NL Short Takes

Decima Reader Poll, October 2003Respondents to the latest Decima Publishing online poll were asked to agree or disagree with the statement: "The federal government should institute a national Do Not Spam list that would forbid people and businesses from sending advertising and other marketing messages via email to people on the list."In this unscientific survey, the vast majority agreed completely or somewhat while only 12% disagreed with the proposition. Check out this month’s poll at http://www.decima.com/publishing. Federal Court grants Bell Canada stay on CRTC rulingThe Federal Court of Appeal granted Bell Canada a stay in Telecom Decision 2003-63. Bell’s leave to appeal the ruling, which is concerned with customer-specific arrangements, is still before the court. Bell maintains the ruling has an impact on customer confidentiality. Allstream forms broadband joint venture with MicrocellAllstream Corp. has joined with Microcell Telecommunications Inc. and NR Communications to offer a new broadband wireless product. Allstream vice-chair John McLennan said the joint venture, to which the CLEC will contribute $5 million, will allow his firm to focus more on the SME market. CRTC revises price floor proceeding timetableThe CRTC has consolidated the procedures for interim rules and final determinations laid out in Telecom Public Notice 2003-8. The commission announced in Telecom Decision 2003-78 that it still hopes to reach a final decision as soon as possible. MTS to layoff 85 workers in response to weak marketMTS Communications Inc. says lower growth forecasts mean it must eliminate 85 positions from the company. It hopes the layoffs, at MTS and at Qunara Inc., can be achieved voluntarily. CEP calls strike vote for Aliant workersThe Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada is conducting a strike vote among 4,000 Aliant Telecom Inc. workers. Aliant and the CEP are continuing contract talks to replace the contract that expired in 2001. Broadband project will connect most of New BrunswickAliant Telecom Inc. has joined with the federal government and the government of New Brunswick to roll out broadband across the province. It is expected that when the $44.6-million project is finished in 2006, 90% of New Brunswickers will have access to high-speed Internet. BCE Emergis buys WARE SolutionsBCE Emergis is paying $4.95 million for all the outstanding shares of WARE Solutions Corp. of Calgary. The Alberta company offers claims processing and web-based management products to the health sector. Newlook purchases Onlinetel from Eiger TechnologiesNewlook Industries will take over Onlinetel Corp. from Eiger Technologies in a stock deal. Under the terms of the agreement, Newlook will hold 100% of Onlinetel, while Eiger’s stake in Newlook will jump from 80% to 95.2%. Two CLECs file comments on ILEC DSL marketingCall-Net Enterprises Inc. has filed its reply comments to the CRTC on marketing of DSL services by Bell Canada and Telus Corp. FCI Broadband submitted a letter endorsing Call-Net’s position. Bell Canada ordered to release name of emailerBell Canada has been ordered by the courts to confirm the identity of a man who sent an email to Canadian Blood Services (CBS), claiming to have donated blood despite his homosexuality. CBS says once it knows who sent the email it will sue the man for misrepresentation and for costs, since he violated blood donation regulations. SaskTel endorses Bell Canada proposal on triple playSaskTel is backing a Bell Canada application on symmetric regulations for triple play products (NL, Nov. 10/03). The provincial ILEC points out that it is already offering triple play products while local cablecos are likely to roll out telephony soon. Bell accuses Futureway of misleading customersIn a follow-up to its Part VII application against Futureway Communications Inc., Bell Canada accuses the Toronto firm of using misleading information with multiple-dwelling unit (MDU) customers. The telecom giant says the smaller firm is misinterpreting the provisions of Telecom Decision 2003-45 to prevent Bell from having access to MDUs. Telus wins forbearance on IXPL and LD servicesThe CRTC has granted Telus Communications Inc. forbearance from section 29 of the Telecommunications Act. Telecom Decision 2003-77 covers Telus’ provision of interexchange private line and LD services. CRTC approves Aliant Centrex business ratesIn Telecom Order 2003-468, the CRTC has approved Aliant Telecom Inc.’s application to change its Centrex business rates. The commission found that the rate changes met the imputation test set out in CRTC rules. Northwestel asks for extension in marketing proceedingNorthwestel has asked the CRTC for a delay in showing cause why it should not comply with the provisions of Telecom Decision 2002-76. The northern ILEC says that because it was not a party to the original decision, it will need until the middle of January 2004 to assemble the necessary information. Telus wins business communication awardTelus Communications Inc. won a Silver Leaf award for features/editorial writing. The International Association of Business Communicators granted the Alberta division of the telco the award for excellence at its recent awards ceremony that saw 41 prizes handed out to companies across the country. MTS email ends up trapped in spam filtersSubscribers to MTS Communications Inc.’s Internet service found their outgoing emails getting trapped in spam filters. Company officials were checking why anything using "@mts.net" was automatically forwarded to spam blacklists instead of reaching its targets. Cybersurf changes date of AGM to JuneCybersurf Corp. has pushed back the date of its annual and special meeting of shareholders from February 26 to June 29. The Calgary ISP is currently in a battle with dissident shareholders. Name change digs up reminder of CLEC’s pastThe recent change of name from AT&T Canada to Allstream Corp. had an unexpected consequence, the firm’s president discovered. "I told the workers to flip over our manhole covers because they had the AT&T Canada name on them," John MacDonald said. "They told me the covers read ‘Unitel’ on the other side." Europe establishes Network and Security AgencyThe European Telecom Council is setting up the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA), a mere nine months after the European Commission first proposed the idea. ENISA, which should be operating by the beginning of 2004, will promote cooperation and information exchange on network and security issues. Oklahoma considers dropping charges against EbbersOklahoma attorney-general Drew Edmondson says he is contemplating dropping fraud charges against former WorldCom Inc. CEO Bernard Ebbers. The state charges could interfere with a federal case against another executive of the telco, the attorney-general told a judge. Deutsche Telekom denies interest in AOLDeutsche Telekom CEO Kai Uwe-Ricke is denying published reports that a division of his company wants to buy AOL from Time Warner. A European newspaper said T-Online would pay US$1 billion for 70% of the ISP, with Time Warner keeping the remainder. Al-Jazeera hacker sentenced to community serviceA California judge sentenced John Racine to perform 1,000 hours of community service and fined him US$2,000 for hacking the web site of the Al-Jazeera news service. The 24-year-old redirected traffic to the site to a picture of the American flag and the slogan "Let Freedom Ring". Man finds new way to get stuck on phoneEmanuel Fleming tried to retrieve his money when a payphone in East St. Louis IL ate his 50 cents. Instead, he spent three-and-a-half hours with his fingers stuck in the coin slot until ER doctors could free him.

NL Short Takes

News | November 24, 2003

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