Competitors: rate ranges should only be allowed under certain guidelines

telecom | 08/17/2006 4:00 am EDT

Consumers will be the main beneficiaries of the increased influences of market forces on pricing due to the use of rate ranges for telecommunications services according to a joint submission to the CRTC from Bell Canada, NorthernTel LP and Télébec. Of course, the ability to respond to competitive pricing quicker will...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 08/17/2006 4:00 am EDT

Yellow Pages to acquire MTS directoriesMTS Allstream has announced that it has reached an agreement to sell its telephone directories business to Yellow Pages Group Co. for $281 million, of which $275 million will be paid in cash. "This transaction is a clear sign of our commitment to create and deliver long-term value for our shareholders," MTS Allstream, president and CEO Pierre Blouin said in a news release....

NL People

telecom | 08/17/2006 4:00 am EDT

Isabelle Courville has stepped down as president of Bell Canada’s enterprise group. Courville has led a number of important initiatives at Bell including leading the integration of Télébec and NorthernTel while she was president and CEO of the Bell Nordiq Group. She also spearheaded the creation of the Bell Nordiq Income Fund, the first of its kind in the Canadian telecommunications industry. Since being named...

Bell states case for adoption of Policy Direction to CRTC

telecom | 08/17/2006 4:00 am EDT

Comments to Industry Minister Maxime Bernier’s proposed Policy Direction to the CRTC are rolling in with respective parties arguing why it should or should not be adopted. Below is an excerpt from Bell Canada.  It is widely agreed that telecommunications regulation in Canada is urgently in need of reform. It places...

NL Editorial

telecom | 08/17/2006 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  As you most likely read in Network Letter’s lead article, there appears to be a rather large gap in how and where VoIP service complaints are dealt with. The CRTC’s Paul Godin says complaints about dropped calls from a VoIP customer are not the responsibility of the commission.  That seems like a puzzling answer since the commission ruled that VoIP service will be treated the same as traditional circuit-switched telephony for regulatory purposes. If VoIP is the same as traditional phone service, then why aren’t complaints dealt with in the same manner? The answer: the forbearance ruling removed the CRTC from regulating some aspects of VoIP including connection quality. Here, he must be referring to the Internet connection at the customer’s premise and Internet access is largely unregulated.  This is where the confusion begins to set in. If a VoIP customer gets shoddy VoIP service, it’s...

Fog obscures VoIP complaint resolution process

telecom | 08/17/2006 4:00 am EDT

Telephone-service customers on incumbent phone networks have a straightforward path to complaint resolution and restitution should the services they receive fail to impress, but the same can’t be said for VoIP service customers.  While the CRTC reviews the complaints it receives from phone users, and engages carriers to help solve problems, the...

ILECs, competitors begin debating definition of wireless substitution

telecom | 08/17/2006 4:00 am EDT

While the CRTC very well may determine that mobile wireless services should be considered in the same market as wireline services with respect to forbearance, which wireless subscribers can be counted against an ILECs market share will be another issue altogether.  "The fact that there are some households for whom...

Canada still battling rural/urban digital divide on Internet usage

telecom | 08/17/2006 4:00 am EDT

A new survey released by Statistics Canada says that fewer Canadians living in rural and remote areas of the country were accessing the Internet with a high-speed connection in 2005 compared to those living in urban areas.  According to the Canadian Internet Use Survey, approximately 2.7 million Canadians who accessed...

Technicalities slow Toronto Hydro Telecom’s Wi-Fi deployment

telecom | 07/27/2006 4:00 am EDT

Not enough electricity. Concerns from the police and health agencies. And a need to address all of these things. No wonder Toronto Hydro Telecom Inc.’s (THT) Wi-Fi "blanket" for downtown Hogtown is behind schedule.  In a July press conference, THT representatives explained how various hurdles have slowed...

Mobile TV technology to shift to multi-cast services in the future: Juniper

telecom | 07/27/2006 4:00 am EDT

A new white paper from Juniper Research Ltd. suggests that as demand for mobile TV programming increases a shift from streaming services such as MobiTV to broadcast-like technologies will occur, leaving the unicast cellular model behind.  Mobile TV: Watch it Grow highlights technology trends, possible winners and...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 07/27/2006 4:00 am EDT

Nokia and Motorola continue to capture the lion’s share of cell phone shipments with second quarter 2006 the market share figure nearly hitting 55%, according to Q2 estimates from IDC. Motorola saw huge jump in handset shipments and this is largely attributed to stellar sales of its RAZR handset and surprising popularity of iDEN devices. While many thought this could be the year that one billion handsets would be...

ROW People

telecom | 07/27/2006 4:00 am EDT

Intrinsyc Software International Inc. has appointed Glenda Dorchak as its new CEO and will take a seat on the board of directors, succeeding Derek Spratt. She comes to Intrinsyc from Intel Corp. and has 30 years experience in the technology industry. Dorchak began her career at IBM Canada and spent more than 20 years with the firm in Canada and the United States.  She held a number of positions, including director of...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 07/27/2006 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Now that Industry Canada has publicly stated that a consultation to set the rules for the 3G spectrum auction is coming soon, talk will once again shift to the competitiveness of the Canadian wireless industry.  The merits of current government regulation (or lack thereof) and policies will be...

AWS auction consultation document coming this fall: Industry Canada

telecom | 07/27/2006 4:00 am EDT

The spectrum auction for advanced wireless services (AWS), commonly referred to as 3G, will not take place in March 2007, according to Industry Canada officials. It was rumoured that the auction of 80 MHz of spectrum in the 1700 MHz and 2100 MHz bands was scheduled for next March, but two key department officials involved in spectrum management dispelled that in an interview with Report on Wireless last week.  Rosamond Bain, manager of wireless networks and lead for Industry Canada spectrum auctions, says there is no firm date for the auction, but adds the process to set the rules for the bandwidth sale should begin this fall. "We do have plans to release a consultation paper on...

Virgin Mobile taking full advantage of pre-paid renaissance

telecom | 07/27/2006 4:00 am EDT

The recent assertion from Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Mobile Canada, that it had 250,000 subscribers demonstrates the country’s pre-paid wireless market is picking up steam again. In fact, pre-paid is showing signs of a renaissance not seen since 2001 (see chart below).  Fiscal 2005 saw new net pre-paid...

If you use handheld devices while driving, at least do it safely: IMS

telecom | 07/27/2006 4:00 am EDT

While the influx of technology into cars has been increasingly taking drivers’ hands off the wheel and eyes off the road, a Waterloo ON-based company is using technology to help put the focus back on driving. Intelligent Mechatronic Systems Inc.’s (IMS) iLane is a hands- and eyes-free wireless email solution...

Northwestel seeks price regulation, opponents decry proposed rate increases

telecom | 07/24/2006 4:00 am EDT

Consumer groups, northern businesses and territorial governments had dramatically different reactions than Telus Corp. to Northwestel Inc.’s proposal for a new telecommunications regulatory framework for the north. At a four-day-long public hearing last week, northerners also had a difference of opinion with Northwestel...

Vidéotron benefiting from low-priced telephony strategy: UBS

telecom | 07/24/2006 4:00 am EDT

A new report from UBS Securities Canada indicates that the aggressive pricing approach Vidéotron ltée used to secure upwards of 225,000 telephony subscribers "didn’t leave money on the table."  The investment house concludes that lower telephony pricing has positioned the Quebec-based cable company for...

Moving convergence from out of reach to profitable reality

telecom | 07/24/2006 4:00 am EDT

Thanks to convergence, we have the remarkable flexibility to communicate via voice, video and data – separately or all at once, at home or in the office and even as we travel. It represents a unique and unparalleled channel for service delivery and for carriers it’s a seemingly straightforward concept. However, when it comes to execution, it is a potential nightmare.  But it’s not all bad news. After years of struggling to find the Holy Grail – delivering converged services that customers will pay for – it is becoming a reality. At the heart of that reality is innovation and partnership.  Service Delivery DilemmaFew industries face the same level of competition and the need for rapid innovation as the service provider market faces today. Communications companies and...

ILECs tell CRTC to reject Primus Canada’s application on winback rules

telecom | 07/24/2006 4:00 am EDT

Incumbent telephone companies have resoundingly told the CRTC that it should reject Primus Telecommunications Canada Inc.’s application for a re-establishment of the 12-month no-winback rule (NL, June 22/06).  Aliant Inc., Bell Canada and SaskTel state in their July 6 response that Primus’ application runs counter...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 07/24/2006 4:00 am EDT

Bell ready to connect sea-to-sky corridorBell Canada has announced the final groundbreaking for the laying of fibre optic cable from Vancouver to Whistler. Once completed, the 120-kilometres of cable will be the backbone for all communications needs for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. This will include live broadcasting feeds to more than a billion viewers worldwide, Internet sharing of news stories and...

NL People

telecom | 07/24/2006 4:00 am EDT

Claude Mongeau and John David Watson have been appointed to Nortel’s board of directors. Mongeau has been the executive VP and CFO of Canadian National Railway Company since October 2000. He is also chairman of the audit committee and a member of the governance committee at SNCLavalin Group Inc. Watson was the executive VP and CFO of EnCana Corp. from its formation in 2002 until his retirement earlier this year. Prior...

Bar association objects to ISPs monitoring of subscribers

telecom | 07/24/2006 4:00 am EDT

The Canadian Bar Association is sounding alarm bells over Internet service providers’ practice of monitoring their subscribers’ communications. The association says this could have a serious impact on lawyer-client confidentiality.  The CBA has raised its concern with the ministers responsible for the Department of...

NL Editorial

telecom | 07/24/2006 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  Incumbent telephone companies sternly criticized Primus Telecommunications Canada’s call for a resetting of the no-winback rule to 12 months (see article in this issue).  This shouldn’t come as a surprise as the ILECs believe that the current no-winback rule of three months is...

Department sets rules for fixed and mobile services in channels 2 to 59

telecom | 07/14/2006 4:00 am EDT

Industry Canada has set the rules for allowing the deployment of fixed and mobile wireless services in analog TV channels two to 59, but according to a representative from Canada’s wireless industry lobby group, it’s not yet clear where services can be implemented and how the licensing process is going to work....

Satellite licensing process more transparent: Industry Canada

telecom | 07/14/2006 4:00 am EDT

Industry Canada has kicked off an aggressive satellite licensing process with the goal of awarding 29 licences in 16 orbital slots. Telesat Canada, Ciel Satellite Communications Inc., Bell ExpressVu and Eutelsat SA are just some of the companies that have already expressed interest in some of the available licences....

More changes come for Bell Mobility: struggle or transition?

telecom | 07/14/2006 4:00 am EDT

Bell Mobility, one of the country’s three national wireless operators, has once again switched leaders. The company announced July 5 that three-year BCE Inc. veteran Robert Odendaal had decided to leave the firm to pursue other interests. Odendaal was also president of Bell Distribution Inc. (BDI).  This is third...

Bell Mobility aims for customer interaction with marketing program

telecom | 07/14/2006 4:00 am EDT

Fun is not a word one would automatically associate with Bell Mobility, the stalwart wireless service provider attached to Canada’s largest wireline carrier. But Bell Mobility’s marketing leaders are trying to change the company’s image with a summer program designed to raise the firm’s fun factor and increase interactions with customers.  As if attempting to throw off a stodgy persona, Bell Mobility is cranking up a street-wise marketing plan that includes fake cops, plastic handcuffs, mock traffic tickets and a real chance for people to win a trip to New York City. "It’s about interacting one-to-one with our customers in a fun way," says Darren Yaphe, Bell...

Wireless companies are focused on building solid businesses, products: OWC

telecom | 07/14/2006 4:00 am EDT

The chair of the Ottawa Wireless Cluster (OWC) Neil Knudsen says he wasn’t surprised by the results of a survey of the Ottawa wireless industry last month which showed wireless companies in the nation’s capital are more intent on building their customer base and expanding their sales and marketing teams than they are on...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 07/14/2006 4:00 am EDT

Contract questions arise in BGM-CHUM discussionOn a July 12 conference call held to discuss the acquisition of Chum Ltd. by Bell Globemedia (BGM), at least one analyst raised the question of how the deal might affect Chum’s existing wireless partnerships.  Tim Casey from BMO Nesbitt Burns asked Chum CEO Jay Switzer how the analyst community should view the existing content and branding relationship Chum’s...

ROW People

telecom | 07/14/2006 4:00 am EDT

Dale Kearns, CFO of Zi Corp., will resign from the company in August to become the CFO and COO of a Toronto Stock Exchange-traded software company based in Calgary that does not compete with Zi. Milos Djokovic, Zi’s president and CEO, thanked Kearns for his contributions over the last five years in a news release.  If needed, Kearns will assist Zi during a transition period to be agreed upon. Calgary-based Zi...

Report finds some companies non-compliant with TPC regulations

telecom | 07/14/2006 4:00 am EDT

A new report, conducted by Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton (RCGT) Consulting for Industry Canada, concludes that 16 out of 46 audited companies breached terms and conditions of the Technology Partnerships Canada (TPC) funding program. The following is an edited excerpt of the report.  Forty-seven companies were selected...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 07/14/2006 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. The Canadian government continues to make additional spectrum available for the deployment of new services in rural and remote areas, and this is good news to users starving for higher-bandwidth services. It is equally good for service providers which will soon have access to additional spectrum to offer services.  Recently, the department announced that it is accepting applications for using analog TV channels two to 59 for fixed and mobile services, and it kicked off a licensing process that could see upwards of 16 new satellites in the sky delivering advanced communications and broadcasting services (see articles on page 1). The problem of getting high-speed Internet, and the associated consumer and business applications, into rural communities has lingered for many years in Canada. While the gap between the haves and the havenots in rural and remote Canada has decreased in recent years, there are still...

Incumbents cheat at cards: competitors

telecom | 07/06/2006 4:00 am EDT

Who knew customer-appreciation cards could cause such a kerfuffle? Quebecor Media Inc. (QMI) is complaining once again that Bell Canada’s customer-appreciation cards violate the CRTC’s "winback" restrictions, but Bell says that’s not the case. Meanwhile Shaw Communications Inc. points to Telus Corp.’s customer-appreciation cards as...

Security, a concern for business VoIP systems: Above Security

telecom | 07/06/2006 4:00 am EDT

A Canadian VoIP security specialist says that service providers should heed warnings of potential security risks associated with IP telephony implementation. Robert Potvin, VP of strategic consulting with Above Security noted during a recent conference in Montreal that companies aren’t generally concerned about VoIP...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 07/06/2006 4:00 am EDT

US cable operator to use Nortel VoIP solutionOne of the 10 largest cable operators in America, Suddenlink Communications, will be using a VoIP solution from Nortel to provide telephone and multimedia services to its customers. The solution includes network design, integration, management and maintenance services, and the new network will provide VoIP services to Suddenlink’s customer base from California to North...

NL People

telecom | 07/06/2006 4:00 am EDT

John Roese has been named CTO at Nortel Networks Corp. with the responsibility for the company’s overall research and development strategy and execution across all product portfolios. As well he will have the task of working closely with the chief strategy officer on emerging technologies, market opportunities and strategic partnerships. Roese joins Nortel from Broadcom Corp. where he was VP and CTO for network...

Economic regulation not required to protect business customers: CCT

telecom | 07/06/2006 4:00 am EDT

The Coalition for Competitive Telecommunications (CCT) continues to argue that the prices of incumbent telephone companies’ business services don’t require economic regulation. The CCT states in comments to the CRTC’s review of the VoIP ruling (Telecom Decision 2005-28) that ILECs can’t simply raise prices and not...

NL Editorial

telecom | 07/06/2006 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  Who can resist the big red Rogers? And not the company or its products, but those six upper-case letters that signify the Rogers brand. Exactly how much clout does that name itself carry?  Internet and phone service providers in certain Ontario cities like Hamilton, Burlington, St....

Cablecos need to defend their Internet, voice service from Rogers brand

telecom | 07/06/2006 4:00 am EDT

In two moves last month Rogers Cable Communications Inc. bolstered its national presence by expanding its Rogers Yahoo high-speed Internet offerings outside of its cable areas. Internet service providers in these regions now have more than just another competitor to contend with: they’ll have to defend their subscriber...

Yak might be on its way out of the VoIP market

telecom | 07/06/2006 4:00 am EDT

In a period of nine days Yak Communications Inc., a legacy and VoIP telephone services provider, made two announcements that could signify the beginning of the end of the company.  First, Yak established an independent committee to "review, study, explore and analyze various strategic alternatives to maximize its shareholder value,"...

Mobile social networking could transform society: virtual reality pioneer

telecom | 06/29/2006 4:00 am EDT

Mobile telecommunications are "the social hormone" of 21st-century society, one of the pioneers of virtual reality said during a session at New Media BC’s recent Vidfest conference in Vancouver.  During the session, titled "The Future of Mobile Content," Mark Pesce, who was instrumental in creating virtual reality modeling language (VRML) – the first attempt to create immersive 3D environments on the Internet – further explained his theory. "Hormones do the broad distribution of signals around the body," he noted. If one considers a social network such as Myspace to be analogous to a social "body", then the metaphor fits. Pesce, who is...

Partnerships key to getting more money from wireless content: KPMG

telecom | 06/29/2006 4:00 am EDT

Canada’s wireless carriers should give serious consideration to advertising-supported content as a way to derive more revenue from their mobile data services, urges a new report from KPMG. The study, Consumers and Convergence, polled nearly 3,600 cell phone owners around the world, including 200 Canadians.  The...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 06/29/2006 4:00 am EDT

Sirit wins $5.9 million contract in CaliforniaToronto-based RFID provider Sirit Inc. has secured an order valued at up to $5.9 million from the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) in California.  Beginning next month and running for one year, the contract requires Sirit to deliver a combination of its traditional sealed and new battery replaceable Title-21-based toll transponders at retail locations. "We are working...

ROW People

telecom | 06/29/2006 4:00 am EDT

John Roese has been named CTO at Nortel Networks Corp. with responsibility for the company’s overall research and development strategy and execution across all product portfolios. As well, he will have the task of working closely with the chief strategy officer on emerging technologies, market opportunities and strategic partnerships.  Roese joins Nortel from Broadcom Corp. where he was VP and CTO for network...

CWTA raises copyright concerns in consultation on mobile broadcasting

telecom | 06/29/2006 4:00 am EDT

The Canadian Wireless Tele-communications Association (CWTA) has red-flagged a provision in the proposed CRTC exemption order for mobile broadcasters.  The wireless industry lobby group questions the commission’s rationale in proposing a "signal retransmission consent requirement" for over-the-air...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 06/29/2006 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 new report from KPMG suggests that wireless carriers should consider using an advertising-supported approach to offering content and other mobile data services to their subscribers. This, the firm says, is because consumers don’t want to pay more for such things as entertainment content, applications and services.  The concept, which KPMG dubs "wallet-sharing," has merit. It stands to reason that if consumers don’t want to pay more for watching video clips, playing games, surfing the Internet or getting their business headlines, then the carriers have to figure out another way to make money from these things.  Why wouldn’t a wireless operator make its subscriber base available to advertisers as a way to generate greater revenue? Microsoft could purchase the right to sponsor business headlines, for example on a particular carrier. With this scenario, there would be no need for a customer...

Industry Canada pushing public safety communications forward

telecom | 06/29/2006 4:00 am EDT

Slowly but surely, Canada’s spectrum regulator is forging ahead with policies to make it easier for public safety agencies to communicate with each other during times of emergency.  What started more than four years ago with a conference on public safety communications requirements is now coming to fruition with the...

CAB questions aspects of proposed mobile broadcasting exemption order

telecom | 06/29/2006 4:00 am EDT

The Canadian Association of Broadcasters is telling the CRTC that it should only exempt unicast mobile TV services – those offered over the cellular networks of Bell Mobility, Rogers Wireless and Telus Mobility – under its proposed exemption order for mobile television broadcasting undertakings.  The...

Return no-contact provision in winback rules to 12 months: Primus

telecom | 06/22/2006 4:00 am EDT

One of Canada’s main competitive telephone companies is telling the CRTC that it made a mistake when it returned the no-winback period to three months from 12 months in the local forbearance ruling (Telecom Decision 2006-15).  Primus Telecommunications Canada Inc. says while it agrees with the commission’s approach...

Few big grins for Minister Bernier’s policy directive to CRTC

telecom | 06/22/2006 4:00 am EDT

Telecom service provider representatives had mixed reactions to Industry Canada’s new policy direction to the CRTC. While some carrier are cautiously optimistic, others say it will be some time before the sector can decide whether this federal government statement is good news or bad.  On June 13 at the 2006 Canadian...

Canada seeks equilibrium in broadband rollouts

telecom | 06/22/2006 4:00 am EDT

The telecom industry continues to struggle to find the right balance between private and public interests to bring broadband to remote communities, according to a panel session at the 2006 Canadian Telecom Summit held June 12 to 14 in Toronto.  But this isn’t news as a variety of approaches to making broadband available on a national basis have...

‘Facilities-based competition has failed’: Blouin

telecom | 06/22/2006 4:00 am EDT

If Canada’s telecom regulators really want to foster industry-wide competition, they have to drop this notion that facilities-based competition is the only way forward, according to the CEO of MTS Allstream Inc. "Facilities-based competition has failed," Pierre Blouin declared in a keynote speech at the 2006 Canadian Telecom Summit on June...

Linux presents cost savings to cash-strapped carriers

telecom | 06/22/2006 4:00 am EDT

Telecom service providers looking to wring costs out of their business cycles should consider using the Linux operating system as one of the building blocks in their communication servers, according to an open-source software advocate.  Speaking at the 2006 Wireless & Mobile Expo and Conference in Toronto on June 8, Ibrahim Haddad, initiative...

Bell and Telus oppose abridged time frame proposed by Barrett on deferral accounts

telecom | 06/22/2006 4:00 am EDT

Bell Canada and Telus Corp. have taken Barrett Xplore Inc. (BXI) to task over its request that the CRTC impose a shorter time frame for comments and replies relating to its application to stay portions of its deferral account decision (Telecom Decision 2006-9). Barrett has asked the commission to implement an abridged time...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 06/22/2006 4:00 am EDT

Rogers responds to Comwave application on LNPRogers Communications Inc. has noted in its response to a Comwave Telecom Inc. application that it is not contravening CRTC rules with respect to porting numbers to the VoIP provider (NL, May 11/06). In a June 5 filing, the communications giant says that "the problems experienced by Comwave directly result either from their misrepresentation of their service requirements, whether intentional or not, at the outset of their dealings with Rogers or from their misunderstanding of the capabilities of the services provided by Rogers, or both." Rogers believed the provision of services to Comwave were for the purpose of providing 10-digit dialing long distance services, but realized this was not the case when Comwave requested additional services.  The communications giant noted in its submission that Comwave was intending to provide VoIP service and the networking and provisioning differences between a long-distance and VoIP services are significant. As well, a VoIP service requires...

NL People

telecom | 06/22/2006 4:00 am EDT

Johnston & Buchan LLP has announced that Jay Kerr-Wilson has become a partner of the firm. Kerr-Wilson was formerly VP of legal affairs at the now-defunct Canadian Cable Telecommunications Association (CCTA) where he was primarily responsible for acting on behalf of the Canadian cable industry in copyright, internet and broadcasting matters. Kerr-Wilson will practice primarily in the areas of communications and public...

SaskTel points to elements of competition present in the province

telecom | 06/22/2006 4:00 am EDT

SaskTel took exception with comments from Access Communications to the proceeding reconsidering the VoIP decision. The following is an edited excerpt from those comments.  The commission noted in Decision 2005-28 that the ILECs are the dominant providers of local exchange services in Canada , based on market share; but...

NL Editorial

telecom | 06/22/2006 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  At a time when the telecommunications giants in the country are calling for less regulation of the sector, one of the industry’s main competitive providers is bucking the trend.  Primus Telecommunications Canada has told the CRTC that it was wrong to decrease the no-winback period from...

Localized and user-created content sparking buzz in wireless space

telecom | 06/15/2006 4:00 am EDT

Wireless service providers in Canada and around the world are increasingly turning to user-created content to spur adoption of wireless data services. This was the message from Simi Grosman, senior VP of business development at Oöober, an online marketplace for mobile content.  He said that while licensed content from...

RIM connects with carriers, grows BlackBerry service

telecom | 06/15/2006 4:00 am EDT

Delivering secure reliable service, connecting with carriers in more countries and making it easier for consumers to use BlackBerry were all identified as key areas going forward by Research in Motion Ltd. (RIM) CFO Dennis Kavelman during his presentation at the Lehman Brothers Inc.’s Worldwide Wireless and Wireline Conference in New York last month.  "The device is the most visible piece of the solution, it’s what you hold in your hand," said Kavelman. "As far as were concerned it’s just your access point to the service and the solution."  RIM is mindful that some competitors refer to the BlackBerry service as proprietary, but the company is striving to be more "open" through its BlackBerry Connect service, which allows devices from other...

Wireless operators testing mobile advertising, no clear model yet

telecom | 06/15/2006 4:00 am EDT

Mobile advertising, with its ability to reach consumers anytime and anywhere, is quickly becoming a critical marketing tool, attendees to the American Marketing Association’s (AMA) May 24 meeting in Toronto heard.  This new means of connecting companies with consumers also generated substantial buzz at the Canadian...

Municipal Wi-Fi in Canada easier than it is in the United States

telecom | 06/15/2006 4:00 am EDT

Philadelphia may well be the city of brotherly love, but a few years ago two factions were at each other’s throats over a technology project that would forever change the municipality’s fortunes in such matters.  In 2004, the city wanted to build a massive Wi-Fi network. Local telecom service provider Verizon...

Wireless data services fail to offset voice declines: analysts

telecom | 06/15/2006 4:00 am EDT

Wireless data services might not be the big revenue boon that carriers expect, according to Informa Telecoms & Media, a research firm based in the United Kingdom.  On behalf of Vocel, a San Diego-based software maker, Informa studied average revenue per user (ARPU) trends of many wireless operators, paying...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 06/15/2006 4:00 am EDT

Tira extends support to Brew-based applicationsTira Wireless has announced that it has enhanced its Tira Jump Product Suite to support mobile content and applications based on Qualcomm Inc.’s Brew platform.  This latest version of Tira’s mobile content deployment technology allows content developers and publishers to efficiently adapt and manage Brew applications for wireless operators. "Tira Wireless is...

ROW People

telecom | 06/15/2006 4:00 am EDT

Nokia has appointed Paul Chapple general manager for Nokia Products Ltd., Canada. Chapple has held various positions at Nokia since joining the company in 1999, including business development director for the T-Mobile account team, director of product marketing for Symbian/Series 60, and manager of US business development and product marketing for Nokia Wireless Software Solutions.  In his new position he will be...

Stoddart pegs RFID as potential hazard to personal information privacy

telecom | 06/15/2006 4:00 am EDT

In her annual report to Parliament, Canada’s Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart takes aim at RFID tags as representing a possible mechanism for collecting personal information without consumer’s knowledge. Below is an excerpt from the section on RFID.  The full report from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 06/15/2006 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Non-voice revenue is growing in significance to wireless operators as they struggle to find new revenue streams to replace declining voice revenue. Even though this may be more pronounced in other parts of the world, Canada’s carriers are trying to get more revenue from mobile data as well.  But...

Public Safety ministry tight lipped about possible re-introduction of C-74

telecom | 06/08/2006 4:00 am EDT

A spokesperson for Stockwell Day, the minister responsible for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (PSEPC), says the government has yet to make a decision about re-introducing Bill C-74 – legislation that would modernize the country’s wiretapping laws. However, sources have told Network Letter that the...

Barrett Xplore focuses deferral account redress efforts on commission

telecom | 06/08/2006 4:00 am EDT

Satellite and fixed wireless Internet provider Barrett Xplore Inc. is turning up the heat on the CRTC to address what it considers to be a fundamental misunderstanding of the rural broadband market. The Woodstock NB-based provider filed an application with the commission asking it to reconsider its ruling on deferral accounts (Telecom Decision 2006-9) only a couple of weeks after submitting a similar petition with the Governor-in-Council (NL, May 25/06).  The company says the CRTC’s decision to allow only incumbent telephone companies to use their deferral account money undermines the developing competitive marketplace in rural Canada by giving ILECs subsidies they don’t require. It...

Convergence creating challenges for communications providers

telecom | 06/08/2006 4:00 am EDT

The convergence of communications on a single IP-based network presents a number of challenges for service providers, a conference in Montreal heard last month.  Speaking at the IP Telecom EXPO, Paul Desrocher, a project manager with CGI Inc., explained that providers are not only trying to come to grips with the...

Free out calls from Skype could affect VoIP providers: analyst

telecom | 06/08/2006 4:00 am EDT

Last month Internet communications company Skype Ltd. announced that all SkypeOut calls within Canada and the United States will be free for the remainder of the year. However, free long-distance calling is apparently no longer enough to strike fear in the hearts of telecommunications industry competitors.  "To me...

NL Short Takes

telecom | 06/08/2006 4:00 am EDT

CRTC releases cost of telecom regulationThe CRTC has announced that it will collect more than $26 million in fees to regulate the telecommunications industry in Canada for the fiscal year 2006-2007. Estimated regulatory costs are expected be $25.435 million, but an adjustment of $1.196 million for last fiscal year brings the total telecom regulatory costs to $26.631 million.  Rogers Telecom gets good and bad news...

NL People

telecom | 06/08/2006 4:00 am EDT

Michael Hennessy has joined Telus Corp. as VP of broadband and video. Most recently, he served as the president and CEO of the now-defunct Canadian Cable Telecommunications Association. Hennessy is a long-time veteran of telecommunications policy and regulation having also served at Bell Mobility in the past. Peer 1 Network Enterprises Inc. has appointed Bill White to the newly created position of chief information...

VoIP ruling follows spirit of Telecom Policy Review: PIAC

telecom | 06/08/2006 4:00 am EDT

The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) is telling the CRTC that the VoIP ruling (Telecom Decision 2005-28) of May 12, 2005 is just another step toward the goal of letting market forces dictate the competitive environment as was suggested by the Telecommunications Policy Review Panel. In PIAC’s June 5 response to Cabinet Order PC 2006-305, the group urges the commission to "consider the possibility that the key elements of Decision 2005-28 accord with this viewpoint."  In Forbearance from the regulation of retail local exchange services, Telecom Decision CRTC 2006-15 (Decision 2006-15), the Commission found as a fact that VoIP services were in the same relevant market, for the purposes of forbearance, as primary exchange service:49.  The effect of the above is that...

NL Editorial

telecom | 06/08/2006 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  Barrett Xplore has decided to take its case against the currently prescribed use of ILEC deferral account money to the CRTC, only weeks after asking the federal Cabinet to stay portions of the ruling. In this space two weeks ago, Network Letter suggested that since there have already been...

Right mix of technology, experience a plus for Barrett Xplore

telecom | 06/01/2006 4:00 am EDT

Rural Internet access provider Barrett Xplore Inc. possesses what it believes to be the right blend of technology to be a major player. In a recent interview with Report on Wireless, company founder and chair of the board Ed Barrett talks about how Barrett can succeed without additional subsidies.  "We would...

Mobile interactivity increasingly takes centre stage in revenue generation

telecom | 06/01/2006 4:00 am EDT

Increased household wireless penetration presents a number of opportunities for the country’s wireless carriers, a conference in Toronto last week was told. Now that nearly two-thirds (64%) of Canadian households have at least one cell phone, the potential for adopting new revenue generating services is increasing (RoW,...

Good news/bad news for wireless industry growth

telecom | 06/01/2006 4:00 am EDT

Despite its dubious distinction as the developed world’s wireless laggard, Canada’s mobile industry could really take off in the next few years, according to financial investment experts. But many challenges could also confound this potential upward mobility.  Financial and industry analysts aired their concerns and hopes for the sector at a...

Former Microcell exec lambastes Canadian wireless industry

telecom | 06/01/2006 4:00 am EDT

The Telecommunications Policy Review Panel’s (TPRP) recommendations about spectrum management aim to help Canada’s wireless industry move up from its current back-of-the-pack status among the world’s mobile sectors, according to André Tremblay, a TPRP panel member.  The former CEO of Microcell...

ROW Short Takes

telecom | 06/01/2006 4:00 am EDT

Motorola launches world’s thinnest QWERTY handheldMotorola Inc. has launched the Motorola Q smartphone, the thinnest QWERTY handheld in the world.  The phone was made available in the US on May 31 through Verizon Wireless and will be offered by a Canadian CDMA carrier in the coming weeks. The handset, which is designed for one-handed use, leverages the design of the RAZR, creating a smartphone that is only 1.15cm...

ROW People

telecom | 06/01/2006 4:00 am EDT

James Skippen has been named president and CEO of Wi-LAN Inc., effective June 20. Skippen joins Wi-LAN from MOSAID Technologies, where he was senior VP patent licensing and general counsel, and was responsible for MOSAID’s patent licensing program.  He is also a former chairman of the Toronto Computer Lawyers Group and a former vice-chairman of the Canadian Diabetes Association. He is currently a board member of...

Superior loses fight against TBayTel over digital roaming

telecom | 06/01/2006 4:00 am EDT

The CRTC has settled a digital roaming dispute between Superior Wireless and Thunder Bay Telephone (TBayTel) with TBayTel coming out on top. The commission ruled that Superior’s customers were not subjected to unjust discrimination when TBayTel cut off digital roaming.  The following is an edited excerpt of Telecom...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 06/01/2006 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Investment analysts expressed concern at a recent Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association conference that data services could actually hurt wireless operators in the future.  They suggested that using VoIP over hotspots could take a bite out of per-minute billing of voice charges levied against customers. While this could be true, Canada’s big three national wireless carriers have already positioned themselves to take more than their fair share of revenue from hotspot usage.  Combined the three carriers will own a vast network of hotspots across the country. As of May 29, the big three counted nearly 1,100 hotspots. In addition, the hotspots are connected, meaning a Telus Mobility customer can get Wi-Fi access in a Rogers Wireless hotspot.  They also stand to reap healthy revenue from Wi-Fi services provided to customers, whether that be from simple Internet access and checking email or VoIP...

Wi-LAN: Licensing process should not hinder WiMax growth

telecom | 06/01/2006 4:00 am EDT

When Qualcomm Inc. signed a licensing agreement with Soma Networks Inc. in April, some analysts took it as an indication that the company would be aggressively enforcing its WiMAX patents much the same way it did with its CDMA patents.  According to one industry peer, being too vigorous in enforcing patents can hurt an...

NL Editorial

telecom | 05/25/2006 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.  The CRTC’s deferral account decision – which mandates the incumbent phone companies to extend broadband into unserved areas – is again under criticism.  This time, though, it is from a competitive ISP that says its business will be severely damaged if the decision is allowed to...

Lawful access bill to be re-introduced into Parliament

telecom | 05/25/2006 4:00 am EDT

Getting tough on crime is one of the new Conservative Party of Canada’s key priorities for this session of Parliament.With this in mind, the government has decided to get the ball rolling again on lawful access. Bill C-74 was introduced last fall, but died on the order table when Parliament was prorogued in November...

Barrett appeals to Cabinet CRTC ruling on deferral accounts

telecom | 05/25/2006 4:00 am EDT

Barrett Xplore Inc. (BXI) wants the federal Cabinet to stay parts of the CRTC’s controversial decision to allow incumbent telephone companies to use deferral account money to roll out high-speed networks. The Woodstock NB-based company says the commission’s determination to allow ILECs to use the funds to extend...

Carriers should be careful with new applications expectations

telecom | 05/25/2006 4:00 am EDT

Carriers should avoid hanging their hopes for future prosperity on the impressive communications applications that IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) technology is supposed to bring (see box), says one skeptical industry observer.  Keith Nissen, principal analyst at Scottsdale AZ-based In-Stat, says this type of thinking will only lead to disappointment. Regardless of the application’s functionality, "Getting people to part with their money is not so easy," he says. Nissen says his outlook stems from history, pointing to Federal Communications Commission’s data regarding total household spending. He notes that consumer spending on communications services is about 3% of total household spending and that figure has changed in the recent past. In pure dollar terms, he adds...

Nortel’s CEO still confident in his plan to rebuild the company

telecom | 05/25/2006 4:00 am EDT

At two conferences over two days, Nortel Networks Corp.’s president and CEO Mike Zafirovski reiterated his vision for rebuilding the once-great telecommunications equipment maker by being relevant in both the carrier and enterprise space and staying the course he outlined earlier this year (NL, April 12/06)....

SMB strength, product portfolio and brand key aspects of Mitel’s IPO

telecom | 05/25/2006 4:00 am EDT

Mitel Networks Inc. used its initial public offering (IPO) prospectus to point out that it has a good chance of succeeding as one of the prime contenders in the business IP communications marketplace. Filed on May 9, the IPO document highlights why Mitel’s management believes it will be a key player going forward....

NL Short Takes

telecom | 05/25/2006 4:00 am EDT

Nortel networking technology being deployed in AustraliaSilk Telecom, a telecommunications provider formed from the telecom interests of three Australian electricity distribution companies, is building an advanced optical network in Australia using high-capacity networking technology form Nortel Networks. The network will support high-speed services for Silk’s enterprise customers in regional Victoria and South...

NL People

telecom | 05/25/2006 4:00 am EDT

Les Rechan has been named COO of Cognos. Rechan most recently held the position of senior VP and global general manager, CRM strategy, at Oracle. He brings with him more than 20 years of industry experience including senior positions at Seibel Systems, and IBM. At Cognos, he will be responsible for leading the company’s worldwide sales, services and marketing operations. "Les has a superb track record and...

MTS lends support to Rogers Telecom in rate dispute with Bell

telecom | 05/25/2006 4:00 am EDT

MTS Allstream Inc. has waded into a dispute between Rogers Telecom and Bell Canada over rates charged to lease some of the incumbent’s telcos facilities. Rogers launched a complaint against Bell last month when it filed a Part VII with the CRTC. Below is an edited excerpt of MTS Allstream’s May 10 response, which...

ROW Editorial

telecom | 05/18/2006 4:00 am EDT

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports. Some might suggest that the Minister of Industry’s consultations with provinces regarding proposed changes to the Telecommunications Act are nothing more than an exercise required under law.  Others will opine that Minister Maxime Bernier is trying to get comments from his provincial...

Telecommunications appears to be high on government’s agenda

telecom | 05/18/2006 4:00 am EDT

Issues surrounding telecommunications policy and regulation, once thought to be low on the new federal government’s priority list, are climbing the agenda ladder.  Report on Wireless has learned that the governing Conservative Party of Canada has started consultations with the provinces with the eventual goal of...

Penetration of mobile wireless services hits two-thirds of households

telecom | 05/18/2006 4:00 am EDT

A record number of Canadians have access to cell phones at home, according to a report from the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) and Decima Research Inc., a fact that bodes well for the adoption of wireless data services.  Two-thirds (64%) of Canadian households report having access to wireless...

Planned events help Telus, emergency personnel prepare for unforeseen disasters

telecom | 05/18/2006 4:00 am EDT

Even though the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver aren’t scheduled to kick off for another four years, Telus Mobility is already gearing up its mission-critical communications and emergency response services. But as it prepares for a planned event like the Olympics, the network provider is also ready to deploy emergency response support for any catastrophe.  Ice storms, blackouts, hurricanes, and terrorist attacks are among the events that Telus is prepared to provide communications support for. While these incidents will come with little or no warning to first responders, planned events such as the Olympics provide somewhat of a proving ground for workers and technologies....