Telecom Update (Canada) #189, June 28, 1999
Angus TeleManagement
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* TELECOM UPDATE *
* Angus TeleManagement's Weekly Telecom Newsbulletin *
* http://www.angustel.ca *
* Number 189: June 28, 1999 *
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* Publication of Telecom Update is made possible by *
* generous financial support from: *
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* AT&T Canada ............... http://www.attcanada.com/ *
* Bell Canada ............... http://www.bell.ca/ *
* Lucent Technologies ....... http://www.lucent.ca/ *
* MetroNet Communications ... http://www.metronet.ca/ *
* Sprint Canada ............. http://www.sprintcanada.ca/ *
* Telus Communications....... http://www.telus.com/ *
* TigerTel Services ......... http://www.citydial.com/ *
* *
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IN THIS ISSUE:
** Newbridge Buys Wireless Broadband Maker
** Look Communications Ownership Restructured
** Saville Systems Sold to ADC
** CAIP ADSL Appeal Turned Down
** Internet Services Deregulated
** Janet Yale to Head CCTA
** NBTel to Test Centrex IP
** Startups to Offer Internet Phone Calls
** Iridium Changes Strategy, Cuts Prices
** Teleglobe Offers Broadband Satellite Links
** Novus, Optel CLEC Tariffs Approved
** Nortel, BellSouth Renew Supply Deal
** Lucent, Ascend Complete Merger
** MaxLink to Use CrossKeys Software
** Newbridge Operations Exec Resigns
** RIM Reports Record Results
** Cogeco Revenue Up 13%
** Call Center Seminar Comes to Toronto
** Telecom Tips, Tricks and Traps
NEWBRIDGE BUYS WIRELESS BROADBAND MAKER: Newbridge Networks will pay
US$490 Million to acquire Stanford Telecommunications of Sunnyvale,
California, a manufacturer of wireless broadband equipment. As part of
the deal, Stanford must sell its military and satellite ground station
businesses to a third party.
LOOK COMMUNICATIONS OWNERSHIP RESTRUCTURED: The CRTC has approved the
transfer of Teleglobe's controlling interest in wireless cable TV
provider Look Communications to a new company which will be two-thirds
owned by Telesystem Financial and one-third by Teleglobe. The change
was necessary because, as a result of last year's merger with Excel,
Teleglobe no longer qualifies as a Canadian corporation under the
Broadcasting Act.
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/bcasting/decision/1999/d99152_0.txt
** Unique Broadband Systems (Markham, Ontario) will be the
exclusive supplier of MMDS repeater equipment for Look's
network until December 31, 2000.
SAVILLE SYSTEMS SOLD TO ADC: Saville Systems, which develops billing
systems for telecommunications companies, has been sold to
Minneapolis-based ADC Telecommunications for US$700 Million. Saville
has about 1,400 employees in Canada, divided evenly between Edmonton
and Toronto.
CAIP ADSL APPEAL TURNED DOWN: The CRTC has rejected the Canadian
Association of Internet Providers' proposal that Bell be required to
charge retail customers above-cost rates for high-speed Internet
access, or to offer a wholesale ADSL service to ISPs at 25% off Bell's
retail price (see Telecom Update #163). Below-cost pricing by Bell's
affiliates is a reasonable response to competitive pressure from the
cablecos, says the Commission, and Bell should not be required to
subsidize other ISPs through a wholesale tariff.
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/internet/1999/8045/04/o99-0591.htm
INTERNET SERVICES DEREGULATED: The CRTC has confirmed its preliminary
view, expressed last July, that retail end-user Internet services
should no longer be regulated (see Telecom Update #142). It rejected
CAIP's argument that high-speed access should be considered a separate
market, subject to continued regulation.
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/internet/1999/8045/04/o99-0592.htm
JANET YALE TO HEAD CCTA: The Canadian Cable Television Association has
named Janet Yale as President and CEO, effective August 1. Yale is
currently Senior Vice-President at AT&T Canada, and previously held
senior posts at the CRTC in both broadcasting and telecom.
NBTEL TO TEST CENTREX IP: NBTel, the New Brunswick operating company
of Aliant Inc, will be one of three worldwide test sites for Nortel's
new Centrex IP system, which provides Centrex features over a managed
IP network.
STARTUPS TO OFFER INTERNET PHONE CALLS: Innofone.com (Toronto) and
Cescom (Montreal) have both announced plans to offer Internet voice
and fax service this year. Innofone says it will begin deployment in
Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Vancouver in July; Cescom expects to
offer its first services in August.
IRIDIUM CHANGES STRATEGY, CUTS PRICES: Iridium, the financially
troubled satellite phone company, is changing its market strategy to
focus on specific industrial customers rather than business
travelers. Iridium Canada has reduced its rates to $2.59/minute for
calls within North America and $4.43/minute elsewhere.
TELEGLOBE OFFERS BROADBAND SATELLITE LINKS: Teleglobe is now selling
broadband Internet communications using Intelsat's facilities. It says
that the new 16QAM technology produces "significant bandwidth savings"
for broadband (34 and 45 Mbps) satellite connections. The first
customers are telecom carriers in Korea and Australia.
NOVUS, OPTEL CLEC TARIFFS APPROVED: The CRTC has approved, with
amendments, General Tariffs filed by Novus Telecom and Optel
Communications, defining terms and conditions for interconnecting with
other carriers.
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/internet/1999/8045/04/o99-0582.htm
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/internet/1999/8045/04/o99-0590.htm
NORTEL, BELLSOUTH RENEW SUPPLY DEAL: BellSouth Corporation has
extended its purchasing agreement with Nortel Networks for 10
years. Nortel says it could sell BellSouth up to US$5 Billion worth of
equipment over the life of the contract.
LUCENT, ASCEND COMPLETE MERGER: Lucent Technologies has completed its
merger with data networking manufacturer Ascend Communications.
Ascend's Curt Sanford has been named President of Lucent's
8,000-employee InterNetworking Systems group.
MAXLINK TO USE CROSSKEYS SOFTWARE: MaxLink Communications, which now
holds wireless broadband (LMCS) licenses for 207 Canadian markets,
will use software from Kanata, Ontario- based CrossKeys Systems to
allow it to offer Service Level Agreements to large corporate clients.
NEWBRIDGE OPERATIONS EXEC RESIGNS: Bruce Rodgers, VP of Operations at
Newbridge Networks, has resigned his position, but will stay with the
company. The company recently blamed its poor financial results on
operational problems.
RIM REPORTS RECORD RESULTS: Research In Motion (Waterloo, Ontario)
reports a 172% increase over last year in its first quarter
revenues. RIM took in $24.1 Million in the 3 months ended May 31 --
77% of that was from the company's new Interactive Pager.
COGECO REVENUE UP 13%: In the quarter which ended on May 31, Cogeco
Cable had consolidated revenues of $82.9 Million, up from $73.4
Million in the same period last year.
** On May 31, Cogeco had 33,190 customers for its high-speed
cable modem Internet access service, up from 25,690 on
February 28.
CALL CENTER SEMINAR COMES TO TORONTO: The top-rated seminar "Essential
Skills and Knowledge for Effective Incoming Call Center Management"
will be offered in Toronto, July 28-29. Course leader is Henry
Dortmans, President of Angus Dortmans Associates. A course outline and
registration details are available from Incoming Calls Management
Institute at http://www.incoming.com/seminars/essential.html. For a
brochure, call 1-800-672-6177.
TELECOM TIPS, TRICKS AND TRAPS: Until June 30, new subscribers to
Telemanagement receive "Tips, Tricks and Traps," a collection of 22
practical reports and resources by Ian Angus, Lis Angus, and Henry
Dortmans. Included in the collection:
** How the Internet Is Shaking Up Telecom
** How to Sell Your Telecom Projects to Senior Management
** Seven Steps to Successful Phone Bill Audits
To subscribe to Telemanagement (and receive Tips, Tricks and
Traps) call 1-800-263-4415, ext 225 or visit
http://www.angustel.ca/teleman/tm.html.
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TeleManagement makes no warranties or representations
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Opinions expressed are based on interpretation of available
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