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IN THIS ISSUE:
** Big Gains for Cable Telephony ** RBC Shifts to Managed IP Telephony ** Rogers Reorganizes Telephony Holdings ** Consumer Groups Say Telecom Regulation Still Needed ** Telus Prepares TV Launch ** Bell 3-1-1 Tariff Approved with Amendments ** Execulink Joins Bidding for People's ** Cogeco, Shaw Post Profit Gains ** Northwestel to Pay Excess Revenue to Central Fund ** Another GE Exec Moves to Nortel ** Mitel Adds to Marketing Team ** Consultants to Hold Vancouver Meeting ** Website Honours Angus Mentor============================================================
BIG GAINS FOR CABLE TELEPHONY: Shaw Communications began offering local phone service in Vancouver and surrounding areas this week, the latest move in a growing cablecos-vs-telcos battle for the residential telephone market.
** Cogeco launched cable phone service in June. Subscribers on November 30: 6,900.** Rogers launched cable phone service in July. Subscribers on December 31: 47,900.
** Shaw launched cable phone service in February. Subscribers on November 30: 90,651.** Videotron launched cable phone service in January 2005. Subscribers on December 31: 163,000.
RBC SHIFTS TO MANAGED IP TELEPHONY: The Royal Bank of Canada will switch 8,400 of its Toronto-area Centrex lines to Bell Canada's Managed IP Telephony service between February and November this year. The hardware and software comes from Cisco; Bell and IBM will provide IP Telephony support, network monitoring, and infrastructure management.
ROGERS REORGANIZES TELEPHONY HOLDINGS: Rogers Communications has transferred its residential phone service and its wholesale Third Party Internet Access service from Rogers Cable to a newly named subsidiary, Rogers Home Phone Inc. (formerly Call-Net Communications Inc). RHPI is headed by VP Phil Hartling, who reports to Edward Rogers.
CONSUMER GROUPS SAY TELECOM REGULATION STILL NEEDED: The Public Interest Advocacy Centre and 32 other national organizations have submitted a joint declaration to the CRTC, to Industry Minister Emerson, and to the Telecom Policy Review panel. They call on the federal government to defend and promote Telecommunications Act principles, including consumer protection and improved access for rural communities and persons with disabilities.
BELL 3-1-1 TARIFF APPROVED WITH AMENDMENTS: The CRTC has given final approval to Bell's tariff for 3-1-1 service, which allows municipalities to provide a central number for non-emergency government services (see Telecom Update #456, 483). Fees apply when municipal boundaries do not line up with exchange boundaries, but the Commission ordered Bell to charge per-call routing fees only for calls that originate in exchanges shared by more than one municipality.
COGECO, SHAW POST PROFIT GAINS: For the quarter ended November 30:
** Cogeco Cable reports net income of $9.0 million, up from $3.8 million a year earlier. Revenue increased 5.6% to $143 million. The number of basic service customers rose 1.3% in the quarter.** Shaw Communications reports net income of $75.7 million, up from $44.7 million a year earlier. Revenue increased 9.8% to $589.5 million. The number of basic service customers rose 1.4% in the quarter.
NORTHWESTEL TO PAY EXCESS REVENUE TO CENTRAL FUND: The CRTC has directed Northwestel to pay $150,000 to the Central Fund from which it receives a subsidy to support affordable services in the North. This is the amount by which the northern telco exceeded its forecast long distance revenue in 2004.
MITEL ADDS TO MARKETING TEAM: Mitel has named Doug Michaelides, formerly with Allstream and Nortel, as Global Vice-President of Marketing. Mitel veteran Gilles Rousso is now Regional Vice-President for Mexico, the Caribbean, and Latin America.
CONSULTANTS TO HOLD VANCOUVER MEETING: The Canadian Telecommunications Consultants Association will hold a one-day educational event on IP telephony in Vancouver, February 24. The meeting is open to consultants, equipment and service providers, and end users from western Canada and the U.S. Pacific Northwest. For more information, or to register, go to
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