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TELECOM UPDATE
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published weekly by Angus TeleManagement Group
http://www.angustel.ca
Number 519: March 3, 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:
** MTS Reorganizes into Customer Segments
** Mitel Upgrades Flagship PBX
** Plan for Email Fees Arouses Protests
** NTP, RIM Hurl Barbs
** Aliant Bundles Internet, Computer
** Ontario Municipalities Adopt Vehicle Tracking
** Indian Carrier Buys Teleglobe
** Bell Acquires Online Music Service
** Philly Wi-Fi Net to Fund Computer Literacy
** Cellphone Driving Bill Reintroduced
** Data Market Shows Steady Growth
** Bell Lays Off 471 in Ontario
** Globalstar Has 200,000 Customers
** Tell Your Call Centre Story
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MTS REORGANIZES INTO CUSTOMER SEGMENTS: Pierre Blouin, MTS-Allstream's
new CEO, has reorganized the carrier into two divisions, Consumer
Markets and Enterprise Segments, headed by Kelvin Shepherd and John
MacDonald respectively. Blouin also named six chief officers including
Dean Prevost (strategy), Paul Frizado (technology), and Chris Peirce
(regulatory). (See Telecom Update #515)
MITEL UPGRADES FLAGSHIP PBX: Release 7 of the Mitel Networks 3300 ICP,
just introduced, offers SIP trunking and networking and a new gateway
to Microsoft Office Communicator and LCS. Mitel has also upgraded its
contact centre offering and introduced new messaging and remote access
products.
PLAN FOR EMAIL FEES AROUSES PROTESTS: AOL and Yahoo have said they
plan to charge between a quarter-cent and a cent a message for premium
service on bulk email delivery. A coalition opposed to the plan
(www.dearaol.com) includes the National Humane Society and Gun Owners
of America. Seventeen U.S. senators are supporting a bill that would
ban this practice.
NTP, RIM HURL BARBS: On February 24, U.S. Judge James Spencer told
Research In Motion and NTP to settle their patent dispute privately in
order to avoid a court-imposed settlement that "will be imperfect."
NTP and RIM both responded by accusing the other of trying to mislead
public opinion. (See Telecom Update #518)
ALIANT BUNDLES INTERNET, COMPUTER: Aliant's new Business PC Purchase
Program enables small businesses to lease a Compaq PC with Microsoft
software and a high-speed Internet connection, on a three-year
contract, for $79.95/month
ONTARIO MUNICIPALITIES ADOPT VEHICLE TRACKING: Durham Region, the City
of Vaughan, and 11 other Ontario municipalities have agreed to use
vehicle tracking from Toronto-based Grey Island Systems, utilizing the
Rogers wireless network.
INDIAN CARRIER BUYS TELEGLOBE: Teleglobe, Canada's former overseas
phone carrier, has been purchased by VSNL, which itself was once
India's overseas carrier and is now owned by the Tata family. BCE once
bought a majority interest in Teleglobe for $9.65 billion; VSNL will
pay US$239 million. (See Telecom Update #221, 364)
BELL ACQUIRES ONLINE MUSIC SERVICE: Bell Canada has acquired a
majority interest in Puretracks Inc., a Canadian Internet music store.
PHILLY WI-FI NET TO FUND COMPUTER LITERACY: EarthLink, an Atlanta-based
ISP, has won a contract to supply the City of Philadelphia with a
135-square-mile Wi-Fi network. EarthLink will pay US$300,000 a year plus
5% of revenue into a fund to provide computers and training to low-income
households.
CELLPHONE DRIVING BILL REINTRODUCED: A private member's bill to ban
using handheld cellphones while driving has received approval in
principle in the Ontario legislature. Premier Dalton McGuinty opposes
the bill, which has been introduced before and is not expected to
pass. (See Telecom Update #381)
DATA MARKET SHOWS STEADY GROWTH: A new report by Convergence
Consulting Group says that Canada's data/Internet access market
expanded by 5% in 2005 and is expected to grow by another 5% this year
and 5.5% in 2007.
http://www.convergenceonline.com
BELL LAYS OFF 471 IN ONTARIO: Bell Canada has announced elimination of
256 jobs in Kingston and 215 in Hamilton, part of a program to cut
3,000 to 4,000 positions this year.
GLOBALSTAR HAS 200,000 CUSTOMERS: Globalstar, the world satellite
phone provider, says it activated its 200,000th subscriber during
February.
TELL YOUR CALL CENTRE STORY: Angus Dortmans Associates is now
developing the conference program for Canada's premier call centre
conference, ICCM Canada, which will be held October 23-25 in
Toronto. If you're interested in presenting a real-life success story,
email Henry Dortmans at dortmans@angusdortmans.ca for more
information.
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TeleManagement Group Inc. All rights reserved. For further
information, including permission to reprint or reproduce, please
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)