. Still others have gone through painful restructuring to only now find what they say is the right business model going forward. Telematics covers a number of applications with the most common being asset and fleet monitoring and tracking using a variety of wireless technologies.  AirIQ Inc., one of the country’s most recognizable names in the telematics sector, bolstered its operations over the last couple of years through acquisition and product expansion. In 2003, the...

Department proposal to remove 24/28/38 GHz spectrum cap under fire from TeraGo

telecom | 02/08/2005 5:00 am EST

 Industry Canada’s proposal to remove the spectrum cap from the 24 GHz, 28 GHz and 38 GHz frequencies has come under heavy criticism from one licensee of the bandwidth. TeraGo Networks Inc., which holds 70 licences in the 24/38 GHz bands it purchased in a 1999 spectrum auction, says removing the cap will only serve...

About one quarter of Canadian teens own cell phones: Decima Research

telecom | 02/08/2005 5:00 am EST

 New survey findings from Decima Research Inc. show that about one-quarter of Canadians teens between 13 and 17-years-old have access to a cell phone. "We’ve got a quarter of kids that have access to cell phones and the vast majority of them own their own phones," Decima Research senior VP Bob Murphy says....

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 02/08/2005 5:00 am EST

Bell Mobility adds more than 500,000 subs in 2004Canada’s second largest wireless operator Bell Mobility added 513,000 new net additions in 2004, matching subscriber growth in 2003. In the fourth quarter, the company recorded 217,000 net additions. Q4 additions exceeded levels in the previous year’s fourth quarter by 15%. Revenue for fiscal 2004 was $2.8 billion, a 14.5% increase over the previous year’s revenue...

ROW People

telecom | 02/08/2005 5:00 am EST

Spotwave Wireless has appointed Paul Tinney as VP of worldwide sales and marketing, responsible for all sales and marketing activities. Tinney, who has a proven track record in sales, marketing and management in the global wireless industry, joins from SS8 Networks where he held the position of VP and GM of the company’s security solutions group.  It was in this role that he helped build the company to become a...

ROW International News

telecom | 02/08/2005 5:00 am EST

Nextel accepts FCC 800 MHz rebanding planNextel Communications Inc. has accepted the Federal Communications Commission’s 800 MHz rebanding plan, bringing to a close three years of discussions to sort out interference issues. Under terms of the plan, Nextel will have three years to move public safety and other users to the 800 MHz band in exchange for 10 MHz of 1.9 GHz spectrum. The wireless operator is responsible for paying to move the users, and as such the FCC required Nextel to get a US$2.5 billion letter of credit. The transition will be done regionally with New York, Washington D.C. and San Francisco being first. FCC Chair Michael Powell said reaching an agreement was the easy part and that the hard part remains to be completed.  CTIA applauds PUC decisionCTIA-The Wireless Association has welcomed a decision by the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to stay the implementation of a Consumer Bill of Rights that would have placed restrictions on the wireless industry. Steve Largent, president and CEO of the CTIA, said...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 02/08/2005 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  There are three things a dog owner can do to make sure the pet doesn’t reproduce: keep it in a pen, spay or neuter it, or put it down. While Rogers Wireless Inc. has shortened the leash on CityFido by reducing local calling area sizes, among other things, the company’s intention for...

Alberta re-files application for 811 number for triage phone service

telecom | 02/02/2005 5:00 am EST

 Alberta Health and Wellness has shifted its application for a national non-urgent health triage phone service to any available N11 number, but its preference rests with the 811 number.  A submission to the CRTC follows the commission’s decision to grant the 311 number, which Alberta had initially sought, for...

ITS applies to use 511 number for national weather and traveler info telephone line

telecom | 02/02/2005 5:00 am EST

 The Intelligent Transportation Systems Society of Canada (ITS Canada) has applied on behalf of a consortium to the CRTC for the use of 511 for a national, non-commercial weather and traveler information phone line. The 511 filing on January 10 was submitted to the CRTC as a Part VII application, but ITS Canada...

Two-thirds of Canadians accept biometrics as identity verification

telecom | 02/02/2005 5:00 am EST

 A new study on identity management shows Canadians generally look on biometric security positively as the number of incidences of identity theft may be much higher than previously thought. The study, by large systems integrator EDS Canada, finds that 10% of respondents to a national survey say they’ve been the...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 02/02/2005 5:00 am EST

Bell Canada receives support for Article 11 changesBell Canada’s proposal to allow for other methods of collecting express consent from consumers has received overwhelming support from other major industry players. Canada’s largest incumbent telephone company filed a Part VII application in November 2004 asking the CRTC to approve other forms of express consent as long as they require a positive affirmation on the...

NL People

telecom | 02/02/2005 5:00 am EST

Critical Telecom has appointed Nancy McCartney as president and CEO. The announcement made on January 25 marks the beginning of a new focus for the company, which will be to scale Critical Telecom’s resources to meet expected global demand for its new generation of consumer broadband networks. McCartney brings more than 25 years experience in the telecommunications industry to the upstart. She has held senior positions...

NL International News Briefs

telecom | 02/02/2005 5:00 am EST

Traditional wireline services under pressure: In-StatNew research from market research firm In-Stat says that traditional wireline voice services are coming under increasing pressure from other services such as mobile wireless and Voice over IP. In-Stat indicates that wireless will hit a major milestone in 2005 when mobile wireless revenue surpasses...

NL Editorial

telecom | 02/02/2005 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 lingering dispute between cities and telecommunications carriers over municipal access arrangements (MAAs) needs to be put to bed once and for all. It does nothing but delay the deployment of important broadband infrastructure for businesses small and large, and consumers. Of course, city...

Elements of third price cap regime begin to show up on telco’s radar screens

telecom | 02/02/2005 5:00 am EST

 Discussions regarding the third price cap regime are expected to begin in earnest later this year with some anticipating that the CRTC will release a discussion paper some time during the first half of this year. While telcos have already started thinking about key elements that need to be addressed in the upcoming proceeding, the majority of them are remaining mum on specifics. Several telcos contacted by Network Letter acknowledge that internal discussions have started, but they aren’t yet willing to talk openly about some of the key issues that need to reviewed in preparation for the implementation of the third price cap regime.  Chris Taylor, an Ottawa-based regulatory...

Vancouver municipal access agreement process under fire from telco

telecom | 02/02/2005 5:00 am EST

 The City of Vancouver’s practices surrounding municipal access arrangements (MAAs) have come under fire from yet another telecommunications service demanding access to the city’s streets and other municipal property. Shaw Cablesystems Ltd. had earlier filed a Part VII application with the CRTC seeking relief from...

ROW Update

telecom | 01/31/2005 5:00 am EST

 SR Telecom cuts costsLower than expected first quarter of 2005 revenue figures has forced Montreal-based SR Telecom Inc. to temporarily lay off 127 employees. The company now employees 383 people worldwide. Despite a reduction in one customer’s equipment requirements, SR Telecom remains bullish about demand for its products. It announced on January 26 that it received a follow-on order from Siemens for an...

ROW Special Update

telecom | 01/27/2005 5:00 am EST

Day 14: Auction closes  Industry Canada’s auction of unassigned 2300 MHz and 3500 MHz frequencies closed today with the department raking in nearly $56.6 million, an approximate five-fold increase from the auction haul of February 2004. After a total of 74 rounds over 14 days, the spectrum auction, which featured intense activity at times, came to an end on Thursday, January 27.   This year’s bandwidth sale...

Auction outcome predictable based on mechanics and licence area construction

telecom | 01/26/2005 5:00 am EST

 After two weeks of bidding in Industry Canada’s auction of unassigned 2300 MHz and 3500 MHz frequencies, the outcome of the bandwidth sale appears to be nearing its end with results most could have predicted: Bell Canada, Rogers Wireless Inc. and Tele-Mobile Company (Telus Mobility) securing the majority of licences...

Wireless experience of CRTC director bodes well for industry, insiders say

telecom | 01/26/2005 5:00 am EST

 Representatives of the telecom industry are excited by the appointment of the new executive director, telecom at the CRTC. They feel Leonard Katz’ experience in the wireless sector brings a new perspective to the job. "They’ve never really had anyone there with a strong wireless background," Don Bowles, VP regulatory for Call-Net Enterprises Inc. tells Report on Wireless. "It seems it’s such a big deal these days, that should be an interesting asset." Katz was appointed to his new position on January 5. He previously worked at Bell Canada, Cantel and Rogers Cable. He succeeds Shirley Soehn, who has agreed to stay on as a special advisor to assist in...

Ottawa international airport officially turns on wireless Internet access

telecom | 01/26/2005 5:00 am EST

 The deployment of public Wi-Fi at Ottawa’s MacDonald-Cartier International Airport could prove to be the beginning of a fruitful relationship between BOLDstreet Wireless Internet and Chicago-based Concourse Communications Group. Last week, the two companies officially unveiled the service at the airport, making...

Bell Canada to face uphill battle in winning back customer confidence: analyst

telecom | 01/26/2005 5:00 am EST

 A long-time telecommunications industry analyst says Bell Mobility will face difficult times ahead as it tries to regain customer confidence after several months of billing irregularities. "It’s not simply a matter of getting the billing right. It’s also a matter of winning back customer confidence that the...

Cell-Loc poised for growth with latest contract win in Brazil

telecom | 01/26/2005 5:00 am EST

 The head of Cell-Loc Location Technologies Inc. says the company could hit paydirt if its latest contract win with an insurance company in Brazil produces as much revenue as is expected. The Calgary-based firm inked an agreement with ITAU Seguros S.A., a subsidiary of Brazil’s largest bank Banco ITUA, to provide a...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 01/26/2005 5:00 am EST

Vidéotron launches VoIP service in MontrealVidéotron ltée’s Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephony service that launched January 24 will soon be able to be accessed through hotspots around the world, company officials said during a conference call. Vidéotron president and CEO Robert Dépatie said the technology was already to go, but that consumer demand was not yet adequate to offer such a service...

ROW People

telecom | 01/26/2005 5:00 am EST

Nortel Networks Corp. has made major changes to its board of directors, following the company’s filing of restated 2003 revenue figures on January 11. Out are: chair Red Wilson as well as Yves Fortier, Sherwood Smith, Guylaine Saucier and the Hon. James Blanchard. Richard McCormick, former chair and CEO of US WEST, and Harry Pearce, retired chair of Hughes Electronics vice-chair of General Motors, have been appointed to...

ROW International News

telecom | 01/26/2005 5:00 am EST

Cisco Systems outfits Staples with wireless LANCisco Systems Inc. has reached an agreement with office supplies retailer Staples to deploy a wireless local area network (LAN) in all of its 1,200 U.S. locations, providing store employees and shoppers with secure wireless network connections. The wireless LAN is not only expected to improve the customer experience, it will help reduce operational costs and improve employee...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 01/26/2005 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  Industry Canada’s auction of unassigned 2300 MHz and 3500 MHz is likely to provide some predictable outcomes. Not only will the usual suspects – Bell Canada, Rogers Wireless Inc. and Telus Mobility – win the lion’s share of the licences up for grabs, so will the other deep-pocket...

NL Update

telecom | 01/24/2005 5:00 am EST

 Bell Canada expands broadband to Fort Frances areaCanada’s largest incumbent local telephone services provider has expanded the reach of its broadband network to several First Nations in Ontario. Announced on January 20, the company, in conjunction with Pwi-di-goo-zing Ne-yaa-zhing Advisory Services and Industry Canada, says broadband services have been brought to a number of First Nations communities in the Fort...

Regulatory Karma: The Problem of Legacy Pricing and the Third Price Cap Regime

telecom | 01/18/2005 5:00 am EST

 Cross-subsidization is a bad thing. Some customers pay more, so that others can pay less. In addition to being unfair to the person who is paying the higher price, this arrangement is economically inefficient.  Competitors cannot compete with the subsidized price and, consequently, competitive markets are either undermined or prevented from developing in the first place. That being said, there may be situations where cross-subsidization is considered acceptable in order to promote other policy objectives. This was the case for decades in the field of telecommunications.  For many years, the CRTC had an express policy of cross-subsidization with respect to residential local...

NL Editorial

telecom | 01/18/2005 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 coming of 2005 brings change at the CRTC as Len Katz moves in to take over for Shirley Soehn as executive director of telecom (see article in this issue). Katz joins at a critical time as the CRTC is being pushed by the ILECs, particularly Bell, to do things more efficiently. But he also takes...

Industry players herald arrival of CRTC executive director of telecom

telecom | 01/18/2005 5:00 am EST

Members of the Canadian telecom industry are delighted with the appointment of the new executive director for telecom at the CRTC. They point out that Leonard Katz brings a wide range of experience to the position, including expertise in the wireless sector.Commission chair Charles Dalfen named Katz to the job on January 5....

Shaw asks CRTC to intervene in Vancouver access arrangement dispute

telecom | 01/18/2005 5:00 am EST

 Shaw Cablesystems Ltd. has asked the CRTC to step in and referee a two-year-old dispute between it and the City of Vancouver over a municipal access arrangement (MAA). The Shaw Communications Inc. subsidiary says that before it commits millions of dollars to expand broadband infrastructure the company wants to secure...

Bell Canada seeks creation of standard criteria for phase-out of low demand services

telecom | 01/18/2005 5:00 am EST

 Bell Canada says that the CRTC’s current process of approval for telecommunications service withdrawal applications is inefficient and needs to updated and streamlined with a standard set of criteria in light of changing technology and an increasingly competitive environment.  Canada’s largest incumbent...

Winds of technological change give Quebec telco efficient power supply

telecom | 01/18/2005 5:00 am EST

 One of Quebec’s smaller telcos is making a big splash by harnessing wind to deliver power to its towers in a remote part of the province. The pilot project is likely to become permanent and other sites may employ the new technology. Télébec, which services the less populous sectors of the province, established the windmill project in the Great Whale district of James Bay earlier this month. The area is near the border between Quebec and Nunavut. Paul Lacoursière, manager of communications and public affairs for the ILEC, says the new system has many advantages besides the obvious environmental concerns. One is the ease with which the telco can monitor the performance of...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 01/18/2005 5:00 am EST

CRTC considers annual filing of service interruption reportsThe CRTC is considering letting telcos file service interruption reports annually, rather than quarterly as currently is the case. However, the commission also states under the annually filing scenario that companies would have to be in the position to provide these reports on a on-demand basis should any complaints or problems arise. The change is being proposed...

NL People

telecom | 01/18/2005 5:00 am EST

Don O’Leary has been named VP of finance at Vonage Canada. His mandate is to ensure Vonage Canada maintains the highest possible levels of financial performance and operational efficiency. He was most recently CFO of a venture capital funded software provider. Prior to that, he had increasingly responsible financial management positions at consulting firms Ernst & Young and Marsh & McLennan, CAE Inc., and mining...

ROW Update

telecom | 01/17/2005 5:00 am EST

Camera phone shipments continue at phenomenal ratesNew research from In-Stat/MDR indicates that the worldwide camera phone market skyrocketed in 2004, with annual shipments up more than 200%. The rapid increase in shipments is being fueled by manufacturers offering camera phones in most of their newest models, combined with improved cameras. “The devices have gone mainstream in less than four years. Now, one needs to...

2300/3500 MHz spectrum auction set to begin with contention on several fronts

telecom | 01/10/2005 5:00 am EST

 The sell-off of leftover 2300 MHz and 3500 MHz spectrum begins today, January 10, with a number of new players fighting against well-established incumbents and other previous auction participants.  Twenty-eight companies of various size are set to duke it out for the 316 remaining licences. (It should be noted...

Supporters and opponents spar over proposed changes to satellite use policy

telecom | 01/10/2005 5:00 am EST

 A proposal by Industry Canada to let potential subscription satellite radio entrants use foreign satellites to deliver their signals has given opponents to those offerings a chance to stall their introduction.  Several Canadian organizations with a stake in seeing XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio...

Push-to-Talk competition expected to heat up next year, carriers continue work

telecom | 01/10/2005 5:00 am EST

 Telus Mobility’s iron grip on push-to-talk (PTT) services will loosen this year as at least Bell Mobility introduces the service over its CDMA network. Key rival Rogers Wireless Inc., however, remains mum on the company’s plans to introduce PTT services.  "We’re watching the development closely, but it...

WebTech cuts costs, improves margins by buying key European distributor

telecom | 01/10/2005 5:00 am EST

 Vancouver-based telematics and fleet management firm WebTech Wireless Inc. is strengthening its European business by acquiring one of its key distributors. WebTech announced an agreement last month to acquire GlobeTrac Inc.’s Europe telematics and fleet business. Financial details of the deal weren’t revealed....

900 MHz Land mobile spectrum opens up in Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe region

telecom | 01/10/2005 5:00 am EST

 Industry Canada’s decision to release 10 MHz of previously held 900 MHz spectrum in Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe region likely won’t be a boon to wireless Internet service providers, says one of the most important Canadian vendors of gear operating in the band. Two executives at WaveRider Communications Inc. say...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 01/10/2005 5:00 am EST

Aliant Telecom completes broadband network expansionCanada’s incumbent telco for Atlantic Canada, Aliant Telecom, has completed a major broadband network expansion, which has seen high-speed Internet connectivity now available to nearly three-quarters of homes in the region, up from the 39% level recorded in 1999. "With our $26-million investment, more of our friends, family, neighbours and entrepreneurs can use broadband to explore business opportunities, connect with others learn and expand their horizons – all on a dedicated unshared access from your computer to Aliant’s network, which provides consistent speed and doesn’t tie up your phone line," Aliant VP broadband and marketing Heather Tulk said in a news release.  This announcement came only a few days after the company revealed that its investment in wireless network infrastructure in Newfoundland and Labrador has surpassed the $50-million level and will soon cover more than 75% of the province’s population. In other Aliant news, the telco has announced...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 01/10/2005 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 Industry Canada’s auction of the unassigned 2300 MHz and 3500 MHz licences set to begin on Monday, January 10, one has to recall the first time the department licensed this bandwidth to get an understanding of what might take place this time around.  In 2004, nearly 850 spectrum...

NL Update

telecom | 01/10/2005 5:00 am EST

 Bell Canada wins at CRTC on Call-Net complaintThe CRTC has agreed with Bell Canada on a couple of issues with respect to network maintenance tariffs. Telecom Decision 2004-83 stems from a complaint filed by Call-Net Enterprises which requested Bell Canada modify tariffs relating to wholesale diagnostic maintenance charges, add coordinated hot cuts and connecting link charges. All activities are related to activity...

ROW Update

telecom | 01/04/2005 5:00 am EST

 Report on Wireless explores potential 2300/3500 MHz spectrum auction strategiesWith Industry Canada’s residual auction of unassigned frequencies in the 2300 MHz and 3500 MHz bands set to begin Monday, January 10, Report on Wireless presents the potential bidding strategies, key areas of contention, and likely winners and losers in the spectrum auction. As a reminder to readers, daily auction coverage will only be...

Deregulation of business telecom market at root of TELUS Part VII filing

telecom | 12/22/2004 5:00 am EST

 TELUS Corp. hopes a small Part VII application filed December 16 with Canada’s telecom regulator will lead to a broader discussion of the CRTC’s role in regulating the business telecommunications market. The company filed an application asking the regulator to clarify the conditions under which companies must...

CRTC raises prospect of re-regulating IX lines in light of industry consolidation

telecom | 12/22/2004 5:00 am EST

 The CRTC is exploring the possibility of re-regulating interexchange private line services (IXPL) in the aftermath of telecommunications industry consolidation in the recent past, despite the commission’s best efforts in reducing red tape facing telecommunications service providers.  The CRTC is now in full consultation mode on potential changes, having issued a letter on November 29 seeking more information on the availability of IXPL services to competitive telcos. For years the CRTC has granted forbearance from regulating IXPL service when a new entrant had more than one option. This could be in the form of two or more providers offering service or the ability of a CLEC to do...

Bell Canada’s streamlined forbearance application under fire from competitors

telecom | 12/22/2004 5:00 am EST

 Bell Canada’s application to streamline retail rate forbearance applications has come under heavy fire from the competitive telcos and other interested parties, something that wasn’t entirely unexpected.  Old battle lines have been drawn with members of the defunct Stentor Alliance and the Coalition for...

Foreign telco experts push Canada to give competitive law powers to CRTC

telecom | 12/22/2004 5:00 am EST

 Aprominent lawyer in the United Kingdom is urging Canada to give the CRTC competition law-style powers so that telcos can react more quickly to market conditions. Michael Ryan, a partner at Arnold & Porter LLP, said that such powers as those held by the Competition Bureau of Canada would allow the regulator to set...

There are better ways to collect explicit consent: Bell Canada says in Part VII application to CRTC

telecom | 12/22/2004 5:00 am EST

 Bell Canada is asking the CRTC to be flexible in what it will accept as proof of a customer’s consent to collect personal information after a 2003 decision provided for only three acceptable ways of doing so.  In a November 29 Part VII application, the country’s largest telco suggests...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 12/22/2004 5:00 am EST

Vonage teams with Galaxy to bring VoIP to remote areasVonage Canada has partnered with Galaxy Broadband Communications to provide Canadians in remote locations a more affordable Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) option. Galaxy says it tested more than 10 VoIP services in 2004, and settled on Vonage because of its reliability and call quality. Galaxy provides broadband Internet access through its network of satellites to...

NL People

telecom | 12/22/2004 5:00 am EST

R.E.T. (Rusty) Goepel has joined the board of directors of TELUS. He is currently senior VP of Raymond James Financial’s Canadian operations. He is also chair of both the Business Council of B.C. and Yellow Point Equity partners. He fills one of two board positions vacated by Verizon executives when Verizon was recently divested all of its equity position in TELUS.  Michael Piaskoski left Blake, Cassels and Graydon...

NL Editorial

telecom | 12/22/2004 5:00 am EST

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.It could have been an arbitrary choice made in this issue to collect the different articles into separate stories. The issues our writers deal with are so clearly and tightly linked that they might well have been grouped into a single feature with deregulation as its theme. Heading into the short...

Rogers Wireless to figure prominently in RCI’s service expansion across country

telecom | 12/15/2004 5:00 am EST

 The head of Rogers Communications Inc. says that its wireless arm and the recently acquired Inukshuk Internet Inc. business could play a prominent role in the company’s long-term strategy of providing a broad range of bundled services on a national basis.  Ted Rogers, chair and CEO of Rogers Communications,...

Level of wireless substitution increasing among cell phone users: Bell study

telecom | 12/15/2004 5:00 am EST

 A growing number of Canadian cell phone users are choosing to use their devices in the home, according to new research from Bell Canada. The data indicates that while the amount of time spent making or receiving cell phone calls in the home has remained constant in the past year (20%), there has been a significant...

Bell Canada launches converged fixed and mobile services trial for consumer segment

telecom | 12/15/2004 5:00 am EST

 Canada’s largest incumbent telco is preparing to up the ante in the fight for wireless and local telephone subscribers by combining the two services in a converged mobile and fixed telephony service. Bell Canada, which plans technical trials in the first half of next year of a converged cellular-Wi-Fi service using a single device and phone number, says the offering will combine all the benefits of mobility with a fixed line service for the home.  Charlotte Burke, senior VP of Bell Canada’s consumer Internet services, tells Report on Wireless that the message that should be taken away from this trial is that the company is going to no longer be satisfied with providing...