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TELECOM UPDATE
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published weekly by Angus TeleManagement Group
http://www.angustel.ca
Number 511: January 6, 2006
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:
** We're Back
** Wireless Number Portability Schedule Shortened
** Bell Cuts One-Third of Enterprise Team
** Videotron Leads IP Phone Race
** RIM Wins Another Patent Ruling
** Bell Told to Reduce "Naked DSL" Rates
** Bell Canada Plans Business-Line Rate Hikes
** Nortel Chooses Toronto HQ
** Telus Charged Over Cellphone Records
** BC Firm to Make Phones for Skype
** CRTC Holds Off on VoIP 9-1-1 Service Ruling
** Nortel Buys Router Maker
** Amtelecom Boosts Offer for People's
** NW Ontario Cellcos in Roaming Dispute
** U.S. Cellcos Miss E9-1-1 Deadline
** Exfo Buys Testing Firms
** Cygnal Names New CFO
** CIRA Meeting to Revise Bylaws
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WE'RE BACK! We've had a two-week break, we're relaxed and invigorated,
and we're pleased to resume our weekly reports on changes in the
ever-changing telecom industry. The rate of change shows no signs of
slowing in 2006!
WIRELESS NUMBER PORTABILITY SCHEDULE SHORTENED: In Telecom Decision
2005-72, the CRTC orders Bell, Rogers, and Telus to implement full
wireless number portability by March 14, 2007, in all areas of BC,
Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec where wireline Local Number Portability
is currently in place. This is six months earlier than the
implementation date previously proposed by the cellcos. (See Telecom
Update #497, 500)
** In other provinces where wireline LNP is already
available, as well as in Regina and Saskatoon, these
carriers must implement "porting-out" of wireless numbers
by March 14, and "porting-in" by September 12, 2007. The
same deadlines apply to other wireless carriers, including
resellers, wherever wireline LNP is available.
** Wireless-to-wireless ports must be completed in 2.5 hours;
wireless-to-wireline and wireline-to-wireless ports can
take two business days.
** Wireless carriers (but not resellers) will have direct
access to Canada's LNP systems without having to meet CLEC
obligations.
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2005/dt2005-72.htm
BELL CUTS ONE-THIRD OF ENTERPRISE TEAM: Bell Canada laid off about
one-third of the employees in its Enterprise Marketing organization in
December. The company eliminated 65 full-time positions and 10
contract jobs, mostly lower level-managers who worked on video
broadcast, international, and program management and on custom deals
for large customers.
** These layoffs are in addition to September's cuts, which
eliminated 5% of Enterprise Marketing positions, including
three directors.
** According to CRTC figures, large and very large businesses
make up 1.8% of incumbent telco business accounts, but
generate 68% of their business revenues.
VIDEOTRON LEADS IP PHONE RACE: Videotron says it now has nearly 163,000
cable phone customers. The cableco's total year-end customer base of 1.51
million is 4% higher than a year ago.
** Videotron Telecom has been merged into Videotron Ltee as
part of a new division, Videotron Business Solutions. The
division includes business cable services and offers
expanded small-office services.
RIM WINS ANOTHER PATENT RULING: The U.S. patent office has issued
non-final rejections of two more patents involved in NTP's suit
against Research In Motion. The agency has assigned a special
"dispatch team" to fast-track the review of the NTP patents. (See
Telecom Update #508, 510)
** RIM reports revenue of $561 million for the three months
ended November 26, an increase of 53% on the year and 14%
on the quarter. Net income of $120 million was a third
higher than a year ago.
BELL TOLD TO REDUCE "NAKED DSL" RATES: CRTC Telecom Order 2005-415
orders Bell Canada to lower its unbundled loop rate by 50% when a "dry
loop" is leased by an ISP in conjunction with Bell's Gateway Access or
High Speed Access service. The Commission said Bell recovers the other
half of the cost through the Gateway Access and HSA charges.
** A coalition of Quebec ISPs calls this a "landmark
decision" that allows them to offer VoIP on "naked" DSL
across Quebec and Ontario. The Commission has not yet
ruled on the coalition's complaint that Bell is subjecting
them to a margin squeeze (see Telecom Update #507).
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Orders/2005/o2005-415.htm
BELL CANADA PLANS BUSINESS-LINE RATE HIKES: Bell Canada has asked the
CRTC to approve monthly rate increases of between 2.9% and 3.7% for
Business Primary Exchange service (local telephone lines) and for
Local Link service, in most of its operating territory, effective
March 1. The telco also wants to increase the minimum charge for
Centrex changes from $60 to $100 per request, effective January 23.
** Primary Exchange: http://www.crtc.gc.ca/8740/eng/2005/B2.htm#200515447
** Local Link: http://www.crtc.gc.ca/8740/eng/2005/B2.htm#200515455
** Centrex: http://www.crtc.gc.ca/8740/eng/2005/B2.htm#200515413
NORTEL CHOOSES TORONTO HQ: Nortel Networks has chosen an 11-storey,
160,000 square foot building in west Toronto as the site of its new
global headquarters.
** Nortel's Chief Marketing Officer, Clent Richardson, will
leave the company March 1 after only 18 months on the job.
TELUS CHARGED OVER CELLPHONE RECORDS: The RCMP received Telus
cellphone records related to an Edmonton serial-killer investigation
on December 23, nearly five months after requesting them. Telus will
appear in court next week to answer charges related to the delay,
which it says was due to "misunderstanding and miscommunication."
BC FIRM TO MAKE PHONES FOR SKYPE: Ascalade Communications, based in
Richmond BC, has signed a development deal to develop telephones and
other devices for Skype's VoIP service. The first product is a
DECT-based cordless phone.
** At the Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas this week,
Skype announced a Netgear-developed phone that allows
users to place Skype calls over Wi-Fi connections, and a
D-Link adapter that enables Skype calls from a customer's
traditional telephone.
CRTC HOLDS OFF ON VoIP 9-1-1 SERVICE RULING: In Telecom Decision
2005-73, the CRTC agrees to wait until after April 2006 to rule on
CISC proposals to improve VoIP 9-1-1/E9-1-1 service. CISC reported on
fixed/non-native VoIP 9-1-1 options in November, but says its
proposals for nomadic VoIP services, due in April, may provide better
options for both types.
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2005/dt2005-73.htm
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/cisc/COMMITTE/E-docs/ESRE0041.doc
NORTEL BUYS ROUTER MAKER: Nortel Networks has agreed to buy San
Jose-based Tasman Networks, which makes wide-area network routers for
small- and medium-office deployments, for US$99.5 million.
AMTELECOM BOOSTS OFFER FOR PEOPLE'S: Faced with a rival bid for
People's Communications, the independent telco in Forest, Ontario,
Amtelecom has raised its offer by 6% to about $22.6 million. The
People's board is recommending acceptance. (See Telecom Update #509)
NW ONTARIO CELLCOS IN ROAMING DISPUTE: Superior Wireless, a cellco in
northwestern Ontario, has asked the CRTC to order Thunder Bay
Telephone to reinstate roaming on its digital wireless network for
Superior Wireless customers, stating that TBT deactivated such roaming
without notice on December 12. (See Telecom Update #318)
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/PartVII/eng/2005/8622/s72_200515752.htm
U.S. CELLCOS MISS E9-1-1 DEADLINE: Under a Federal Communications
Commission order, U.S. cellular carriers were supposed to ensure that
95% of their customers were using digital GPS-equipped cellphones that
can transmit location information when calling 9-1-1. Five of the
largest cellcos have asked for an extension, saying that seven million
customers have refused to give up their old phones.
EXFO BUYS TESTING FIRMS: Exfo Electro-Optical Engineering, based in
Quebec City, has agreed to buy the assets of Toronto-based
Consultronics, which makes broadband access testing equipment. Exfo
will pay about $20 million.
CYGNAL NAMES NEW CFO: Cygnal Technologies has appointed James Shannon,
who formerly headed finance for a hardware distributor, as its Chief
Financial Officer. (See Telecom Update #500)
CIRA MEETING TO REVISE BYLAWS: The Canadian Internet Registration
Authority (CIRA), the group that manages the dot-ca Internet domain,
will meet in Toronto on February 1, to vote on bylaw amendments. The
changes, it says, will provide more diverse representation on the
Board of Directors and allow the group to broaden its operations. See
http://www.cira.ca/en/special-meeting/documents.html for details.
** All dot-ca domain owners are members of CIRA. Members who
attend the February 1 meeting in person will receive a 128
MB memory key.
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TeleManagement Group Inc. All rights reserved. For further
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e-mail jriddell@angustel.ca.
The information and data included has been obtained from sources which
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Angus TeleManagement Group (jriddell@angustel.ca)