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TELECOM UPDATE
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published weekly by Angus TeleManagement Group
http://www.angustel.ca
Number 459: November 29, 2004
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/
** SPRINT CANADA: www.sprint.ca
** UTC CANADA: www.canada.utc.org/
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IN THIS ISSUE:
** CRTC Releases Report on Competition
** Gatineau to Implement 3-1-1 Service
** 8.5 Million Wireless Numbers Ported in U.S.
** Bell Ads Warn of Modem Hijacking
** Rogers Implements Wireless Priority
** Quebec Union Rejects Telus Offer
** CRTC Announces Review of Northwestel Funding
** CRTC to Hear Call-Net, Bell Billing Dispute
** Consultants Call for Speakers
** Piaskoski Joins Miller Thompson
** Certification for Call Centre Managers
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CRTC RELEASES REPORT ON COMPETITION: The CRTC has released its fourth
annual report on the status of telecom competition and the deployment
of advanced telecom infrastructure in Canada. Results are for the end
of 2003.
** Telecom service revenues grew by 1.1% to $31.8 billion,
accounting for 2.3% of Canada's GDP.
** Capital spending fell 17%, on top of a 25% drop in 2002.
** Nationally, competitor market increased to 2% of
residential lines, compared to 1.4% in 2002. Competitor
market share is 16%-18% in Charlottetown and Halifax, and
2%-6% in Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, Toronto, and five
other Ontario cities.
** Nationally, competitors had 8.6% of local business lines
in 2003, the same as in 2002. Out-of-territory telcos had
significant penetration in Vancouver (17%) and Edmonton
(13%), and smaller inroads in several cities. Non-telco
competitors had over 15% share in Kitchener, London,
Toronto, and Windsor, and smaller penetration in 17 other
cities.
** Wireless revenues grew by 13% in 2003, while subscriber
totals increased by 11%. Two-thirds of households have
at least one wireless subscription.
** 56% of Canadian households have Internet access; 36% (4.5
million households) have high-speed service. High-speed
access is now available to 95% of Canadian urban
households but only 63% of rural households.
www.crtc.gc.ca/ENG/whatsnew/2004/nov25.htm
GATINEAU TO IMPLEMENT 3-1-1 SERVICE: Starting in summer 2005,
residents of the City of Gatineau, Quebec, will be able to dial 3-1-1
to access information on municipal services and make requests to City
departments. Gatineau was one of five cities that requested assignment
of 3-1-1 for non-emergency municipal use, which was approved by the
CRTC in early November (see Telecom Update #456).
8.5 MILLION WIRELESS NUMBERS PORTED IN U.S.: It is now one year since
U.S. cellular companies were required to let customers keep their
phone numbers when they change carriers. The Federal Communications
Commission says that 8.5 million people have taken advantage of the
new rule, and about 10% of those "cut the cord" by transferring
wireline numbers to wireless service.
BELL ADS WARN OF MODEM HIJACKING: Bell Canada has launched a
"multimedia advertising campaign" to educate consumers about Internet
dialers that hijack modems to generate long distance calls (and big
bills) to overseas locations. Bell and Telus recently began blocking
direct-dialed calls to countries most often called by the dialing
programs. (See Telecom Update #439)
ROGERS IMPLEMENTS WIRELESS PRIORITY: Rogers Wireless is the first
Canadian cellco to implement Wireless Priority Service, which gives
government-authorized users priority access to wireless service during
emergencies.
QUEBEC UNION REJECTS TELUS OFFER: A contract offer by Telus Quebec has
been rejected by 560 supervisors and professionals, members of the
Canadian Union of Public Employees. Telus and the union will continue
negotiations.
CRTC ANNOUNCES REVIEW OF NORTHWESTEL FUNDING: Telecom PN 2004-6 opens
a review of Northwestel's 2004 and 2005 supplemental funding
requirements, along with an assessment of its service improvement plan
and quality of service results. To participate, notify the CRTC by
December 9.
www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Notices/2004/pt2004-6.htm
CRTC TO HEAR CALL-NET, BELL BILLING DISPUTE: An expedited hearing on
December 13 will consider a dispute between Call-Net and Bell Canada
regarding Bell's diagnostic and labour charges.
www.crtc.gc.ca/PartVII/eng/2004/8661/c25_200409442.htm
CONSULTANTS CALL FOR SPEAKERS: The Canadian Telecommunications
Consultants Association will hold its Spring 2005 Conference at the
Hockley Valley Resort, northwest of Toronto, Ontario, on April 7-9,
2005. Proposals for presentations at the conference are due by
December 15. For information, write ctca.speakers@ctca.ca, or visit
www.ctca.ca.
PIASKOSKI JOINS MILLER THOMPSON: Regulatory lawyer Michael Piaskoski
has left Blake, Cassels & Graydon to join the Toronto office of Miller
Thomson.
CERTIFICATION FOR CALL CENTRE MANAGERS: Canadian call centre managers
seeking education and certification of their skills can now receive
the Call Center Industry Advisory Council's testing programs from
Angus Dortmans Associates. CIAC is a non-profit, industry-sanctioned
standards and certifying body for customer care and support
professionals.
** For further information, e-mail Henry Dortmans
(dortmans@angustel.ca).
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E-MAIL: editors@angustel.ca
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Angus TeleManagement Group
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TeleManagement Group Inc. All rights reserved. For further
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The information and data included has been obtained from sources which
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Angus TeleManagement (jriddell@angustel.ca)