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TELECOM UPDATE
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published weekly by Angus TeleManagement Group
http://www.angustel.ca
Number 495: September 2, 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/
** ROGERS TELECOM: www.rogers.com/solutions
** UTC CANADA: www.canada.utc.org/
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IN THIS ISSUE:
** Katrina Cuts Phone Service to Thousands
** CRTC Stats Show Incumbents Still Dominate Local Service
** Bell Creates Separate Mobility Group
** Details Released on Policy Review Hearings
** Telesat Anik F1R to Launch Tuesday
** Guelph, Waterloo Utelcos Merge
** Study Finds No Cellphone Cancer Link
** CRTC Acts on Vancouver Access Issues
** Cogeco Offers Phone Service to Non-Customers
** BCE Invests in Broadband Over Home Electrical Wire
** Nortel Adds Microsoft Call Control to CS 1000
** 3com Intros Telecommuting Module
** Intel, Microsoft Back RIM in Patent Case
** Harris to Buy Leitch Technology
** Rogers Telecom Seeks to Cut Debt
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KATRINA CUTS PHONE SERVICE TO THOUSANDS: No exact figures are yet
available, but it appears that hundreds of thousands of homes and
businesses on the U.S. Gulf Coast lost phone service as a result of
Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent flooding. In addition to
near-total loss of local and cellular service in New Orleans, several
major switching hubs were damaged, cutting long distance service as
far away as Florida.
CRTC STATS SHOW INCUMBENTS STILL DOMINATE LOCAL SERVICE: To assist
participants in the local forbearance proceeding (See Telecom Update
#479, 486) the CRTC has released some of the local market data that
will appear in its October report on the status of competition in
telecom. Some highlights (all figures are for the end of 2004):
** Nationally, incumbent telcos provide 96.8% of residential
lines and 88.4% of business lines.
** Two-thirds of the competitive business lines are provided
by incumbents operating outside their home territory--e.g.
Bell Canada operating in B.C. and Alberta.
** Competition is strongest in Nova Scotia, where competitors
provide 15% of all local lines. (The major competitor in
Nova Scotia is cableco EastLink.)
www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Notices/2005/pt2005-11.htm
BELL CREATES SEPARATE MOBILITY GROUP: Bell Mobility, which has been
part of Bell's Consumer Markets Group, is now a separate organization
headed by Robert Odendaal, who reports directly to CEO Michael
Sabia. Other changes announced today include:
** Kevin Crull, who joined Bell this year after four years at
AT&T, is now President, Residential Services, a new
organization that incorporates consumer wireline, high-
speed Internet and video services.
** Pierre Blouin, a 20-year veteran who has been Consumer
Markets Group President since May 2003, has decided "to
leave Bell Canada to pursue other career opportunities."
** Alek Krstajic, former president of Bell Mobility, will
work in the Office of the CEO until "a new senior
executive assignment" is announced.
DETAILS RELEASED ON POLICY REVIEW HEARINGS: The Telecom Policy Review
panel (see Telecom Update #490) will hold two public consultations
this fall, to supplement two rounds of written submissions.
** A forum on broadband access will be held in Whitehorse
on September 9, followed by an online discussion until
September 16. To participate in the live webcast and/or
the online discussion, register at the panel's website.
www.telecomreview.ca/epic/internet/intprp-gecrt.nsf/en/rx00040e.html
** A three-day symposium on a wider range of topics will be
held in Ottawa on October 24-26. Those wishing to attend
may request an invitation, but spaces are limited. A live
webcast will also be provided.
www.telecomreview.ca/epic/internet/intprp-gecrt.nsf/en/rx00041e.html
TELESAT ANIK F1R TO LAUNCH TUESDAY: On September 8, Telesat Canada's
first European-built satellite, the Anik F1R, will be launched in
Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The new satellite will provide telecom, TV, and
global positioning services.
GUELPH, WATERLOO UTELCOS MERGE: FibreTech telecommunications, owned by
three Waterloo region hydro companies and Guelph FibreWired, owned by
Guelph Hydro have merged. The combined company, Atria Networks, owns
over 1,000 kilometers of fibre.
STUDY FINDS NO CELLPHONE CANCER LINK: The largest study to date
concludes that ten years of cellphone use produces no increased risk
of tumors in nerves near the ear. The U.K. Institute of Cancer
Research found no relationship between the risk of acoustic neuroma
and years of mobile phone use, time since first use, the number of
calls, or hours of use.
CRTC ACTS ON VANCOUVER ACCESS ISSUES: The CRTC has issued letters
regarding two municipal access disputes in the City of Vancouver:
** MTS Allstream is given permission to construct a
transmission line at Station Street, subject to some
conditions. The Commission says it will rule soon on the
carrier's January 2005 application for a long-term, city-
wide access agreement (see Telecom Update #466).
www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2005/dt2005-26.htm
** The Commission provides guidelines to Shaw and Vancouver
for negotiating an access agreement, recommending a 15-
year term and the Ledcor principles. If the parties don't
agree by November 1, the Commission is prepared to impose
access rules.
www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Letters/2005/lt050901.htm
COGECO OFFERS PHONE SERVICE TO NON-CUSTOMERS: Cogeco Cable has
extended its Digital Phone service to Windsor, Ontario and
Saint-Hyacynthe, Quebec. In addition, phone service in Burlington,
Oakville, and Windsor will now be available to all residents in served
areas, rather than only to Cogeco's Internet customers.
BCE INVESTS IN BROADBAND OVER HOME ELECTRICAL WIRE: The Toronto Star
says that BCE Capital has invested US$5 million in Florida-based
Intellon Corp, whose technology uses a home's electrical wiring to
deliver a broadband network.
NORTEL ADDS MICROSOFT CALL CONTROL TO CS: Nortel Networks says it has
integrated Microsoft's Office Communicator and Office Live
Communication Server into Nortel's Communications Server 1000. The
resulting "converged office solution" will be in beta trials this
month, and generally available later in 2005.
** Nortel has also announced new releases of CS 1000,
CallPilot, and MCS 5100, as well as four new phones.
3COM INTROS TELECOMMUTING MODULE: 3Com has introduced a SIP-compliant
IP Telecommuting module that enables IP conferencing, messaging, and
contact centre applications to be used outside corporate LANs. The
module uses technology from Sweden-based Ingate Systems.
INTEL, MICROSOFT BACK RIM IN PATENT CASE: Intel and Microsoft have
made submissions to a Washington DC appeals court, supporting Research
In Motion's appeal of patent infringement rulings.
** The Canadian government also backs RIM, arguing that the
U.S. court has no jurisdiction, because RIM's actions took
place in Canada, at RIM's network control. (See Telecom
Update #487)
HARRIS TO BUY LEITCH TECHNOLOGY: Florida-based Harris Corp. has
acquired Leitch Technology Corp. of Toronto for $450 million. Both
companies make digital network broadcasting systems.
ROGERS TELECOM SEEKS TO CUT DEBT: Rogers Telecom (formerly Call-Net
Enterprises) has issued a cash tender to buy back outstanding notes
worth US$222.9 million, in order to eliminate associated interest
expenses.
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The information and data included has been obtained from sources which
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Angus TeleManagement Group (jriddell@angustel.ca)