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TELECOM UPDATE
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published weekly by Angus TeleManagement Group
http://www.angustel.ca
Number 508: December 2, 2005
Publication of Telecom Update is made possible by generous
financial support from:
** AVAYA: www.avaya.ca/
** BELL CANADA: www.bell.ca
** CISCO SYSTEMS CANADA: www.cisco.com/ca/
** ERICSSON: www.ericsson.ca
** MICROSOFT CANADA: www.microsoft.com/canada/telecom/
** MITEL NETWORKS: www.mitel.com/
** NEC UNIFIED SOLUTIONS: www.necunifiedsolutions.com
** ROGERS TELECOM: www.rogers.com/solutions
** VONAGE CANADA: www.vonage.ca
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IN THIS ISSUE:
** BCE Gives Up Control of Globemedia
** MTS Allstream to Lay Off 750
** Numbers Going Fast in 519
** Do-Not-Call Bill Slips Under the Wire
** Two Senior Execs Leave Nortel
** Judge Throws Out RIM/NTP Settlement
** Bell Wants Fast Decision on Winback Rules
** MTS--Tariff All 900 Services
** Bell Must Provide Full LNP on DV Lite
** Yukon ISPs Want Price Cut for Internet Gateway
** SR Telecom Delisted from Nasdaq
** BCE Opposes Income Trust Request
** Indian Cable Maker to Locate in Canada
** New Orleans Plans Free Wi-Fi
** Managing Telecom in the IP World
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BCE GIVES UP CONTROL OF GLOBEMEDIA: BCE Inc. says it will be $1.3
billion richer after reducing its share of Bell Globemedia from 68.5%
to 20%. Under the proposed deal, which requires approval from the
Competition Bureau and the CRTC, the Thomson family's Woodbridge
Company will increase its holding from 31.5% to 40%, and the Ontario
Teachers' Pension Plan and Torstar Corporation will each acquire 20%.
** Bell Globemedia owns the Globe and Mail, the CTV
television network, and 15 specialty channels. BCE bought
CTV for $2.3 billion in 2000, then combined it with Globe
and Mail assets acquired from Thomson to establish
Globemedia, which was promoted as the key element in BCE's
"convergence" strategy.
MTS ALLSTREAM TO LAY OFF 750: Manitoba Telecom plans to eliminate 750
to 800 jobs, 12% of its total staff. MTS's Allstream unit will absorb
80% of the cuts, most of which will take place in the first half of
2006. The layoffs are part of the company's Transition Phase II Plan,
which aims to cut expenses by at least $100 million over the next two
years.
NUMBERS GOING FAST IN 519: The latest survey by the Canadian Numbering
Administrator predicts that all phone number prefixes in area code 519
will be in use by December 2006, eight months earlier than previously
forecast. Relief is on the way: a new area code, 226, will begin
serving the area in October 2006.
** The December 14 meeting of the 519 Relief Planning
Committee will consider whether new number conservation
measures are required.
DO-NOT-CALL BILL SLIPS UNDER THE WIRE: As we predicted last week,
bills regarding Internet wiretaps and the CRTC's power to impose fines
died on the order paper when Parliament was dissolved. But we were
wrong about the telemarketing Do-Not-Call bill, C-37--it has received
royal assent, and now only requires proclamation by Cabinet to become
law.
** We expect the CRTC to issue a Public Notice regarding
implementation of the Do-Not-Call List early in 2006.
TWO SENIOR EXECS LEAVE NORTEL: Nortel Networks Chief Research Officer
Brian McFadden, and Sue Spradley, President of Global Services and
Operations, have resigned after 28 and 18 years with the company,
respectively.
JUDGE THROWS OUT RIM/NTP SETTLEMENT: A U.S. judge has ruled that the
March 2005 deal settling the patent dispute between Research In Motion
and NTP Corp. is unenforceable. Judge James Spencer also denied RIM's
request to stay proceedings while the U.S. Patent Office completes a
review of NTP's claims.
** RIM won another favourable preliminary patent office
ruling this week, but Judge Spencer says it may be years
before the patent office takes action.
** NTP is now expected to ask for an injunction to halt RIM
sales in the U.S. (See Telecom Update #506)
BELL WANTS FAST DECISION ON WINBACK RULES: Bell Canada has asked the
CRTC to stay the "winback rules" in Bell's territory immediately,
pending the Commission's decision on whether the rules violate the
Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Bell also wants the Commission to
issue its final decision by January 11.
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/PartVII/eng/2005/8680/b2_200513707.htm
MTS -- TARIFF ALL 900 SERVICES: MTS Allstream has asked the CRTC to
require all carriers who provide 900 services to do so under an
approved tariff, to ensure that consumer safeguards are enforced.
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/PartVII/eng/2005/8622/m59_200513962.htm
BELL MUST PROVIDE FULL LNP ON DV LITE: The CRTC has given Bell Canada
six months to implement full number portability for customers
switching to Digital Voice Lite, for both primary and secondary
numbers, and for out-of-territory as well as in-territory numbers. In
the meantime, Bell must amend its Digital Voice Lite tariff to make
clear that only in-territory primary numbers can be ported.
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Orders/2005/o2005-397.htm
YUKON ISPs WANT PRICE CUT FOR INTERNET GATEWAY: Two Yukon ISPs have
asked the CRTC to order Northwestel to provide its wholesale Internet
Gateway service under an approved tariff, and to immediately reduce
the price by 25%. The ISPs say Northwestel, which currently provides
this service to ISPs without a tariff, is charging unreasonably high
rates to connect to the Internet backbone.
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/PartVII/eng/2005/8622/y3_200514225.htm
SR TELECOM DELISTED FROM NASDAQ: Montreal-based fixed wireless
supplier SR Telecom has been delisted from Nasdaq for failing to
maintain an adequate share price and shareholders' equity. SR's shares
have lost 90% of their value in the past year. (See Telecom Update
#490)
BCE OPPOSES INCOME TRUST REQUEST: A small BCE shareholder has asked for
the company's conversion into an income trust. BCE says the conversion
would not be in its best interests.
INDIAN CABLE MAKER TO LOCATE IN CANADA: Kavveri Telecom Products Ltd,
a telecom cable manufacturer based in Mumbai, India, said this week
that it plans to invest US$2.5 million to create a subsidiary in
Canada. No further details were announced.
NEW ORLEANS PLANS FREE WI-FI: New Orleans says it will provide free
wireless Internet access covering the entire city within a year. The
Wi-Fi network, part of an effort to attract businesses and residents
back to the devastated city, is already operational in the central
business district, the French Quarter, and the warehouse district.
MANAGING TELECOM IN THE IP WORLD: Henry Dortmans, President of Angus
Dortmans Associates, will examine the challenges posed to IT leaders
by current changes within the telecom industry at a half-day seminar
sponsored by Avaya in Toronto December 8. For information or to
register, call Josie Paoletta, 905-474-6969 or jpaoletta@avaya.com.
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Angus TeleManagement Group (jriddell@angustel.ca)