ROW Short Takes

telecom | 10/05/2004 4:00 am EDT

Zi Corp. named to Deloitte & Touche Fast 50Calgary-based Zi Corp. has been named to Deloitte & Touche’s Fast 50 list, coming in at 37 spot, up from the 49 position the company held in last year’s ranking. The company had revenue increase of 490% from 1999 to 2003 allowing it to make the prestigious Canadian Technology Fast 50 program. "In today’s economy, triple digit percentage revenue growth is an...

ROW People

telecom | 10/05/2004 4:00 am EDT

MDSI Mobile Data Solutions Inc. has named Neil McDonnell COO, responsible for the company’s worldwide sales, marketing and operations. He has been MDSI’s senior VP sales and operations for the Americas and Asia since January 2004. Prior to joining the company, McDonnell worked for more than 15 years in the high-tech industry, most recently serving as president and CEO of Vancouver-based Intrinsyc Software...

NL Update

telecom | 10/04/2004 4:00 am EDT

TELUS named to prestigious Dow Jones index for fourth timeTELUS Corp. has been named to the prestigious Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) for the fourth consecutive year. The western-based incumbent telephone company is again the only North American telecommunications company to be recognized and is one of 13 Canadian companies out of 318 global enterprises to make the list. Being recognized by Dow Jones is a...

MTS Allstream and Aliant spar over proposed carry-forward for the ILEC

telecom | 09/30/2004 4:00 am EDT

MTS Allstream Inc. has fired back against an Aliant demand that the CRTC treat the Atlantic telco equitably over the issue of draw downs from its deferral account. In a dispute before the commission, Aliant is seeking permission to draw down against unused price increase room and argues that the commission set a precedent...

Storage industry association opens Canadian office, with focus on education

telecom | 09/30/2004 4:00 am EDT

 Anew trade group, the Storage Network Industry Association of Canada (SNIA Canada), is hoping to capitalize on the growing field by serving members with industry promotion and education initiatives. The spinoff from the U.S. parent group says the sector is a US$800 million business in Canada, which represented a rich stomping ground in which to branch off. Wayne Hogan, acting head of SNIA Canada and Canadian storage manager for SUN Microsystems Canada Inc., a founding member of the group, says: "We’re just trying to help promote the industry and secondly educate the marketplace and end users." Much of this education will take place in a technology neutral manner, he...

CTEA vows to fight Bell outsourcing

telecom | 09/30/2004 4:00 am EDT

 The Canadian Telecommunications Employees’ Association (CTEA) is opposing Bell Canada’s decision to outsource the work done by almost 300 of its members to other companies. In a September 15 press release, the CTEA decries the move that will see Bell send its Quebec customer service to Expertel, and the Ontario services outsourced to Minacs....

CRTC has obligation to consider new evidence in CDNA proceeding, says TELUS

telecom | 09/30/2004 4:00 am EDT

 TELUS Corp. says objections to extending the competitor digital network access (CDNA) proceeding now before the CRTC are baseless and rooted more in a desire for convenience than substance, and is urging the commission to re-open the record.The telco argues that the CRTC has an obligation to consider new evidence and...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 09/30/2004 4:00 am EDT

CRTC grants CMA stay petition in telemarketing feudAs the CRTC’s recently enacted telemarketing regime continues to come under fire from a number of industry players, the commission has granted the Canadian Marketing Association’s petition to stay implementation of the rules (Telecom Decision 2004-35). On September 28, the CRTC approved the CMA’s applications, "pending the disposition of the CMA’s application...

NL People

telecom | 09/30/2004 4:00 am EDT

Kevin Hamm has been appointed COO of DownEast Communications, a retailer recently acquired by Aliant Inc. He brings more than 20 years experienced to the position and will provide valuable leadership going forward.  Alexander Adéyinka has been promoted to the position of VP regulatory affairs and strategic partnerships with Sprint Canada Inc. He was formerly director and senior regulatory counsel with the Call-Net...

NL Editorial

telecom | 09/30/2004 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. During a media scrum with Vonage communications chief Brooke Schultz, the U.S.-based company’s representative was peppered with questions about its use of Canadian facilities that it never paid for to profit from the VoIP train. While the questions came from the daily Canadian media, and not the...

Q&A with Janet Yale, TELUS Corp.

telecom | 09/30/2004 4:00 am EDT

TELUS urges CRTC to treat VoIP as different service from traditional local telephony  On Sept. 21, the first day of the CRTC’s hearings on Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, Network Letter sat down with TELUS...

ROW Update

telecom | 09/27/2004 4:00 am EDT

  Mitel expands into Wi-Fi handsetsMitel Networks is expanding into the Wi-Fi handset business and has inked an agreement to sell Wi-Fi handsets from SpectaLink Corp. Mitel will offer its customers SpectraLink’s NetLink Wireless Telephones, which have incorporated key Mitel technology.SpectraLink licensed Mitel’s MiNET protocol which will ensure interoperability between the Wi-Fi handsets and Mitel’s SX-2000 PBX...

ROW Special Update

telecom | 09/24/2004 4:00 am EDT

 Ciel Satellite awarded orbital slotCiel Satellite Communications Inc. has been awarded the rights to the 129 degrees west orbital slot over a competing bid by BCE Inc.-owned Telesat Canada. The decision, released on September 24, should be welcome news to the satellite services industry as it  introduces facilities-based competition in the Canadian satellite services market. For more than 30 years, Telesat was the...

Initial bids submitted in auction of unassigned 2300/3500 MHz frequencies

telecom | 09/22/2004 4:00 am EDT

The bids are in for unassigned 2300 MHz and 3500 MHz licences and a battle between the three largest national wireless operators is shaping up in many parts of the country. Cable companies, ISPs and telcos are also set to lock horns in a number of locations across the country.  This week, Industry Canada published the bids and with a substantial number of them being contested between two or more parties, the process now moves into a simultaneous multiple round auction to be conducted over the Internet. The dates for the auction have yet to be decided, but will be announced in the near future.  Interest in acquiring 2300/3500 MHz licences is higher than the first time Industry...

Microcell unveils radical new pricing, turns entire country into local calling area

telecom | 09/22/2004 4:00 am EDT

 Microcell Solutions Inc. is again pushing the wireless pricing envelope by launching a package that effectively turns North America into a single local calling area. For $70 per month, subscribers of the Montreal-based operator can make and receive unlimited local calls within its digital coverage area, but they also...

AirIQ growing telematics market presence through licensing and acquisitions

telecom | 09/22/2004 4:00 am EDT

 AirIQ Inc. made two significant moves this month to deliver on a promise to grow through commercial vertical expansion, build a consumer business and effect an industry consolidation.  The Toronto-based telematics provider announced September 14 that it will acquire Boatracs LLC of San Diego CA, and then one day...

Virgin Mobile Canada beneficiary of three-player market in Canada?

telecom | 09/22/2004 4:00 am EDT

 Two analysts are divided about whether the potential elimination of Microcell Telecommunications Inc. from the competitive landscape would be a boon to Virgin Mobile Canada. They agree, however, that Virgin Canada will have greater leeway in the market without pesky Microcell in the picture.  Rogers Wireless Inc....

Manitoba service provider using gear from Redline to offer more services

telecom | 09/22/2004 4:00 am EDT

 The head of I-Netlink Wireless Inc., a small Manitoba-based Internet provider and spectrum auction hopeful, has purchased equipment from Redline Communications Inc. to expand its network footprint. The company, which has enjoyed a two-year relationship with Redline, plans to deploy an additional 30 wireless links to...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 09/22/2004 4:00 am EDT

Rogers Wireless to acquire Microcell TelecommunicationsRogers Wireless Inc. and Microcell Telecommunications Inc. announced an agreement on September 20 that will see Rogers Wireless acquire Microcell in an all-cash deal worth $1.4 billion (see editorial on page 8 for Report on Wireless’ commentary on the deal). Rogers Wireless all but signaled its intent to make a bid for Microcell when it filed papers with the Competition Bureau seeking an advanced ruling on whether its acquisition of Microcell would cause any anti-competitive harm. But a bid for Microcell was really cleared when Rogers Communications repatriated the 34% interest previously held by AT&T Wireless. The bid trumps an earlier TELUS Corp. $1.1-billion deal, which was first launched in May and has since been extended a number of times. The company extended the offer of $29 per share on September 20 until October 12.   Sierra Wireless teams with Intel on mobilityVancouver-based Sierra Wireless Inc. is teaming up with Intel to deliver integrated wireless...

ROW People

telecom | 09/22/2004 4:00 am EDT

AirIQ Inc. has announced that following its Boatracs LLC acquisition, the new division will be led by David Brandos, currently VP of business development at Boatracs. Brandos is considered a wireless data and location-based services champion in the wireless communications industry, having held executive and board of director roles at Qualcomm, Alltel Communications, Pharos, Aeris.net and the Cellular Telecommunications...

ROW International News Briefs

telecom | 09/22/2004 4:00 am EDT

FCC offers 20 MHz more for 3G servicesThe Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has provided an additional 20 MHz of spectrum for advanced wireless services, commonly referred to as 3G. The FCC has allocated the following two paired 5 MHz blocks: 1915-1920 MHz paired with 1995-2000 MHz, and 2020-2025 MHz paired with 2175-2180 MHz. The 1915-1920 MHz...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 09/22/2004 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Once thought of as the stray dog no one wanted around, Microcell Telecommunications Inc. in the past three weeks emerged as a rare, valuable breed everyone seems to want to get a leash on. This week Rogers Wireless Inc. inked an agreement with Microcell management to buy "little Fido" in an...

NL Update

telecom | 09/20/2004 4:00 am EDT

White knight bid for Microcell by Rogers WirelessDespite the prognostications of naysayers, Rogers Wireless Inc. and Microcell Telecommunications Inc. announced Monday that Microcell’s board of directors is recommending shareholders accept a $1.4-billion, all-cash takeover offer by Rogers. Rogers Wireless has agreed to purchase Microcell’s class A restricted voting shares and class non-voting shares for $35 per share....

NL Short Takes

telecom | 09/15/2004 4:00 am EDT

Peel police warn public of VoIP 911 shortcomingsThe Peel Regional Police Service took the unusual step September 13 of issuing a media release to warn the public that 911 service may not work as they expect when using VoIP services. The release highlights the case of a London ON subscriber who had selected a 416 area code for his VoIP local number, who dialed 911 and reached the Toronto call centre rather than the London...

NL People

telecom | 09/15/2004 4:00 am EDT

Michael O’Neill has been appointed as interim CFO of Century II Holdings Inc. Most recently, he was VP of finance and administration for Nova Scotia Power Inc. He will provide financial support to Century II and its wholly owned subsidiary, Information Communication Services (ICS) Inc.  Ian Cavanagh has been appointed as president of the new Canadian operations of 24/7 Customer. He will lead 24/7 Customer...

NL Editorial

telecom | 09/15/2004 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. A provincial plan to use 311 as a national standard for non-urgent telephone health triage is well-meaning, but doesn’t have the same merit as an older plan by municipalities. The cities’ plan is to use the number for non-emergency muncipal government services - truly a Byzantine tangle of...

Provincial health authorities counter municipal 311 plans with their own

telecom | 09/15/2004 4:00 am EDT

 A Part VII application submitted to the CRTC to establish 311 as a national standard for non-urgent telephone health triage services should win out over a competing application by five cities seeking the same number for municipal services, according to an official at Alberta Health and Wellness. The Alberta provincial...

MCI Canada set to compete with incumbents and competitors

telecom | 09/15/2004 4:00 am EDT

 The de facto head of MCI Canada says that after two years of building stronger customer relationships and controlling customer churn the company is ready to break its silence and aggressively attack the Canadian telecommunications services market. "We’ve been able to sustain our business in Canada, spent the last couple of years nailing down our processes and how to run our business, made sure our network was stable, customer service was top notch … and what we’re now turning our attention to is how we grow our business in Canada," Tim Dickins, VP of sales for the reseller, tells Network Letter. Part of that evolution has involved shedding the company’s roots. Recognizing that the carriers’ carrier model was no longer going to be sustainable due to...

Telemarketing rules face new opposition

telecom | 09/15/2004 4:00 am EDT

 Several companies and organizations across Canada are expressing their disagreement with the CRTC’s Telecom Decision 2004-35 concerning telemarketing rules. Their number is growing, and the dispute is complicated by the additional controversy surrounding the idea of establishing a national do-not-call (DNC) list.  A Part VII application was...

Telecom companies settle Kawartha Lakes fibre optic network expansion dispute

telecom | 09/15/2004 4:00 am EDT

 Four telecom companies, under the collective name Cable Cable, have settled a dispute with the municipality of Kawartha Lakes, ON over access issues after arriving at a negotiated settlement. The companies, Cable Cable Inc., Fenelon Cable Inc., Bobcaygeon Cable Inc., and ccROUTE Inc., had found themselves at...

Service bundles attractive for consumers, only if price savings significant: Yankee

telecom | 09/15/2004 4:00 am EDT

 Bundles of telephony, television and Internet services hold strong attraction for customers, says the Yankee Group, but only if they offer significant price savings. The research firm argues in its most recent Canadian Technologically Advanced Family (CTAF) survey that consumers can be persuaded to jump from incumbent...

Wireless industry analysts divided over ramifications of spectrum cap elimination

telecom | 09/09/2004 4:00 am EDT

 There can be little doubt that changes are afoot in Canada’s highly competitive wireless telecommunications landscape following Industry Canada’s decision to immediately remove the spectrum aggregation limit (DGTP-10-004; RoW Update, Aug. 27/04). Not only does the department’s Aug. 27 decision remove a key...

Many new players enter auction for leftover 2300/3500 MHz licences

telecom | 09/09/2004 4:00 am EDT

 Battles could be fierce for spectrum in the auction of the unassigned 2300 MHz and 3500 MHz licences, according to analysts, who note that with 28 players entering the residual auction, 11 of which participated in the first auction, skirmishes are all but guaranteed.  It is difficult to tell at this point where those battles might be because Industry Canada has not yet released specific bidding information. It is clear, however, that a combination of low entry prices and a crowded field of bidders will result in battles breaking out in some of the lucrative urban centres where licences remain from the first auction.  "We can’t tell from what’s been published if...

WaveRider details new growth plan, focus on buying or merging with another firm

telecom | 09/09/2004 4:00 am EDT

   WaveRider Communications Inc. executives say the company must grow through acquisition or die as it faces dwindling cash reserves and an increasing debt load. To that end, the company has unveiled a new strategic growth plan shifting the company’s focus to a merger or acquisition within the next few months to...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 09/09/2004 4:00 am EDT

Nortel selected for 1xEV-DO network deploymentSmartcom, a wireless operator in Chile has deployed 1xEV-DO wireless equipment from Nortel Networks Corp. to boost its network capacity and expand service offerings in the Greater Santiago area. The network upgrade allows Smartcom to offer advanced mobile broadband services such as high-speed Internet access, virtual office services, real-time video and other data and...

ROW People

telecom | 09/09/2004 4:00 am EDT

Tres Wiley has resigned as president and COO of SAMSys Technologies Inc. for personal reasons. Chair of the board of directors and CEO Cliff Horwitz will assume the president duties.  The company plans to expand the management team to address the future operational requirements of SAMSys’ day-to-day activities. Blue Tree Wireless has named four key executives. Jeffrey Speak has been named CEO as well as being...

TELUS application nothing more ploy for further delay in CDNA proceeding

telecom | 09/09/2004 4:00 am EDT

 TELUS Corp. has filed a Part VII requesting the CRTC re-open the competitor digital network access (CDNA) proceeding, arguing that more current evidence can be put on the record. The move has angered many in the industry including Rogers Wireless Inc. (RWI) The following is an edited excerpt of the company’s...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 09/09/2004 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Industry Canada’s decision to immediately rescind the spectrum cap on August 27 caught many in the wireless industry off guard and has left some industry observers confused. They can be forgiven for feeling this way for two simple, but significant reasons.   First the department removed the...

NL Updates

telecom | 09/07/2004 4:00 am EDT

Provincial governments request national 311 serviceAlberta Health and Wellness, with support from the other provincial governments, has filed a Part VII with the CRTC requesting that it establish 311 as a nationwide standard number for “non-urgent telephone health triage services.” This application follows one submitted by five major Canadian municipalities last year (NL, Nov. 10/03). “Implementing telephone health...

NL People

telecom | 09/01/2004 4:00 am EDT

Karl Hantho has been appointed COO at Blue Tree Wireless Data Inc., formerly Stanstead Capital Inc. He was previously president of Tandberg Inc. and Tandberg Canada Inc. The company has also announced Jeffrey Speak as chairman and CEO of the company, Michael Ramsay as president, Alain Dubé as CFO and Richard Belitzky as corporate secretary on the eve of the company’s impending IPO.  David Hallen, COO of ProClarity...

NL International News Briefs

telecom | 09/01/2004 4:00 am EDT

Telcos face increasing cost reductions: Standard & Poor’sWireline telecommunications carriers will continue to face cost-reductions, and labour-related issues throughout 2004, according to Standard & Poor’s Equity Research semi-annual study of the industry. Industry Survey on Telecommunications: Wireline states the industry will face...

NL Editorial

telecom | 09/01/2004 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. There is every reason to believe the Canadian Marketing Association (CMA) when it says new rules governing telemarketing are unworkable and an unfair burden on businesses. In an era when technology has created the ability to tap into databases quickly and inexpensively, it is foolish to expect organizations to maintain their own do-not-call lists separately, and not to pool their resources.  Ultimately, it’s likely the requirement to maintain lists in silos and for each telemarketing company to spend countless millions of minutes divulging 1-800 numbers, explaining opt-out procedures, and the like will simply add to the time spent unwillingly on the phone by Canadians.   A centralized do-not-call list, maintained by an organization the mandate of which is to protect the golden goose, well-advertised and easily tapped into makes sense, both for telemarketers and for consumers. Any organization with...

Reopen record of CDNA proceeding to update evidence, TELUS tells CRTC

telecom | 09/01/2004 4:00 am EDT

 Reaction to TELUS Corp.’s application to reopen the proceeding on competitor digital network access (CDNA) has been swift and unequivocal. Competitive telecom providers tell Network Letter that the western-based ILEC’s application is another example of the company trying to delay the proceeding initiated by...

Telemarketing rules under fire from outbound call centre, marketing association

telecom | 09/01/2004 4:00 am EDT

 Beautyrock Inc., an Ontario outbound call centre operation, has launched an attack on the CRTC’s newly adopted telemarketing rules, joining the Canadian Marketing Association (CMA), which appealed Telecom Decision 2004-35 in August. Beautyrock filed a Part VII application seeking a review of certain measures on...

CRTC erred in not allowing Aliant to carry forward unused monies from price cap

telecom | 09/01/2004 4:00 am EDT

 Aliant Telecom Inc. says the CRTC was mistaken when it ruled that the Atlantic telco couldn’t carry forward $6.4 million of unused price increase room under the previous price cap period to the current period. The company wants to be able to draw down the $6.4 million from its deferral account, and filed a Part VII...

SaskTel hands tied on promoting value-added services, company says

telecom | 09/01/2004 4:00 am EDT

 A Sasktel official is expressing frustration in the wake of an early August decision by the CRTC not to forbear voice messaging services in the province as requested by the telco (Telecom Decision 2004-54). John Meldrum, VP corporate counsel and regulatory affairs, tells Network Letter that the decision fits within a...

Bell faces “modem hijacking” class action lawsuit over unauthorized long-distance calls

telecom | 09/01/2004 4:00 am EDT

Modem hijacking scams led victims to file a class action lawsuit against Bell Canada on July 22 in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice asking for damages and reimbursement of all faudulent long distance telephone charges paid by customers. Edith Carriere, a resident of Monetville ON, is the first person named in the lawsuit, having incurred $1,000 of long distance charges on her phone bills earlier this year for calls that she did not make and that were initiated only as a result of modem hijacking. The lawsuit, conducted by class action specialist David Thompson, is now open to anyone who paid Bell Canada for fraudulent long distance telephone charges for calls to foreign locations such...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 09/01/2004 4:00 am EDT

Telecom to be growth leader through 2006: BMOThe BMO Financial Group is projecting the real output of telecommunications services to expand at an annual rate of 5.8% during the next three years, which would position the sector as one of the fastest-growing in the Canadian economy. In a recently released report, Prospects for Canada’s Industries: 2004-2006, BMO economists predict that the overall economy will grow by...

ROW Update

telecom | 08/30/2004 4:00 am EDT

Spectrum cap eliminated effective immediatelyLate last week, Industry Canada rescinded its nine-year-old spectrum cap policy noting that it has served its purpose and sees wireless communications competition alive and well (DGTP-10-04; RoW Update, Aug. 27/04). In an August 27 news release, Industry Canada minister David Emerson said: “Today’s decision reflects the maturity of the market, and clarifies the market...

ROW Special Update

telecom | 08/27/2004 4:00 am EDT

Department lifts spectrum capIndustry Canada this afternoon announced that it will lift the spectrum cap that limits the amount of radio frequency that cellular phone companies can hold. A news release indicates the that the department will continue to monitor the wireless industry for spectrum concentration, and that it will continue to rely on the Competition Bureau and the CRTC to ensure a competitive...

NL Special Update

telecom | 08/26/2004 4:00 am EDT

 CMA appeals CRTC ruling on telemarketing to federal CabinetThe Canadian Marketing Association (CMA) petitioned the federal Cabinet to stay and review the implementation of the CRTC’s new rules on telemarketing last week (Telecom Decision 2004-35; NL, May 26/04), Network Letter has learned. The petition represents the second of a two-pronged attack against the new telemarketing rules as the association also...

Fixed mobile convergence forcing vendors and operators to look at world differently

telecom | 08/24/2004 4:00 am EDT

 Rogers Wireless Inc. has joined with five other network operators to meet the challenge of communicating network and device needs to manufacturers and others in a fast-converging environment. Rogers Communications Inc. VP of business development Alexander Brock tells Report on Wireless that the new Fixed-Mobile...

Look and Craig granted flexibility to use more spectrum for broadband Internet

telecom | 08/24/2004 4:00 am EDT

 The CRTC has granted struggling wireless cable operators Look Communications Inc. and Craig Wireless International Inc. greater flexibility to use their spectrum resources to deliver non-programming services, namely high-speed Internet. With the release of Broadcasting Public Notice 2004-63, the commission changed the...

Ultra wide-band technology developers headed for showdown over product specs

telecom | 08/24/2004 4:00 am EDT

 A battle over the proposed ultra wide-band (UWB) 802.15.3a personal area network standard is pitting the Multiband OFDM Alliance against proponents of the Direct Sequence UWB method. Both groups have defined legitimate physical layers, and now it is up to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) to...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 08/24/2004 4:00 am EDT

TELUS extends offer for Microcell againTELUS Corp. has again extended its unsolicited offer for Microcell Telecommunications Inc. by an additional 30 days. The offer will now expire on September 20. Despite TELUS’ ongoing efforts to remove the country’s smallest wireless operator from the competitive landscape, Microcell shareholders don’t appear to believe the offer is fair. Only a very small fraction of Microcell...

ROW People

telecom | 08/24/2004 4:00 am EDT

Certicom Corp. has appointed David Sequino as VP worldwide sales. An industry veteran with more than 15 years of sales and business development experience in the embedded industry, Sequino already has a deep understanding of the company’s business, says Certicom’s president and CEO Ian McKinnon.  Most recently Sequino was VP worldwide sales and business development at Teja Technologies, a developer of software platforms for multi-core processors. Prior to Teja, he held senior sales management positions with Deep Nine Technologies, Wind River Systems, M/A-Com Semiconductor and Tektronix. Sequino will also be counted on to sell into the financial and government sectors, important markets for Certicom.  Cygnal Technologies Corp. has named Todd Rutherford as senior VP of the company as well as president and GM of the Network Solutions Group. Prior to this appointment, he was senior VP of sales and marketing for the Network Solutions division. In conjunction with his appointment, the company has announced that Dave Sherry has...

ROW International News Briefs

telecom | 08/24/2004 4:00 am EDT

FCC says PTT is subject to CALEA requirementsThe Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruled on August 4 that push-to-talk mobile phone service is subject to the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) requirements. In that light, the FCC initiated a Notice for Proposed Rulemaking to further define the appropriate legal and policy...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 08/24/2004 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Bell Canada’s move to deploy a 24 GHz point-to-multipoint wireless network in Alberta could be the sign of a rebirth of sorts for LMCS (see lead article). While it is certainly early, and Bell has yet to complete the network, the fact that the country’s largest telephone company is jumping on this...

Bell Canada secures 24 GHz spectrum from Mobilexchange in Alberta for network

telecom | 08/24/2004 4:00 am EDT

 Bell Canada’s Alberta wireless network will be built on spectrum previously held by Mobilexchange Spectrum Inc., Report on Wireless has learned. A Bell representative had refused to provide the name of the third party, but an official with Industry Canada confirmed that it has received a request for licence transfer...

Spectrum available for subscription satellite radio, says Industry Canada

telecom | 08/24/2004 4:00 am EDT

 Industry Canada has assured the CRTC and the two groups interested in offering subscription radio services via satellite that spectrum will be available for terrestrial repeaters. The re-transmitters are required to improve coverage of the satellite radio networks in urban centres. The spectrum regulator has also...

NL Update

telecom | 08/23/2004 4:00 am EDT

 CRTC approves relief plan for 613 and 819 area codesThe CRTC has approved the relief implementation plan for area codes 613 and 819, as proposed by the Numbering Plan Area 613/819 Relief Planning Committee (RPC). The approved plan includes the phasing in of permissive 10-digit local dialing from June 17, 2006 and ending June 24, 2006 and the phasing-in of mandatory 10-digit local dialing from Oct. 21, 2006 and ending Oct. 28, 2006. The CRTC has asked the RPC to file by Sept. 15 a revised plan that includes a standard announcement text to be used by all telecommunications service providers in area codes 613 and 819 during the permissive 10-digit local dialing period and a standard announcement text to be used during the mandatory 10-digit local dialing period (Telecom Decision 2004-55).MTS anticipates restructuring and integration of Allstream to cost $31 millionManitoba Telecom Services Inc. (MTS) states it will incur $31 million in expenses in conjunction with restructuring and integration following its acquisition of Allstream,...

ROW Update

telecom | 08/17/2004 4:00 am EDT

 CRTC renews licences for MDS operatorsThe CRTC has agreed that wireless cable operators, Look Communications Inc. and Craig Wireless International Inc., should have more flexibility in using their scarce MDS spectrum (Broadcasting Public Notice 2004-63). But the commission noted in its decision that both companies must still devote a significant amount of spectrum to TV programming services.  The CRTC writes:...

Commission okays reverse search directory

telecom | 08/04/2004 4:00 am EDT

 The CRTC ruled July 22 that incumbent telcos can offer reverse search directory assistance (RSDA), but only under strict conditions (Telecom Decision 2004-49). The decision puts to rest a process that dates back three years (Public Notice 2001-56).The decision comes after extended deliberations with all the interested parties, especially since...

Telephone companies present final arguments on telco pricing safeguard rules

telecom | 08/04/2004 4:00 am EDT

 Canada’s telephone companies, incumbent and competitors alike, have played their final hands in the price floor safeguards process and it now remains for the CRTC to decide who won (Telecom Public Notice 2003-10).  Presenting final arguments to the commission this summer, incumbent telephony providers say rules...

Call-Net complains that Aliant is charging too much on St. John’s-Halifax route

telecom | 08/04/2004 4:00 am EDT

 Call-Net Enterprises Inc. is calling on the CRTC to force Aliant Inc. to lower the rate it charges third party providers for the use of its telephone lines between Halifax NS and St. John’s NF. In a Part VII application filed with the CRTC on July 14, Call-Net argues that the route should be considered an essential...

Affiliate bundling rules to apply to ILECs other than Bell Canada: commission

telecom | 08/04/2004 4:00 am EDT

 Not surprisingly, the CRTC decided July 22 its bundling rules for ILEC affiliates will also apply to incumbent telcos other than Bell Canada (Telecom Decision 2004-50). A year-and-a-half after the record closed in the original proceeding (Telecom Decision 2002-76) the commission will now force ILECs such as TELUS...

Telecom industry cheering Emerson’s appointment as Industry Canada minister

telecom | 08/04/2004 4:00 am EDT

 Observers in the telecom industry herald the appointment of David Emerson as the new minister of Industry Canada. The recently-elected politician may be a newcomer to Cabinet and to the House of Commons but he brings a wealth of experience to the portfolio. Trained as an economist, Emerson worked for the Economic...

Commission won’t allow promotion for proposed Bell MIPT offering

telecom | 08/04/2004 4:00 am EDT

 A Bell Canada official is expressing disappointment over a CRTC ruling denying the telco the ability to drop installation charges for managed IP telephony (MIPT) customers in Ontario and Quebec (Telecom Order 2004-256). Nonetheless, says Mirko Bibic, chief of regulatory affairs at the phone giant, the company cheers...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 08/04/2004 4:00 am EDT

Local lines jump for Sprint Canada, increases revenueCall-Net Enterprises Inc. reported strong financial and subscriber additions in the second quarter ended June 30. The company noted in a July 28 news release that its Sprint Canada Inc. subsidiary added 35,200 local telephony lines in the quarter, showing 18% and 4% revenue growth in the consumer and business market segments, respectively. Of those local line net...

NL People

telecom | 08/04/2004 4:00 am EDT

Paul Cataford has been appointed as a member of the board of directors of CSI Wireless Inc. Cataford has been president and CEO of University Technologies International Inc. since April. University Technologies is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the University of Calgary responsible for the school’s technology commercialization. Previously, he was managing partner of HorizonOne Asset Management, a Toronto-based private equity investment firm that he co-founded in 2001. He has also served as executive managing director of BMO Nesbitt Burns Equity Partners Inc., and as managing director and president of BCE Capital.  MediSolution Ltd. announces the appointment of Paul Lepage as executive VP and COO, a newly created position at the company. He has previously served as VP of global sales and chief marketing officer at Infospace Mobile, and as COO with Locus Dialogue in Montreal. Lepage has also held positions at Nortel Networks, most recently as VP, eastern region, TTS Meridian Systems, and at Air Canada. Andrew Day has been appointed...

NL Editorial

telecom | 08/04/2004 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. In the run-up to this summer’s federal election, television commentators couldn’t tell viewers often enough that the race was shaping up to be one of the most important in decades. As it turns out, they were right.  For the communications sector, there likely hasn’t been as much at stake in...

ROW People

telecom | 07/27/2004 4:00 am EDT

Donald Gracey, a partner with CG Management & Communications Inc., has registered as a lobbyist for Tel-E-Technologies. He will be charged with lobbying Industry Canada and the Department of National Defence on the purchasing of communications software and equipment. Tel-E-Technologies is a distributor of products from Nortel Networks Corp., SpectraLink Corp. and GlobeStar Systems.  WebTech Wireless Inc. has...

ROW International News Briefs

telecom | 07/27/2004 4:00 am EDT

CTIA comments on IP-enabled services proceedingThe Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association (CTIA) writes in comments to the Federal Communications Commission’s IP services proceeding that the market for such services is highly competitive and therefore doesn’t require economic regulation because such regulation is "reserved for...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 07/27/2004 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  Primus Telecommunications Canada Inc.’s decision to enter the wireless market and round out its portfolio of services should stir things up a bit in the Canadian telecommunications sector. Within the past seven months, the company – known primarily for its long distance services – has...

Spectrum to be made available for CHUM’s subscription radio, documents reveal

telecom | 07/27/2004 4:00 am EDT

An agreement to make spectrum available for CHUM Ltd.’s proposed over-the-air subscription digital radio service is a done deal, documents from CHUM’s subscription radio subsidiary reveal.  CHUM Subscription Radio Canada (CSRC) indicates in answers to questions from the CRTC relating to the specifics of its proposal that while Industry Canada can’t yet allocate spectrum for the service, it has given CSRC assurances that it will make the bandwidth available if the company is awarded a much-coveted licence by the CRTC.  Report on Wireless affiliate publication Canadian Communications Reports first revealed that CHUM had entered the subscription radio service arena when it...

Primus gets into mobile voice services by inking wholesale agreement with Microcell

telecom | 07/27/2004 4:00 am EDT

 Primus Telecommunications Canada Inc. is breaking into the wireless arena through a wholesale agreement with Microcell Solutions Inc., adding yet another service option for its one million long distance customers. In the first half of this year, the company has moved to round out its service portfolio, launching its...

Immediate benefits to Microcell follow CRTC ruling on ‘networks of networks’

telecom | 07/27/2004 4:00 am EDT

 A new regime for interconnection could have as a significant benefit the enhancement of local number portability (LNP) in areas where the CityFido product is sold. Microcell Telecommunications Inc. says that with a single point of interconnection in new local interconnection regions (LIR) established by the CRTC this...

Wi-LAN flexes patent muscles by suing Cisco, other vendors could be on hit list

telecom | 07/27/2004 4:00 am EDT

  Wi-LAN Inc. says it believes it holds the rights to a key ingredient needed to build broadband wireless access gear based on the WiMAX standard and is willing to enforce its rights. Earlier this month, the company formally signaled its intent to seek compensation in the form of royalties from vendors employing...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 07/27/2004 4:00 am EDT

The above chart demonstrates that Rogers Wireless Inc. experienced a strong first quarter of 2004 as well as a combined first half of the year. In its financial results, the company notes that its post-paid subscriber net additions increased 16.6% compared to the second quarter of last year. In addition, post-paid subscriber churn fell to 1.76%. For the three-month period ended June 30, 2004 Rogers Wireless had a...

NL Update

telecom | 07/26/2004 4:00 am EDT

 ILEC affiliates must comply with section 25 of Telecommunications Act, CRTC rulesThe CRTC has ruled that ILEC-affiliated telephone companies will be treated in the exact same manner as the ILEC in tariff applications. “When examining a proposed tariff filed by an affiliated carrier, the commission will apply the same criteria, with respect to the imputation test and the bundling rules, as it would apply if the...

CRTC reduces number of interconnection points in network of networks proceeding

telecom | 07/20/2004 4:00 am EDT

New entrants to the telephony game are cheering a belated decision by the CRTC to reduce the number of points at which they’ll have to connect to the incumbents’ phone networks to provide service. On July 14, the commission released its ruling in what was dubbed the "network of networks" public process,...

CRTC reduces number of interconnection points in network of networks proceeding

telecom | 07/20/2004 4:00 am EDT

 New entrants to the telephony game are cheering a belated decision by the CRTC to reduce the number of points at which they’ll have to connect to the incumbents’ phone networks to provide service. On July 14, the commission released its ruling in what was dubbed the "network of networks" public process,...

CRTC tells telcos they have responsibility to provide pay phone service to deaf

telecom | 07/20/2004 4:00 am EDT

 The CRTC has used its powers to mandate incumbent telecos to offer more pay phone service to the deaf and to notify communities when booths are going to be removed, although the new rules don’t go far enough for some.  On July 15, the commission handed down its rulings on several questions of access to pay...

Allstream expands IP product offering with introduction of third-party VoIP service

telecom | 07/20/2004 4:00 am EDT

 Allstream Corp. continues to broaden the number of products it offers in the IP voice market with the introduction July 7 of its new Voice over IP access service aimed at new third-party enterprises seeking to provide VoIP services to end customers.  The offering follows fast on the heels of the introduction last month of Allstream’s managed IP-PBX service (NL, June 22/04). Like it, the new VoIP service is intended to get customers off the ground quickly and with a minimum of upfront investment. In mid-June, Allstream’s first customer to go public, Primus Telecommunications Canada Inc., announced it was using the Allstream offering to provide its TalkBroadband VoIP service...

Telephone directory dispute pits citizens’ interest groups against TELUS

telecom | 07/20/2004 4:00 am EDT

 Aserious dispute concerning telephone directories has pitted a collective of six citizens’ interest groups, collectively known as BCOAPO et al., against residential telephone service provider TELUS Corp., in British Columbia. According to a complaint filed with the CRTC, the groups seek an official confirmation that...

Canadians say it makes sense for cablecos to offer local phone service: CCTA survey

telecom | 07/20/2004 4:00 am EDT

 A majority of Canadians say it makes sense for cable companies to offer local phone service, with more ranking the service higher than Internet access as desirable in a bundle, according to a recent survey conducted for the Canadian Cable Television Association (CCTA). In the second annual study of consumer attitudes,...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 07/20/2004 4:00 am EDT

SeaBoard Group calls on Industry minister to reform CRTCThe SeaBoard Group in a July research paper calls on the government to reform the CRTC. The paper, entitled Observations on challenges facing you at Industry Canada and addressed to the Industry Canada minister, states: "A review of your industry regulatory instrument, the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission is in order. The...

NL People

telecom | 07/20/2004 4:00 am EDT

William (Bill) Rainey becomes president of Vonage Canada. In the newly created position, he reports directly to Jeffrey Citron, chair and CEO of parent company Vonage Holdings Corp. Rainey is responsible for the development, execution and expansion of Vonage’s Canadian service offerings. Previously, he was senior VP of commercial services at Group Telecom, and has worked in executive and management roles with TELUS...

NL Newsmakers

telecom | 07/20/2004 4:00 am EDT

Business users express opinion on CRTC’s price floor safeguard proposal  The Coalition for Competitive Telecommunications Pricing is outraged at proposals put forward by the CRTC in Telecom Public Notice 2003-10 (price floor) because it says they will only increase prices for business customers. The following is an excerpt of the coalition’s reply arguments.  For the first time in years, Canadian business users of telecommunications services have joined forces in this proceeding to speak with a common voice. The coalition was established in order to protect and promote business consumers most fundamental interests in fair pricing and efficient and effective telecommunications competition. One of the primary objectives of the coalition was to safeguard against the erosion of business consumer benefits that Canadian companies have come to rely upon over the past decade of vibrant telecommunications competition. The release of Public Notice 2003-10 convinced the member associations of the coalition that the interests of...

NL Editorial

telecom | 07/20/2004 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Should it take three years to issue a decision such as the recent network-of-networks ruling by the CRTC? When Network Letter spoke with various telecom executives about the decision, we were told several times that the ruling represents a continuation of the status quo. A Bell Canada official played...

ROW Updates

telecom | 07/20/2004 4:00 am EDT

 Details of auction for unassigned 2300/3500 MHz licences releasedIndustry Canada has released details of an auction for the 2300 MHz and 3500 MHz spectrum licences left unsold following its previous February 2004 spectrum auction. The department has proposed a streamlined auction process that will allow uncontested licences to be secured in the first phase, with contested licences to be awarded in rounds similar to...

CEP, Bell Canada have divergent views of the future of telco industry

telecom | 07/20/2004 4:00 am EDT

 As Bell Canada and representatives of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers’ Union of Canada (CEP) continue efforts at the bargaining table, the pair couldn’t be further apart on the future of the industry. While Bell Canada claims it needs concessions from workers today in order to ensure its...

Interest remains high for wireless LNP, wireless users say in Decima survey

telecom | 07/15/2004 4:00 am EDT

  An important contingent of wireless subscribers feels that the lack of wireless number portability (WNP) is a factor preventing them from switching to another wireless service provider, according to a new survey conducted by Decima Research Inc. for Report on Wireless. In a national telephone survey of more than...

CRIA objects to SOCAN tariff on ringtones, calls for new hearing in February 2005

telecom | 07/15/2004 4:00 am EDT

The Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) has joined with Bell Mobility, Telus Mobility and the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association in opposing a proposed tariff on ringtones, Tariff 24 (RoW, Oct. 7/03). The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) wants to impose a levy on...

Wireless carriers differ on need to re-open wireless number portability debate

telecom | 07/15/2004 4:00 am EDT

 A decision by the CRTC to re-open the contentious debate over wireless local number portability (LNP) – a matter the commission put to bed more than four years ago – will likely again pit Microcell Solutions Inc. against the country’s other national wireless operators.  Microcell, the carrier that led the...

Telus Mobility to integrate recently acquired Spotnik into its Wi-Fi business

telecom | 07/15/2004 4:00 am EDT

Telus Mobility plans to integrate recently acquired hotspot provider Spotnik Mobile Inc. into its Wi-Fi business, continuing to build out hotspots across the country in anticipation of inter-carrier Wi-Fi roaming set to go live this fall (RoW, March 10/04).  Report on Wireless first reported on July 5 that TELUS Corp....

Five key drivers to increase usage of wireless technologies

telecom | 07/15/2004 4:00 am EDT

 The head of Agilent Technologies Inc. emerging communications business team says the world is increasingly becoming connected, but is concurrently unplugging hard-wired connections to networks. Jennifer Stark, emerging communications business team lead for the test and measurement equipment provider, explained in...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 07/15/2004 4:00 am EDT

TenXc and Mitec ink broad development sales dealTenXc Wireless Inc. and Mitec Telecom Inc. have signed a broad development and sales agreement that will see the two companies work together to develop and commercialize intelligent antenna systems. Under the terms of the agreement, Mitec will contribute design and operations resources during TenXc’s product development phase. As well, the two companies will jointly define, promote and sell the family of intelligent antennas to wireless operators on a global basis. "…There is tremendous opportunity to create unique and compelling value propositions for wireless operators by combining Mitec’s leading edge, light-weight RF subsystems with TenXc’s unique architecture and proprietary digital beam forming technologies," Mitec’s executive VP of sales and marketing David Kennedy said in a news release.   Vidéotron ltée introduces wireless routerVidéotron ltée has introduced a cable modem with integrated router and wireless adapters for home networks, allowing its...