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TELECOM UPDATE
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published weekly by Angus TeleManagement Group
http://www.angustel.ca
Number 487: June 24, 2005
Publication of Telecom Update is made possible by generous
financial support from:
** ALLSTREAM: www.allstream.com
** AVAYA: www.avaya.ca/en/
** BELL CANADA: www.bell.ca
** CISCO SYSTEMS CANADA: www.cisco.com/ca/
** ERICSSON: www.ericsson.ca
** MITEL NETWORKS: www.mitel.com/
** SPRINT CANADA: www.sprint.ca
** UTC CANADA: www.canada.utc.org/
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IN THIS ISSUE:
** Telecom Update Takes a Holiday
** Aliant Launches IP TV
** EastLink Boosts Internet Speed
** Bell to End $5 Long Distance
** Bell and Telus to Offer VoIP 9-1-1 Routing
** Mixed Response to Price Cap Extension
** Bell Plans Business IP Voice
** Outages Hit Blackberry Users
** Good News for RIM from U.S. Patent Office
** CRTC Wants Input on "Reverse 9-1-1"
** ITU Aims to "Connect the World" by 2015
** Telus Union Announces "Super Service"
** Cogeco Renews Union Contracts
** CRTC Streamlines International Licensing
** Local Forbearance Comments Submitted
** BT Forced to Spin Off Access Services Unit
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TELECOM UPDATE TAKES A HOLIDAY: Telecom Update is taking a week
off. The next issue will be published Friday, July 8.
ALIANT LAUNCHES IP TV: Aliant has launched an IP-based digital
television service delivering 150 TV and 70 music channels. Aliant TV,
initially available to Aliant High-Speed Internet customers in
"select areas of Clayton Park West, Wedgewood and Rockingham in
Halifax," will eventually expand to "other select areas of Halifax"
and some other cities in Atlantic Canada. Introductory pricing begin
at $29.95/month.
EASTLINK BOOSTS INTERNET SPEED: EastLink has introduced 10 Mbps
Internet access across all its serving areas in the Maritimes.
Ethernet Bundled service customers will receive the upgrade for free;
the service can be rented on a standalone basis for $54.95/month.
BELL TO END $5 LONG DISTANCE: Speaking to an analyst briefing this
week, Kevin Crull, President of Bell Canada's Consumer Solutions
organization, said the telco will eliminate its $5 long distance
offering soon. The year-old plan provides 1,000 minutes a month of
Canada/U.S. calling to customers who subscribe to two of Bell's
wireless, high-speed Internet, or TV services. (See Telecom Update
#438)
BELL AND TELUS TO OFFER VoIP 9-1-1 ROUTING: Bell Canada and Telus have
filed tariffs allowing them to route VoIP 9-1-1 calls to the correct
emergency centres on behalf of other VoIP providers and alternate
operator service providers. They have asked for effective dates in
early July (see Telecom Update #476).
www.crtc.gc.ca/8740/eng/2005/b2/tn6879.zip
www.crtc.gc.ca/8740/eng/2005/T42.htm#200506983
MIXED RESPONSE TO PRICE CAP EXTENSION: Comments from incumbents and
other parties show that some support the CRTC's proposal to extend the
current price cap regime for two years to 2008, some argue for just a
one-year extension, while others say the regime needs modifying, in
particular by scrapping the deferral account mechanism. (See Telecom
Update #481)
www.crtc.gc.ca/PartVII/eng/2005/8678/c12_200505729.htm#2b
www.crtc.gc.ca/PartVII/eng/2005/8678/c12_200505729.htm#4b
BELL PLANS BUSINESS IP VOICE: There's been no official announcement,
but Bell Canada's website says that "Bell Business IP Voice" will be
available this summer. The service, which has not yet received tariff
approval, appears to be an access-independent VoIP service aimed at
small and medium-sized business customers.
www.bell.ca/shop/en_CA_ON/Sme.Sol.Telephony.VOIP.page
OUTAGES HIT BLACKBERRY USERS: BlackBerry users across Canada and the
U.S. reported widespread service outages on June 17 and June 22,
ranging from a few minutes to several hours. We have seen no official
statement from Research In Motion about the failures.
GOOD NEWS FOR RIM FROM U.S. PATENT OFFICE: The U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office has struck down two more of the NTP Inc. patents at
issue in its suit against Research In Motion. Seven of the eight
contested NTP patents have now been overruled. NTP says these rulings
are preliminary, subject to appeal, and "won't have any bearing" on
the case.
CRTC WANTS INPUT ON "REVERSE 9-1-1": The CRTC has asked for more input
on whether to allow municipalities to access 9-1-1 databases to call
residents in case of emergencies, "and if so, under what circumstances
and with what safeguards." To participate, notify the Commission by
July 8. (See Telecom Update #439)
www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Notices/2005/pt2005-7.htm
ITU AIMS TO "CONNECT THE WORLD" BY 2015: The International
Telecommunication Union has launched Connect the World, a
multi-stakeholder effort to bring telecom access to the 800,000
villages, inhabited by one billion people, that still lack a
telephone. The ITU aims to connect all communities by 2015.
TELUS UNION ANNOUNCES "SUPER SERVICE": The Telecommunications Workers
Union has begun a work-to-rule campaign aimed at convincing Telus to
"engage in serious bargaining." Union members are urged to provide
"super service to customers," obey all safety regulations, and catch
up on assigned training courses.
** The TWU says Telus's supplementary offer last week was
"another attack on female employees," and is preparing a
counteroffer. (See Telecom Update #486)
COGECO RENEWS UNION CONTRACTS: Cogeco employees in Quebec, affiliated
to the Canadian Union of Public Employees, have voted to extend their
contracts with the cablecos to 2008. The contracts include 2% annual
pay increases.
CRTC STREAMLINES INTERNATIONAL LICENSING: The CRTC has reduced the
amount of reporting required by new or already licensed international
long distance carriers. New licences will be for 10-year periods, and
existing licences are extended by four years from the current expiry
dates.
www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Circulars/2005/ct2005-8.htm
LOCAL FORBEARANCE COMMENTS SUBMITTED: The CRTC has received
first-round comments from participants in the proceeding on whether
and how the incumbent telcos' local telephone service should be
deregulated (see Telecom Update #479). Predictably, the incumbents'
proposals would lead to earlier and more complete forbearance, while
competitors want a more cautious approach.
www.crtc.gc.ca/PartVII/eng/2005/8640/c12_200505076.htm#2b
www.crtc.gc.ca/PartVII/eng/2005/8640/c12_200505076.htm#4b
BT FORCED TO SPIN OFF ACCESS SERVICES UNIT: BT Group has agreed to
implement the British regulator's order to convert its wholesale
division into an operationally separate unit, with separate physical
locations, separate bonus schemes, and separate branding. The Access
Services group will rent local loops to BT and competitors.
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