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TELECOM UPDATE
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published weekly by Angus TeleManagement Group
http://www.angustel.ca
Number 488: July 8, 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:
** Sprint Canada Becomes Rogers Telecom
** Cable Telephony On A Roll
Rogers
Videotron
Cogeco
Shaw
** Saskatchewan Appeals VoIP Decision
** MTS-Allstream Buys Delphi Solutions
** CRTC Wants Comment On Bell Digital Voice
** Navigata Cuts Webphone Pricing
** Shift Claims 1000 Business Customers
** Rogers Drops $5 LD Plan
** Cellcos Intro Inter-Carrier Multimedia
** Telus Loses Appeal on Union Jurisdiction
** Telecom Policy Review Panel Issues Guidelines
** CRTC Corrects VoIP Winback Ruling
** Should Telco Local Fibre Be Deregulated?
** Telcos to Pilot Bad Debt Repayment Plans
** 8-1-1 Approved for Health 'Teletriage'
** Rim Sales Up, Shares Down
** Sears to Install 200 Freefones
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SPRINT CANADA BECOMES ROGERS TELECOM: After receiving shareholder and
court approvals, Rogers Communications completed its acquisition of
Call-Net Enterprises and its operating subsidiary, Sprint Canada, on
July 1. Call-Net is now Rogers Telecom Holdings Inc., and Sprint
Canada has been renamed Rogers Telecom Inc.
** Call-Net, launched in 1986, was Canada's first successful long
distance reseller. It survived intense hostility from the telcos
and repeated CRTC orders to desist until the Commission changed the
rules to allow resale in 1990. It subsequently became a facilities-
based long distance and local service provider with more than
600,000 customers across the country.
CABLE TELEPHONY ON A ROLL: Canada's cable TV companies are now firmly
committed to the residential phone market. Among the latest
developments:
** On July 1, Rogers Cable launched Rogers Home Phone service in the
Greater Toronto Area. Rates range from $25.46 to $35.66 a month for
customers who also take other Rogers services.
** Videotron says it has signed up 42,000 customers since launching
phone service in January, achieving 8% penetration on Montreal's
south shore. It will begin offering phone service in Quebec City on
July 11.
** Cogeco Cable's telephone service, introduced in June in Burlington
and Oakville, Ontario, is now available in Trois-Rivires, Trois-
Rivires Ouest and Pointe-du-lac, Quebec.
** Shaw Communications says it had 22,450 Digital Phone lines installed
or pending in Calgary and Edmonton by May 31. The company now
expects that 20% of its cable TV customers will take its phone
service within three years, rather than five years as previously
predicted.
SASKATCHEWAN APPEALS VoIP DECISION: The Government of Saskatchewan has
asked the federal Cabinet to review the CRTC's VoIP decision (Telecom
Decision 2005-28).. It says the decision disadvantages SaskTel and will
'result in long term and irrevocable harm' to the province.
www.gov.sk.ca/newsrel/releases/2005/07/06-650.html
MTS-ALLSTREAM BUYS DELPHI SOLUTIONS: MTS Allstream has acquired
Markham-based Delphi Solutions Corp. for approximately $15 million
cash. Delphi is best-known as a provider of Mitel, Nortel and Toshiba
PBXs to small and mid-sized business across Canada. Delphi's
management, including president Ed Lavin, will remain in place.
CRTC WANTS COMMENT ON BELL DIGITAL VOICE: CRTC Telecom Public Notice
2005-9 invites comments on Bell's Digital Voice tariff, which received
interim approval in June (see Telecom Update #486). To participate,
notify the Commission by July 15.
www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Notices/2005/pt2005-9.htm
NAVIGATA CUTS WEBPHONE PRICING: Navigata, a Sasktel subsidiary
operating in B.C. and Alberta, has cut the price of Webphone, its
access-independent VoIP service. Basic service is now $15.95/month;
Basic service plus 1000 minutes of North American long distance is
$29.95/month. (See Telecom Update #430)
SHIFT CLAIMS 1000 BUSINESS CUSTOMERS: Shift Networks, which provides
hosted multi-line IP telephone systems to small businesses in Calgary
and Edmonton, says it added 483 new customers in the second quarter,
bringing the total to more than 1,000. Shift customers purchase IP
phones telephones, routers, installation and training from Shift, and
must sign 36-month service agreements.
ROGERS DROPS $5 LD PLAN: Following Bell Canada's example, Rogers has
stopped offering 1,000 minutes of long distance for $5 to its bundle
customers. Existing customers have been grandfathered.
CELLCOS INTRO INTER-CARRIER MULTIMEDIA: On July 1, Canada's cellular
carriers launched inter-carrier multimedia message services, allowing
customers with MMS-capable phones to exchange text, pictures, and video
no matter which carrier each uses.
TELUS LOSES APPEAL ON UNION JURISDICTION: The Supreme Court has refused
to hear Telus' appeal against a Canada Industrial Relations Board
ruling that former Clearnet employees are now represented by the
Telecommunications Workers Union bargaining unit. (See Telecom Update
#434, #439)
TELECOM POLICY REVIEW PANEL ISSUES GUIDELINES: The Telecom Policy
Review panel has posted additional guidelines for submissions, which
are due August 15 (see Telecom Update #485).
www.telecomreview.ca/epic/internet/intprp-gecrt.nsf/en/rx00024e.html
CRTC CORRECTS VOIP WINBACK RULING: The CRTC has confirmed that the
incumbent telcos are only prohibited for three months (not twelve)
from attempting to win back business customers who have chosen a
competitor's local service.
www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2005/dt2005-28-1.htm
SHOULD TELCO LOCAL FIBRE BE DEREGULATED? In Public Notice 2005-8, the
CRTC asks whether the incumbent telcos' high-speed intra-exchange
digital services face enough competition in some markets to warrant
deregulation, as requested by Bell Canada (see Telecom Update #422). To
participate, notify the Commission by July 8.
www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Notices/2005/pt2005-8.htm
TELCOS TO PILOT BAD DEBT REPAYMENT PLANS: The CRTC has ordered Aliant,
Bell, MTS and Telus to conduct 18-month trials of a program to allow
subscribers who were disconnected for non-payment to re-subscribe and
pay their debts off over time. The CRTC points to SaskTel's existing
program as a model.
www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2005/dt2005-38.htm
8-1-1 APPROVED FOR HEALTH 'TELETRIAGE': Responding to an application by
Alberta Health and Wellness on behalf of the provincial and territorial
Deputy Ministers of Health, the CRTC has okayed the use of the 8-1-1
code to access non-urgent health care telephone triage services.
www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2005/dt2005-39.htm
RIM SALES UP, SHARES DOWN: Does anyone understand the stock market?
Research In Motion doubled its profit in the three months ended May
28, and it added 592,000 new subscribers in the last quarter,
exceeding its announced target of 560,000 to 590,000. Its stock
promptly fell 7%, because some analysts had predicted it would add
considerably more.
SEARS TO INSTALL 200 FREEFONES: Sears Canada has signed a 3-year
contract to install some 200 courtesy phones provided by Toronto-based
Freefone Inc., in 122 stores across Canada. Freefones include a
15-inch video display which shows advertising while customers make
free local calls.
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