Telecom Update #518, February 24, 2006

************************************************************ TELECOM UPDATE ************************************************************ published weekly by Angus TeleManagement Group Number 518: February 24, 2006

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IN THIS ISSUE:

** BlackBerry Ruling Deferred ** CRTC Begins Setting Do-Not-Call Framework ** Wi-Fi--A Tale of Two Universities ** CEO Says Nortel Must Sharpen Focus ** Telecom Policy Review Report Expected in March ** Another Application for the 5-1-1 Code ** Aliant Launches High-Speed Wireless ** Bond Agency Downgrades MTS Debt ** Ontario MPP Seeks Ban on Drivers' Cell Calls ** FCI "Eliminates" Long Distance ** SaskTel Widens Digital Wireless ** Association to Speak for VoIP Providers

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BLACKBERRY RULING DEFERRED: A U.S. judge today declined to issue an immediate injunction to shut down BlackBerry service in the United States, but said that he would issue a ruling "as soon as reasonably possible." The injunction was sought by NTP Inc., which claims that the Research In Motion product violates NTP-held patents.

** This week the U.S. patent office issued a "final rejection" of two of the five disputed patents. The office previously rejected the other three on a preliminary basis.

CRTC BEGINS SETTING DO-NOT-CALL FRAMEWORK: CRTC Telecom Public Notice

2006-4 invites comment on various aspects of how a national Do Not Call List regime should operate, including the rules that should apply once the list is established. To participate, notify the Commission by March 6. (See Telecom Update #508).

** A public consultation on the issues will take place in Gatineau, May 2-5, 2006.

** The Commission directs the CRTC Interconnection Steering Committee (CISC) to set up two subcommittees: one to create a consortium that will hire a Do Not Call List operator, and one to consider implementation and operational issues.

WI-FI--A TALE OF TWO UNIVERSITIES: Two Ontario universities have adopted very different policies towards wireless networks.

** The University of Windsor has formally launched UWin Wireless, a network of 1,000 Wi-Fi access points that provides Internet access everywhere on campus. About 5,000 people have logged on since Bell Canada and Aruba Networks completed the installation.

** Lakehead University President Fred Gilbert, who has a PhD in Zoology, announced that the university will not deploy Wi-Fi while he is president, because "the jury is still out on the impact that electromagnetic forces have on human physiology."

CEO SAYS NORTEL MUST SHARPEN FOCUS: In his first public presentation as Nortel Networks CEO, Mike Zafirovski told a Whistler, B.C. conference that his company "must have 20 points of market share anywhere we compete, or look for some alternatives." Nortel now reaches that level in only five of 22 product categories, he said.

** Nortel has named George Riedel, formerly of Juniper Networks, as its Chief Strategy Officer, with responsibility for mergers and acquisitions.

** Veteran Nortel Board members John Cleghorn, Robert Ingram, and Robert Brown say they will step down at Nortel's annual meeting in May.

TELECOM POLICY REVIEW REPORT EXPECTED IN MARCH: The Secretariat for the Telecom Policy Review says the panel's report is in its final stages of translation and production. The panel hopes to release the report sometime in March. (See Telecom Update #510)

ANOTHER APPLICATION FOR THE 5-1-1 CODE: The Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention, the Canadian Mental Health Association, and the Canadian Distress Line Network have jointly asked the CRTC to allocate the last remaining 3-digit code, 5-1-1, to crisis intervention and suicide prevention services.

** A previous application for 5-1-1 is already before the Commission. Last year a consortium including all ten provincial governments and the Yukon Territorial government applied to have 5-1-1 assigned to weather and travel information services. (See Telecom Update #485)

ALIANT LAUNCHES HIGH-SPEED WIRELESS: Aliant now offers wireless data speeds "up to 2.4 Mbps" to its cellular customers in Halifax. The telco plans to make the EV-DO-based service available to 60% of its customers by the end of 2007.

BOND AGENCY DOWNGRADES MTS DEBT: Dominion Bond Rating Service has downgraded its trend rating of Manitoba Telecom debt to "negative," citing the weakness of its Allstream unit.

ONTARIO MPP SEEKS BAN ON DRIVERS' CELL CALLS: An Ontario MPP has introduced a private member's bill to limit the use of cellphones by drivers. Conservative John O'Toole wants to ban all cellphone use by new drivers, and to require others to use handsfree devices.

FCI "ELIMINATES" LONG DISTANCE: FCI Broadband has introduced XP Calling, a VoIP service that "eliminates long distance" for calls to the U.S. and Canada. Customers pay $10/month for North American calls or $7/month for Canada only, in addition to the regular local service rate, and don't have to dial "1" before the area code.

SASKTEL WIDENS DIGITAL WIRELESS: SaskTel has introduced digital wireless service in Dorintosh and expanded service in the vicinity of Duck Lake, Hepburn, Melville, and several other rural communities.

ASSOCIATION TO SPEAK FOR VoIP PROVIDERS: The Canadian Association of VoIP Providers, now being formed by some regional suppliers, aims to "present an independent perspective on regulatory issues" to the CRTC.

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