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TELECOM UPDATE
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published weekly by Angus TeleManagement Group
http://www.angustel.ca
Number 476: April 8, 2005
Publication of Telecom Update is made possible by generous=20
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:
** VoIP Providers Given 90 Days to Implement 9-1-1
** CRTC Promises VoIP Decision by May 12
** Ottawa Sees No Need to Rewrite Telecom Act
** Union to Vote on Entourage Offer
** Resellers Can Now Use Bell Third-Party VoIP
** Bell Forms Small-Business IT Services Division
** Shaw to Increase Internet Access Speeds
** Telus to Extend High-Speed Access in Rural B.C.
** MCI Rejects Qwest Bid But Talks Continue
** RIM Adds 470,000 Subscribers
** Telecom Conference Calls for Papers
VoIP PROVIDERS GIVEN 90 DAYS TO IMPLEMENT 9-1-1: The CRTC says that
9-1-1 service is not optional in Canada. Telecom Decision 2005-21
orders all providers of IP-based local telephone service to implement
at least Basic 9-1-1 service by July 3.
** Basic 9-1-1 routes emergency calls to the correct Public
Safety Answering Point (PSAP). Enhanced 9-1-1 (E911) also
delivers the caller's location, and gives the PSAP control
of the call.
** Providers of fixed (non-nomadic) IP-based phone services,
with a local number within the caller's PSAP serving area,
must implement full 9-1-1/E911 service where it is
available from the incumbent phone company.
** If the IP service uses "non-native" phone numbers, or is
used nomadically, providers must implement an interim
solution. The CRTC expresses a preference for solutions
that route 9-1-1 calls to an intermediate call centre for
screening and routing to the correct PSAP.
** IP telephony providers must obtain customers' express
consent to 9-1-1 limitations, and must provide ongoing
notification including warning stickers for customer phone
sets.
** The CRTC Interconnection Steering Committee (CISC) has
been given deadlines for recommending permanent solutions.
www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2005/dt2005-21.htm
CRTC PROMISES VoIP DECISION BY MAY 12: This week the Canadian
Cable Television Association, Quebecor, and Cogeco all wrote
to the CRTC challenging Bell Canada's new "Digital Voice" IP
telephony service, describing it as in violation of the
Commission's rules and the Telecom Act. In response, the
Commission says it will issue its final VoIP decision by May
12 and will rule on these three applications after that. (See
Telecom Update #475)
OTTAWA SEES NO NEED TO REWRITE TELECOM ACT: Responding to
recommendations made last year by the Standing Committee on Canadian
Heritage, the federal Cabinet says it doesn't believe it is necessary
to rewrite or combine the Telecommunications, Broadcasting, or CRTC
Acts. The government also rejects the Committee's recommendation to
create a unified Department of Communications responsible for telecom,
broadcasting, and cultural industries.
** The Cabinet response also says it "is not prepared to
modify foreign ownership limits on broadcasting or
content," but that it expects that the pending telecom
review "may be helpful in shedding new light on this
important issue."
www.pch.gc.ca/progs/ac-ca/progs/ri-bpi/index_e.cfm
UNION TO VOTE ON ENTOURAGE OFFER: Bell Canada and Entourage Technology
Solutions have given their striking employees what they say is a
"final offer" to settle the contract dispute. The Communication,
Energy, and Paperworkers Union has recommended rejection of the
proposal in Ontario and acceptance in Quebec.
RESELLERS CAN NOW USE BELL THIRD-PARTY VoIP: CRTC Telecom
Order 2005-123 allows any registered service provider (not
just carriers) to use Bell Canada's Internet Voice Access
Service to connect a retail VoIP offering to the public
switched telephone network. Providers must comply with the
Commission's customer privacy rules. (see Telecom Update
#455)
www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Orders/2005/o2005-123.htm
BELL FORMS SMALL-BUSINESS IT SERVICES DIVISION: Bell Canada
has completed its purchase of Nexxlink Technologies. (See
Telecom Update #466) It plans to merge Nexxlink and Charon
Systems, another recently acquired IT company, in a new
division, Bell Business Solutions, which will provide IT
services to small and medium-sized businesses across Canada.
SHAW TO INCREASE INTERNET ACCESS SPEEDS: Shaw Communications plans to
increase download speed of its High-Speed Internet service to 5 Mbps
from 3 Mbps in seven cities of western Canada. High-Speed Xtreme
download speed will be increased to 7 Mbps.
TELUS TO EXTEND HIGH-SPEED ACCESS IN RURAL B.C.: Telus has
promised the B.C. government to spend $110 million by the end
of 2006 to extend high-speed Internet access to 119 rural
communities in the province. That will leave 32 communities
unserved by high-speed access, which the government proposes
to provide through a separate satellite initiative.
** The B.C. government also agreed to buy $245 million worth
of telecom services from Telus over four years.
MCI REJECTS QWEST BID BUT TALKS CONTINUE: MCI has rejected Qwest's
acquisition bid of $27.50 a share, terming it "not superior" to
Verizon's rival bid of $23.10. MCI/Qwest talks are continuing
today. (See Telecom Update #475)
RIM ADDS 470,000 SUBSCRIBERS: Research In Motion added 470,000
BlackBerry subscribers in the last three months of 2004, bringing its
total to 2.5 million. Revenue of US$405 million was up 11% on the
quarter and 92% on the year. RIM took a $294-million fourth-quarter
charge to resolve its patent dispute with NTP; RIM's net loss was $2.6
million.
TELECOM CONFERENCE CALLS FOR PAPERS: Telemanagement Live, Canada's
premier business telecom and networking event, is asking for proposals
for workshops and tutorials during its October 17-19 conference in
Toronto. Submissions are due by May 6;
go to www.telemanagementlive.com/callforclarity.html.
HOW TO SUBMIT ITEMS FOR TELECOM UPDATE
E-MAIL: editors@angustel.ca
FAX: 905-686-2655
MAIL: TELECOM UPDATE=20
Angus TeleManagement Group
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Angus TeleManagement Group Inc. All rights reserved. For
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Opinions expressed are based on interpretation of available
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John Riddell (jriddell@angustel.ca)