Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Telecom Update #438, June 21, 2004

From: NEXTEL-1
Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2004 21:35:56 -0400

************************************************************
TELECOM UPDATE 
************************************************************
published weekly by Angus TeleManagement Group 
http://www.angustel.ca

Number 438: June 21, 2004

Publication of Telecom Update is made possible by generous 
financial support from: 
** ALLSTREAM: www.allstream.com 
** BELL CANADA: www.bell.ca 
** CISCO SYSTEMS CANADA: www.cisco.com/ca 
** CYGCOM INTEGRATED TECHNOLOGIES: www.cygcom.com 
** GROUP TELECOM: www.360.net 
** JUNIPER NETWORKS: www.juniper.net 
** PRIMUS CANADA: www.primustel.ca 
** SPRINT CANADA: www.sprint.ca 
** TELUS: www.telus.com 

************************************************************

IN THIS ISSUE: 

** Bell Offers $5 Long Distance Bundle
** Primus Enters Home Phone Business
** Telus Microcell Bid Closes Tomorrow
** VoIP Comments Submitted 
** FTC Rejects "Do Not Spam" Registry
** Broadband to Reach 20 Rural Ontario Communities
** Ottawa Plaza Drops Fee for Wi-Fi
** BCE Completes Emergis Sale
** Nortel Spins Off Directory Info Business
** Allstream Intros Digital Ink
** E-Commerce Conference Rescheduled
** Telemanagement Conference Announces Major Sponsors
** Does Telecom Policy Need an Overhaul? 

============================================================

BELL OFFERS $5 LONG DISTANCE BUNDLE: Consumers who sign 24-
month contracts for two of Bell Canada's high-speed Internet, 
wireless, or television services can now add 1,000 
minutes/month of long distance for $5 a month. Long distance 
calls can be made anytime to anywhere in Canada or the U.S.; 
after 1,000 minutes, calls are 5 cents/minute. 

PRIMUS ENTERS HOME PHONE BUSINESS: Primus Telecommunications 
has begun offering traditional circuit-switched home phone 
service in 14 markets from Halifax to Victoria, using 
Allstream as its underlying carrier. Basic service is 
$29.95/month; an Unlimited Bundle, including all calling 
features and unlimited Canada and U.S. LD, is $54.95/month.

TELUS MICROCELL BID CLOSES TOMORROW: Microcell shareholders 
have until June 22 to accept Telus's offer to buy their 
shares for a total purchase price of $1.1 billion. 
Microcell's board has recommended against the offer; Telus 
won't buy the shares unless two-thirds are tendered.

VoIP COMMENTS SUBMITTED:  On June 18, over two dozen 
submissions were filed in the CRTC's VoIP proceeding 
(PN 2004-2, see Telecom Update #428). They should be posted 
on the CRTC website today.  Highlights include:

** Many competitors support the CRTC's preliminary views: 
in particular, extending current local competition rules 
to VoIP.

** Bell, Aliant, SaskTel, and Telebec say they have no 
market power in VoIP, so none of their VoIP services should 
be regulated. Bell requests forbearance for the MIPS (IP 
Centrex) service for which it recently filed a tariff 
(see Telecom Update #437) 

** Telus says its "access-independent" VoIP should not be 
regulated, but services tied to access should come under 
current rules.

** Most agree that VoIP providers should be required to support 
9-1-1, services to the disabled, and privacy features, but they 
differ on the urgency and how strict the requirement should be. 

www.crtc.gc.ca/PartVII/eng/2004/8663/c12_200402892.htm

FTC REJECTS "DO NOT SPAM" REGISTRY: In a report to Congress, 
the U.S. Federal Trade Commission says that at the present 
time, a National Do Not E-mail Registry would not reduce spam 
and could not be enforced. The Commission believes that 
anti-spam efforts should focus on creating an e-mail 
authentication system to prevent spammers from hiding their 
tracks.

www.ftc.gov/reports/dneregistry/report.pdf

BROADBAND TO REACH 20 RURAL ONTARIO COMMUNITIES: With funding 
from the Ontario Government COBRA program and Bell Canada, 
infrastructure construction will begin this fall to extend 
high-speed Internet access to public institutions in the 
Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry and Prescott-Russell counties, as 
well as the Akwesasne First Nation. 

OTTAWA PLAZA DROPS FEE FOR WI-FI: The attempt to introduce 
fees for wireless Internet access in a downtown Ottawa 
shopping mall has failed. Announcing their decision to resume 
free service, BelNet and AirRoamer say that paid usage was 
"extremely low and not serving the objective of attracting 
Wireless Internet users to the World Exchange Plaza."

BCE COMPLETES EMERGIS SALE: BCE Inc. has completed the 
transfer of its shares in BCE Emergis to purchasers of 66 
million subscription receipts. As part of the deal, BCE 
Emergis has approved a special cash distribution of $1.45 per 
common share.

NORTEL SPINS OFF DIRECTORY INFO BUSINESS: Nortel Networks has 
agreed to transfer part of its directory and operator 
services business to VoltDelta, in return for a stake in the 
New York-based company. About 160 Nortel employees will join 
VoltDelta.

ALLSTREAM INTROS DIGITAL INK: Allstream has begun offering 
Digital Ink Solutions, a product that enables electronic data 
capture of handwritten information. Information entered on 
preprinted forms, using a "special ballpoint digital camera 
productivity pen," can be uploaded to a computer through a 
USB connection.

E-COMMERCE CONFERENCE RESCHEDULED: "E-Commerce to e-Economy," 
an Industry Canada-sponsored conference originally scheduled 
for June 21-22 and postponed because of the federal 
elections, will now be held 27-28 September in Ottawa. 

www.e-economy.ca

TELEMANAGEMENT CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES MAJOR SPONSORS: Avaya, 
Bell Canada, Cisco Systems, OneConnect, the United Telecom 
Council of Canada, and Telus have all agreed to be major 
sponsors of the Telemanagement Live! conference scheduled for 
October 20-21 in Toronto.

** The user-focused conference on business telecom and 
   networking is being organized by Angus Dortmans Associates 
   and PW Ritchie & Associates. For information, go to 
   www.telemanagementlive.com.

DOES TELECOM POLICY NEED AN OVERHAUL? The June Telemanagement 
features an exclusive interview with Bell Canada Executive VP 
Lawson Hunter on why Canada's biggest telco wants a telecom 
policy review, and an analysis of the issues by Lis and Ian 
Angus. Also in this issue:

** Implementing Enterprise Mobile Data Applications 
** What's Behind Telus's Bid for Fido? 
** Is VoIP Really Nearing the Takeoff Point?

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