NL Short Takes

Liberal MP promises to introduce anti-spam lawOntario MP Dan McTeague says he will introduce a private member’s bill establishing a Do Not Spam list. The three-term Liberal MP would ban repeat bulk advertisements unless users gave their consent. CRTC gives interim approval to ILEC price cap ratesThe CRTC has issued interim approval to the major ILECs for their rates arising out of Telecom Decision 2002-34, the price cap ruling. Decisions were issued for Aliant Telecom Inc. (Telecom Order 2003-348), Bell Canada (Telecom Order 2003-349), MTS Communications Inc. (Telecom Order 2003-350), SaskTel (Telecom Order 2003-351) and Telus Communications Inc. (Telecom Order 2003-352). Northwestel reduces LD rates for business customersNorthwestel has cut LD rates for its business customers by at least 10%. The new rates, which began September 1, apply to calls within Canada and the United States. Telcos prepared to spend to get five-rings toneTelus Inc. is ready to do what it takes to become the official telecom sponsor of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. "I’m not convinced Bell is willing to spend the kind of money that’s required to get it," Telus president Darren Entwistle told the Vancouver Sun. Voice mail now available to Northwestel customers in NWTNorthwestel is rolling out voice mail service to business and residential subscribers in Norman Wells NWT. Basic service is $6.95 for residences, $11.95 for business customers. An enhanced service is available for an extra $2 for residents and $5 for business. Allstream provides networks for Internet video distributionAllstream Inc. has inked a deal with MIJO Corp. that will see the advertising company provide national Internet-based commercial video distribution for advertisers, ad agencies and broadcasters. MIJO will use the data network of Allstream, the former AT&T Canada. Call-Net wins CDNA Part VII applicationIn Telecom Decision 2003-60, the CRTC directed all ILECs to adopt a pro-rated approach to CDNA charges, following a Part VII filing by Call-Net Enterprises Inc. The commission found that the end-customer access circuit and link are eligible for the service tariff, even if they are at a different wire centre area. The regulator also asked four cablecos to answer interrogatories on CDNA in Telecom Decision 2003-52. Grand Prairie connects to SuperNet through Bell Bell West Inc. has joined with Northern Cablevision Ltd. to provide dark fibre in Grand Prairie AB. Bell will use the fibre to connect 32 sites in the city to Alberta SuperNet. Federal government funds learning network in OntarioHuman Resources Development Canada has earmarked $256,180 for an electronic learning network in Northern Ontario. The network will connect 25 Community Access Point sites throughout the region, offering information literacy and advanced Internet search techniques in English and French. Onlinetel contributes to parent’s good results in third quarterOnlinetel was a major player in the positive Q3 results posted by parent company Eiger Technology Inc. Onlinetel’s Q3 2003 revenues were $1.2 million, a 295% increase from the numbers posted in Q3 2002. Canada Payphone issues warrants in exchange for debtCanada Payphone Corp. is exchanging $636,700 of trade debt with Allstream Inc. for Canada Payphone warrants. The one million warrants are exercisable for a period of two years at a quarter per share. Phonetime finishes second phase of financingMississauga ON-based Phonetime Inc. announced it has issued Radiant American B.V. $501,082.44 worth of shares to settle outstanding debt. The reseller also announced its listing on the TSX Venture Exchange. Versatel Networks signs deals with three prepaid firmsVersatel Networks Inc. has sold its SCS switches to prepaid companies GA Communications, Global Tel and Meridian Interactive Communications. Versatel is an equipment company based in Gatineau QC (NL, May 6/03). Call centre lays off staff at flagship locationMulti Channel Communications Inc. has laid off all its 341 workers in its Belleville ON flagship call centre. The company blames the dismissals on the loss of a major contract in the United States but hopes to rehire most of the employees by the end of the month when another contract begins. Canadian spammers sued by American companiesAmerican ISP EarthLink Inc. is suing a Vancouver spammer who allegedly used stolen credit card numbers to set up hundreds of EarthLink accounts. Meanwhile, Amazon.com Inc. is going after 1505820 Ontario Inc., also known as Natural Grains Deli and Catering, for supposedly using the American retailer’s name falsely in its email advertising. Cablecos leading telcos in broadband raceA new survey done by Point Topic Ltd. finds that globally, cable operators have signed up a greater portion of their customers for high-speed Internet than telcos. About half of the companies polled had passed the 20% penetration level while most telcos are at around 8%. Internet traffic to jump by two-thirds this yearInternet traffic will grow by 67% in 2003, a new study by TeleGeography finds. Traffic on international links averages only 10%-30% of the available bandwidth, the California company says. Spam makes up more than half of all emailSpam accounts for more than half of all email, compared to only 8% two years ago, anti-spam software manufacturer Brightmail states. The San Francisco company examined 61 billion messages in July and found over 50% were junk mail. Lucent Technolgies fixes Iraq’s ruined telephone linesLucent Technologies has been awarded a US$25-million contract to restore service to 240,000 disconnected lines in Baghdad. In Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit, an Internet café has opened, allowing Iraqis to have unfiltered access to the web. Baby Bells sue FCCover new telecom rules The United States Telecom Association, which represents the former Baby Bell companies, and Verizon Communications are suing the Federal Communications Commission over new telecom rules. The plaintiffs say the commission acted illegally when it gave states the authority to manage local competition (NL Update, Aug. 25/03). New telecom law discussed in Dutch legislatureThe Second Chamber in Netherlands is considering changes to the nation’s telecommunications regulations. Under European Commission guidelines, the new bill should have been passed by now but Dutch authorities expect the legislation to be in place by the end of the year or early 2004. DSL shipments grow as cable modems sales dipThe Broadband CPE Market Analysis issued quarterly by In-Stat/MDR projects that ADSL modems will increase by 26% in Q3 2003. For the same period, cable modem shipments will decline by 5% from Q2 2003, the American telecom analysis firm says. GOP uses Indians to talk to Indiana votersThe Republican Party of the United States is using call centres in India to raise funds for George W. Bush’s 2004 election campaign. British web site The Inquirer points out the irony of underpaid people in Harayana calling out of work Americans. It was a softer fall than Nortel stockResidents of Moncton NB were startled late last month when a man parachuted into the downtown area with no airplanes visible. Police speculate that someone climbed to the top of the NBTel communications tower and jumped off the 107-metre-tall structure.

NL Short Takes

News | September 2, 2003

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