************************************************************
TELECOM UPDATE
************************************************************
published weekly by Angus TeleManagement Group
http://www.angustel.ca
Number 477: April 15, 2005
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/
************************************************************
IN THIS ISSUE:
** Ottawa Announces Telecom Review Panel
** Rogers, Bell to Launch Cellphone TV
** Two New CRTC Commissioners Named
** Businesses Urged to Begin 10-Digit Conversion
** Bell Offers Accelerated Dialup
** Aurora Cable to Launch Phone Service
** Global Telecom Spending Up 9.4%
** CRTC Okays Bell "Dry Copper" DSL Offering
** Telus-Shaw Dispute on Hold Until VoIP Decision
** Cisco Buys Server Switch Maker
** Verizon Gets 13% of MCI
** European Businesses Offered Flat-Rate IP Calling
** Nortel to Miss 1Q Reports Deadline
** RIM Lines Up Suppliers in Israel
** Telecom Coalition Launches Website
** Cogeco Revenue, Profit Rise
** Shaw Net Income Up 87%
** Wireless Industry Leaders to Address Calgary Conference
OTTAWA ANNOUNCES TELECOM REVIEW PANEL: Industry Minister
David Emerson this week confirmed the appointment of a
three-person Telecom Policy Review Panel, to report by the
end of 2005. As we reported in Telecom Update #475, the
panel members are Gerri Sinclair, former head of Microsoft's
MSN.ca; Hank Intven, former Executive Director Telecom at the
CRTC, now a partner at McCarthy Tetrault; and Andre Tremblay,
former CEO of Microcell Telecommunications.
** The panel has been asked to make recommendations that
will improve Canada's competitiveness, including the telecom
regulatory framework, access to advanced telecom services
(including high-speed connectivity), and adoption of
information and communications technology.
** The panel will receive submissions from interested
parties, hold public consultation, and commission reports on
some specific issues.
** Industry Canada says it is already addressing several
policy issues that can be fixed in the shorter term,
including telemarketing, wireless number portability, and
giving the CRTC fining authority.
www.ic.gc.ca/cmb/welcomeic.nsf/261ce500dfcd7259852564820068dc6d/85256a5d
006b972085256fe0005b8149!OpenDocument
ROGERS, BELL TO LAUNCH CELLPHONE TV: Rogers Wireless and
Bell Mobility are preparing to launch television service
over their cellular networks. Both will use MobiTV, a Java
application that has already been deployed by some U.S.
cellular carriers.
** Rogers Mobile Television will offer eight to ten channels
by the end of June for a promotional price of $9 a month plus
data charges.
** Bell says it will launch in early May with about a dozen
channels for $10 a month plus data charges.
TWO NEW CRTC COMMISSIONERS NAMED: Heritage Minister Liza
Frulla this week announced the appointment of two new CRTC
commissioners: Elizabeth Duncan, an accountant and former
cable industry executive in Nova Scotia, and Helen Ray del
Val, a former senior counsel with BC Tel. They will represent
the Atlantic and Pacific regions, respectively.
www.news.gc.ca/cfmx/CCP/view/en/index.cfm?articleid=3D137559
** Denis Carmel, CRTC Director General Communications, will
be leaving the Commission staff this spring or summer to take
a post elsewhere in the civil service. He will stay at the
CRTC until a replacement is named.
BUSINESSES URGED TO BEGIN 10-DIGIT CONVERSION: Ten-digit
local dialing will officially begin in Area Codes 519, 613,
450, 514, and 819 in June 2006, but a coalition of carriers
in the affected areas says that in most cases 10-digit dialing
works now. They are urging businesses to begin reprogramming
equipment now. See www.dial10.ca for details.
BELL OFFERS ACCELERATED DIALUP: Bell Canada now offers a
free service, Dial-Up Accelerator, that it says makes dialup
access speeds up to five times faster. The technology is from
Waterloo, Ontario-based SlipStream Data.
AURORA CABLE TO LAUNCH PHONE SERVICE: Aurora Cable Internet
plans to provide "full-service standard-feature" phone
service by July 1 in its serving area north of Toronto.
Aurora will resell PSTN local loops provided by FCI Broadband
and is also working with FCI to develop a Voice over IP
service.
GLOBAL TELECOM SPENDING UP 9.4%: Dublin-based Research and
Markets says that worldwide telecommunications revenue
totaled US$2.1 trillion in 2004, up 9.4% from 2003. The U.S.
market accounted for over one-third of global telecom
spending.
CRTC OKAYS BELL "DRY COPPER" DSL OFFERING: In Telecom Order
2005-144, the CRTC approves an amendment to Bell Canada's
Gateway Access tariff that will allow competitors to use Bell
unbundled loops to provide high-speed access to end customers
who don't subscribe to any voice service over the loop. Bell
says it has had "many requests for this capability."
www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Orders/2005/o2005-144.htm
TELUS-SHAW DISPUTE ON HOLD UNTIL VOIP DECISION: The CRTC says
that it will deal with Telus's complaint against Shaw (that
the cableco's telephone service does not comply with its CLEC
obligations -- see Telecom Update #475) after the Commission
releases its VoIP decision, due by May 12.
CISCO BUYS SERVER SWITCH MAKER: Cisco Systems has agreed to
buy Topspin Communications, a five-year-old maker of high-
performance "server fabric switches" used in grid computing,
for US$250 million in cash and share options. When the deal
is completed, Topspin will become part of Cisco's Data
Center, Switching, and Wireless Technology Group.
VERIZON GETS 13% OF MCI: Verizon Communications has purchased
the 13.4% stake in MCI held by Mexican billionaire Carlos
Slim Helu, paying $2 more per share than it is offering other
MCI shareholders in a public takeover bid. Verizon has also
filed a registration statement confirming its plan to buy all
of the long distance carrier for US$7.6 billion.
EUROPEAN BUSINESSES OFFERED FLAT-RATE IP CALLING: Colt
Telecom Group plc has launched IP telephony service for
businesses in Austria, Belgium, France, Denmark, Germany,
Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, and UK. It offers unlimited local, national, and
international calls within those countries for a flat rate of
24.50 euros per user, per month.
NORTEL TO MISS 1Q REPORTS DEADLINE: Nortel Networks says it
will file its first-quarter financial report by the end of
May, missing the deadline set by Canadian and U.S. security
regulators. The 2004 annual report is to be filed in April.
RIM LINES UP SUPPLIERS IN ISRAEL: Continuing its run of
BlackBerry marketing agreements, Research In Motion announced
deals April 14 with Cellcom Israel and Partner
Communications, which together have 4.7 million subscribers
in Israel.
TELECOM COALITION LAUNCHES WEBSITE: The Coalition for
Competitive Telecommunications has launched a website to
provide information on its policy initiatives and activities.
** The site provides details on the previously announced
Business Telecom Networking Dinners the Coalition will hold
in conjunction the 2005 Canadian Telecom Summit (May 30) and
the Telemanagement Live 2005 conference and trade show (October 18).
www.telecomcoalition.ca
COGECO REVENUE, PROFIT RISE: Cogeco Cable reports sales for
the three months ending February 28 of $55.3 million, 9.7%
more than a year earlier. Net income was $5.6 million, up
from $0.6 million. Cogeco added a net 12,781 Internet
customers.
** CEO Louis Audet says Cogeco's forthcoming Internet phone
service will not match Videotron's pricing ($16-$30 a month),
which he calls "needlessly low."
SHAW NET INCOME UP 87%: Shaw Communications' profit for the
three months ended February 28 was $32.1 million, an 87%
increase over the same period a year ago. Service revenue of
$550 million was up 7.1%. Shaw gained 32,539 Internet
customers, a 3% increase.
WIRELESS INDUSTRY LEADERS TO ADDRESS CALGARY CONFERENCE:
Wireless Communications 2005, to be held in Calgary May
17-18, will feature addresses by noted U.S. analyst Andrew
Seybold and executives of Virgin Mobile Canada, Vonage
Canada, Rogers Wireless, and Research In Motion. For
information: www.wirelessconnections2005.com.
TO SUBMIT AN ITEM TO TELECOM UPDATE=20
E-mail ianangus@angustel.ca
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE (OR UNSUBSCRIBE)
TELECOM UPDATE is provided in electronic form only. There
are two formats available:
1. The fully-formatted edition is posted on the World Wide Web late
Friday afternoon each week at www.angustel.ca
2. The e-mail edition is distributed free of charge.
To subscribe, send an e-mail message to:
join-telecom_update@nova.sparklist.com
To stop receiving the e-mail edition, send
an e-mail message to:
leave-telecom_update@nova.sparklist.com
Sending e-mail to these addresses will automatically add
or remove the sender's e-mail address from the list. Leave
subject line and message area blank.
We do not give Telecom Update subscribers' e-mail
addresses to any third party. For more information,
see www.angustel.ca/update/privacy.html.
COPYRIGHT AND CONDITIONS OF USE: All contents copyright 2005
Angus TeleManagement Group Inc. All rights reserved. For
further information, including permission to reprint or
reproduce, please e-mail rosita@angustel.ca or phone
905-686-5050 ext 500.
The information and data included has been obtained from
sources which we believe to be reliable, but Angus
TeleManagement makes no warranties or representations
whatsoever regarding accuracy, completeness, or adequacy.
Opinions expressed are based on interpretation of available
information, and are subject to change. If expert advice on
the subject matter is required, the services of a competent
professional should be obtained.
John Riddell (jriddell@angustel.ca)