Telecom Update #530, May 19, 2006

************************************************************ TELECOM UPDATE ************************************************************ published weekly by Angus TeleManagement Group
formatting link
Number 530: May 19, 2006

Publication of Telecom Update is made possible by generous financial support from:

** AVAYA:
formatting link
** BELL CANADA:
formatting link
** CISCO SYSTEMS CANADA:
formatting link
** ERICSSON:
formatting link
** MICROSOFT CANADA:
formatting link
** MITEL NETWORKS:
formatting link
** NEC UNIFIED SOLUTIONS:
formatting link
** ROGERS TELECOM:
formatting link
** VONAGE CANADA:
formatting link

************************************************************

IN THIS ISSUE:

** Telcos Appeal Local Forbearance Decision ** Policy Review Recommendations Gathering Steam? ** Bell to Pay $100 Million in Equity Dispute ** 64% of Households Have Cellular Access ** Aliant Shareholders Okay Income Trust ** ISP Wants Deferral Account Ruling Stayed ** CRTC Rules on WNP Issues ** Aliant Customers to Get Rebates ** Former Cygnal Exec Joins Multi-Vision ** World Telecom Day ** AT&T Offers Net Integration in Canada ** Orion Adds Backup Link to Ontario's North ** Telus Mike Intros Bluetooth Phone ** Minacs Founder Dies of Cancer ** Skype Offers Free Computer-to-Phone Calling ** CSI Wireless Founder Resigns

============================================================

TELCOS APPEAL LOCAL FORBEARANCE DECISION: Aliant, Bell, SaskTel, and Telus have asked the federal Cabinet to refer CRTC Telecom Decision

2006-15 (the "local forbearance" decision) back to the Commission for reconsideration, in light of the recommendations of the Telecom Policy Review panel. (See Telecom Update #524)

** The telcos have also asked the Federal Court for leave to appeal this decision, arguing that its restrictions on winback activities violate commercial freedom of speech guarantees under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The CRTC previously denied a similar application. (see Telecom Update #524)

POLICY REVIEW RECOMMENDATIONS GATHERING STEAM? Industry Canada has reportedly begun consulting with provincial governments on the Telecom Policy Review report (see Telecom Update #522). Such consultation, among other steps, would be required if the federal government plans to change the Telecom Act or issue a policy directive to the CRTC, as recommended in the report.

BELL TO PAY $100 MILLION IN EQUITY DISPUTE: Bell Canada has agreed to pay $100 million to about 5,000 female operators to settle their claim that they received less pay than male colleagues. Bell's agreement with the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union ends a 14-year legal battle. (See Telecom Update #348, 389)

64% OF HOUSEHOLDS HAVE CELLULAR ACCESS: A new study conducted by Decima Research for the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association reports that 64% of Canadian households own or have access to a cellphone. 8% of those households (5% of all households) have eliminated wireline service entirely.

** Wireless penetration is highest in Alberta (79%) and lowest in Quebec (51%).

formatting link

ALIANT SHAREHOLDERS OKAY INCOME TRUST: Aliant says 97% of its shareholders have voted to approve creation of an income trust that will combine Aliant's wireline operations with Bell Nordiq and parts of Bell Canada. The deal is expected to close by September. BCE owns

53% of Aliant. (See Telecom Update #520)

ISP WANTS DEFERRAL ACCOUNT RULING STAYED: New Brunswick-based Barrett Xplore has asked the federal Cabinet to stay implementation of the CRTC's recent deferral account decision. The broadband service provider says that allowing incumbent telcos to use deferral account money to extend broadband service will undermine the business of other providers that offer broadband in rural and remote areas. (See Telecom Update #517, 522)

formatting link
CRTC RULES ON WNP ISSUES: The CRTC has ruled on a number of issues relating to implementing wireless number portability in March

2007. Among others: there will be no winback restrictions, and customers with unpaid bills cannot be prevented from moving their number to another carrier unless their service has been suspended or terminated.

formatting link
ALIANT CUSTOMERS TO GET REBATES: CRTC Telecom Decision 2006-27 orders Aliant to issue credits to customers by June 16, compensating them for the telco's failure to meet several quality of service standards during 2004 and 2005. Aliant received a 50% exemption for the periods affected by the 2004 strike.

** Commissioner Andree Noel dissented, saying Aliant should be 100% exempted from quality standards during the strike period.

formatting link
FORMER CYGNAL EXEC JOINS MULTI-VISION: Todd Rutherford, who resigned from Cygnal Technologies last month, has been named President of Multi-Vision Communications, a Toronto-based developer of contact centre, collaboration, and messaging software. (See Telecom Update #524)

WORLD TELECOM DAY: Did you celebrate? Wednesday was World Telecommunication Day, marking the founding of the International Telecommunication Union on May 17, 1865.

AT&T OFFERS NET INTEGRATION IN CANADA: As part of a global expansion of its Network Integration Services unit, AT&T Inc. has begun offering network and vendor consolidation, data center moves and consolidation, outsourced telecom management, and other services, to Canadian businesses.

ORION ADDS BACKUP LINK TO ONTARIO'S NORTH: Ontario's research network, ORION, has added a backup fibre link to northern Ontario, after several service outages on its existing route. CANARIE contributed $400,000 of the half-million-dollar cost.

formatting link
TELUS MIKE INTROS BLUETOOTH PHONE: Telus has introduced a Mike push-to-talk phone from Motorola that can exchange data with Bluetooth devices located within 10 metres.

MINACS FOUNDER DIES OF CANCER: Elaine Minacs, who founded the call centre service bureau Minacs Worldwide in 1981 and was CEO until last year, has died of cancer. The company's Board voted earlier this year to seek a buyer for the 5,000-employee organization. (See Telecom Update #516, 520)

SKYPE OFFERS FREE COMPUTER-TO-PHONE CALLING: Skype Technologies now allows users to make free "SkypeOut" calls from their computers to any wireline or cellular phone in Canada and the U.S. The offer expires at the end of 2006.

CSI WIRELESS FOUNDER RESIGNS: Stephen Verhoeff, founder of CSI Wireless, has resigned as CEO, President, and Board member. Chairman Michael Lang becomes interim CEO. The Calgary-based supplier of GPS products reports first-quarter income of $15.5 million, up 59%. (See Telecom Update #527)

============================================================

HOW TO SUBMIT ITEMS FOR TELECOM UPDATE

E-mail snipped-for-privacy@angustel.ca and snipped-for-privacy@angustel.ca

===========================================================

HOW TO SUBSCRIBE (OR UNSUBSCRIBE)

TELECOM UPDATE is provided in electronic form only. There are two formats available:

  1. The fully-formatted edition is posted on the World Wide Web late Friday afternoon each week at
    formatting link
  2. The e-mail edition is distributed free of charge. To subscribe, send an e-mail message to: join-telecom snipped-for-privacy@nova.sparklist.com To stop receiving the e-mail edition, send an e-mail message to: leave-telecom snipped-for-privacy@nova.sparklist.com Sending e-mail to these addresses will automatically add or remove the sender's e-mail address from the list. Leave subject line and message area blank.

We do not give Telecom Update subscribers' e-mail addresses to any third party. For more information, see

formatting link
===========================================================

COPYRIGHT AND CONDITIONS OF USE: All contents copyright 2006 Angus TeleManagement Group Inc. All rights reserved. For further information, including permission to reprint or reproduce, please e-mail snipped-for-privacy@angustel.ca.

The information and data included has been obtained from sources which we believe to be reliable, but Angus TeleManagement makes no warranties or representations whatsoever regarding accuracy, completeness, or adequacy. Opinions expressed are based on interpretation of available information, and are subject to change. If expert advice on the subject matter is required, the services of a competent professional should be obtained.

============================================================

Reply to
Angus TeleManagement Group
Loading thread data ...

Cabling-Design.com Forums website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.