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TELECOM UPDATE
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published weekly by Angus TeleManagement Group
http://www.angustel.ca
Number 518: February 24, 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:
** BlackBerry Ruling Deferred
** CRTC Begins Setting Do-Not-Call Framework
** Wi-Fi--A Tale of Two Universities
** CEO Says Nortel Must Sharpen Focus
** Telecom Policy Review Report Expected in March
** Another Application for the 5-1-1 Code
** Aliant Launches High-Speed Wireless
** Bond Agency Downgrades MTS Debt
** Ontario MPP Seeks Ban on Drivers' Cell Calls
** FCI "Eliminates" Long Distance
** SaskTel Widens Digital Wireless
** Association to Speak for VoIP Providers
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BLACKBERRY RULING DEFERRED: A U.S. judge today declined to issue an
immediate injunction to shut down BlackBerry service in the United
States, but said that he would issue a ruling "as soon as reasonably
possible." The injunction was sought by NTP Inc., which claims that
the Research In Motion product violates NTP-held patents.
** This week the U.S. patent office issued a "final
rejection" of two of the five disputed patents. The office
previously rejected the other three on a preliminary
basis.
CRTC BEGINS SETTING DO-NOT-CALL FRAMEWORK: CRTC Telecom Public Notice
2006-4 invites comment on various aspects of how a national Do Not
Call List regime should operate, including the rules that should apply
once the list is established. To participate, notify the Commission by
March 6. (See Telecom Update #508).
** A public consultation on the issues will take place in
Gatineau, May 2-5, 2006.
** The Commission directs the CRTC Interconnection Steering
Committee (CISC) to set up two subcommittees: one to
create a consortium that will hire a Do Not Call List
operator, and one to consider implementation and
operational issues.
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Notices/2006/pt2006-4.htm
WI-FI--A TALE OF TWO UNIVERSITIES: Two Ontario universities have
adopted very different policies towards wireless networks.
** The University of Windsor has formally launched UWin
Wireless, a network of 1,000 Wi-Fi access points that
provides Internet access everywhere on campus. About 5,000
people have logged on since Bell Canada and Aruba Networks
completed the installation.
** Lakehead University President Fred Gilbert, who has a PhD
in Zoology, announced that the university will not deploy
Wi-Fi while he is president, because "the jury is still
out on the impact that electromagnetic forces have on
human physiology."
CEO SAYS NORTEL MUST SHARPEN FOCUS: In his first public presentation
as Nortel Networks CEO, Mike Zafirovski told a Whistler,
B.C. conference that his company "must have 20 points of market share
anywhere we compete, or look for some alternatives." Nortel now
reaches that level in only five of 22 product categories, he said.
** Nortel has named George Riedel, formerly of Juniper
Networks, as its Chief Strategy Officer, with
responsibility for mergers and acquisitions.
** Veteran Nortel Board members John Cleghorn, Robert Ingram,
and Robert Brown say they will step down at Nortel's
annual meeting in May.
TELECOM POLICY REVIEW REPORT EXPECTED IN MARCH: The Secretariat for
the Telecom Policy Review says the panel's report is in its final
stages of translation and production. The panel hopes to release the
report sometime in March. (See Telecom Update #510)
ANOTHER APPLICATION FOR THE 5-1-1 CODE: The Canadian Association for
Suicide Prevention, the Canadian Mental Health Association, and the
Canadian Distress Line Network have jointly asked the CRTC to allocate
the last remaining 3-digit code, 5-1-1, to crisis intervention and
suicide prevention services.
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/PartVII/eng/2006/8698/8698_06.htm#200601725
** A previous application for 5-1-1 is already before the
Commission. Last year a consortium including all ten
provincial governments and the Yukon Territorial
government applied to have 5-1-1 assigned to weather and
travel information services. (See Telecom Update #485)
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Notices/2005/pt2005-5.htm
ALIANT LAUNCHES HIGH-SPEED WIRELESS: Aliant now offers wireless data
speeds "up to 2.4 Mbps" to its cellular customers in Halifax. The
telco plans to make the EV-DO-based service available to 60% of its
customers by the end of 2007.
BOND AGENCY DOWNGRADES MTS DEBT: Dominion Bond Rating Service has
downgraded its trend rating of Manitoba Telecom debt to "negative,"
citing the weakness of its Allstream unit.
ONTARIO MPP SEEKS BAN ON DRIVERS' CELL CALLS: An Ontario MPP has
introduced a private member's bill to limit the use of cellphones by
drivers. Conservative John O'Toole wants to ban all cellphone use by
new drivers, and to require others to use handsfree devices.
FCI "ELIMINATES" LONG DISTANCE: FCI Broadband has introduced XP
Calling, a VoIP service that "eliminates long distance" for calls to
the U.S. and Canada. Customers pay $10/month for North American calls
or $7/month for Canada only, in addition to the regular local service
rate, and don't have to dial "1" before the area code.
SASKTEL WIDENS DIGITAL WIRELESS: SaskTel has introduced digital
wireless service in Dorintosh and expanded service in the vicinity of
Duck Lake, Hepburn, Melville, and several other rural communities.
ASSOCIATION TO SPEAK FOR VoIP PROVIDERS: The Canadian Association of
VoIP Providers, now being formed by some regional suppliers, aims to
"present an independent perspective on regulatory issues" to the CRTC.
http://www.cavp.ca/
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