Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Telecom Update #432, May 10, 2004

From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 10 May 2004 10:54:51 -0400

************************************************************
TELECOM UPDATE 
************************************************************

IN THIS ISSUE: 

** Profits Up at BCE and Telus
** Call-Net Swings to Loss
** MTS Profits Boosted by Bell West Sale
** Higher Expenses Push Microcell to Loss
** BCE Selling Emergis, But Not MTS
** Push-to-Talk Goes International
** CRTC to Review TPIA Rates
** Bell's Revised Tariffs Don't Pass Muster
** Part of Craig-Look Suit Dismissed
** Chatham Internet Project to Use SR Wireless
** Canada Payphone Delays Reorg Plan
** Mitel Completes Financing Deals
** Telus Wins $66 Million IP Contract
** Utility Telcos Form Council
** CAIP Merges with CATA
** VON Canada Program Announced
** Going Beyond Voice in IP Telephony

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

PROFITS UP AT BCE AND TELUS: Canada's two largest telecom 
companies reported first quarter financial results last week.

** BCE's revenues were $4.7 billion, virtually unchanged from 
   last year, but net earnings were $470 million, up from 
   $451 million.

** Telus's operating revenues were up 3.6% from last year, 
   reaching $1.8 billion, and net income jumped 13.2% to $101 
   million.

** Some statistics that may indicate trends:
   - Wireless Revenue: Bell up 18%; Telus up 18.9%
   - Wireline Long Distance Revenue: Bell down 11.7%; Telus 
     down 8.6%
   - Local phone lines in service: Bell down 1%; Telus down 
     1.3%

CALL-NET SWINGS TO LOSS: Foreign exchange fluctuations took 
Call-Net Enterprises to a first quarter net loss of $29.9 
million, compared to a gain of $7.6 million last year. Total 
quarterly revenue was $202.5 million, nearly the same as in 
2003.

** Call-Net says it added 34,000 local phone lines in the 
   quarter, bringing total local lines in service to more 
   than 300,000. The company plans a "modest launch" of 
   Internet phone service, probably by September.

MTS PROFITS BOOSTED BY BELL WEST SALE: Manitoba Telecom 
Services' operating income for the first quarter was $211.1 
million, up only $400,000 from a year ago, but net income 
jumped from $24 million to $218.5 million, as a result of 
the sale of MTS's share of Bell West to Bell Canada.

** Long distance revenue was down 10% from 1Q 2003. Wireless 
   was up 14.4%.

HIGHER EXPENSES PUSH MICROCELL TO LOSS: Microcell 
Telecommunications had a $14.7 million loss in the first 
quarter. The company attributes the loss to foreign exchange 
and customer activation costs. 

** The wireless carrier reports a net gain of 12,366 
   subscribers in the first quarter, compared to a net loss 
   of 39,935 in 1Q 2003.

BCE SELLING EMERGIS, BUT NOT MTS: BCE has agreed to sell 
its 64% stake in e-commerce supplier BCE Emergis to an 
underwriting syndicate for $355 million. BCE CEO Michael 
Sabia says the company has no plan to sell its 22% stake in 
Manitoba Tel, despite that company's acquisition of 
Allstream. 

PUSH-TO-TALK GOES INTERNATIONAL: Users of Telus Mobility's 
Mike service in Canada and Nextel's wireless service in the 
U.S. can now call each other using the push-to-talk Direct 
Connect feature. 

** Telus is now selling the BlackBerry 7510, described as the 
   first BlackBerry device equipped with Direct Connect.

CRTC TO REVIEW TPIA RATES: The CRTC has ordered the major 
telcos and cablecos to file updated Internet access cost 
studies, so the Commission can review whether their Third-
Party Internet Access rates are appropriate. 

www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2004/dt2004-28.htm

BELL'S REVISED TARIFFS DON'T PASS MUSTER: The CRTC has turned 
down two Bell Canada customer specific arrangement tariffs, 
both filed for the second time after a first denial (see 
Telecom Update #426), because they still do not cover costs. 
Bell must file compliant tariffs in 45 days, or the CRTC will 
register this decision with the Federal Court. 

www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Orders/2004/o2004-142.htm
www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Orders/2004/o2004-143.htm

PART OF CRAIG-LOOK SUIT DISMISSED: The Ontario Superior Court 
has dismissed the Craig Wireless application for an interim 
injunction that would have blocked Unique Broadband from 
voting its shares of Look Communications. (See Telecom Update 
#421)

** Separately, Craig has withdrawn its Federal Court appeal 
   against a CRTC decision that permitted UBS to acquire a 
   controlling interest in Look. 

CHATHAM INTERNET PROJECT TO USE SR WIRELESS: SR Telecom says 
its wireless technology will be used to bring high-speed 
Internet access to residential customers in the Chatham-Kent 
area of Ontario over the next year. Chatham Internet Access 
will receive funding from Industry Canada's BRAND initiative.

www.ciaccess.com/

CANADA PAYPHONE DELAYS REORG PLAN: B.C. Superior Court has 
allowed Canada Payphone Corporation to delay filing its 
reorganization plan until June 21. The original date proposed 
when CPC filed for bankruptcy was May 5. (See Telecom Update 
#430)  

MITEL COMPLETES FINANCING DEALS: Mitel Networks has obtained 
$20 million in new equity investment from EdgeStone Capital 
Partners, and other investors have agreed to convert $50 
million in debt to equity. The company says it has also 
doubled its banking and credit facilities to approximately 
$65 million.

TELUS WINS $66 MILLION IP CONTRACT: Telus says it has signed 
a six-year, $66 million contract to provide Wide Area, Local 
Area and voice services to over 600 offices of The Co-
operators insurance group across Canada.

UTILITY TELCOS FORM COUNCIL: Canadian utilities have formed 
UTC Canada, to represent their telecom and IT interests. The 
association is affiliated with the U.S.-based United Telecom 
Council.

http://canada.utc.org/

CAIP MERGES WITH CATA: The Canadian Association of Internet 
Providers, which has been sharing administrative support with 
the Canadian Advanced Technology Association since late 2002 
(see Telecom Update #363), has voted to merge with the larger 
organization. The CAIP Board of Directors will become CATA's 
Internet Advisory Committee.

VON CANADA PROGRAM ANNOUNCED: Pulver.com has announced the 
program for VON Canada 2004, to be held in Markham, Ontario, 
May 18-20. Speakers at the conference, which focuses on the 
convergence of the telecom and Internet industries, will 
include senior executives from Bell Canada, Telus, Mitel, 
Nortel, Avaya, Primus, and Vonage.

www.voncanada.com/schedule.html

GOING BEYOND VOICE IN IP TELEPHONY: In the May issue of 
Telemanagement, John Riddell presents five case studies of 
advanced applications based on IP PBXs. Also in this issue:

   - Wireless Substitution: How Accurate are Telco Claims?
   - Toronto Airport Implements Multi-User IP Network
   - Understanding and Managing Wi-Fi Performance

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From: "Harry Ekelund" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 08:18:16 -0700

Hi, Marcel...

What is the source for the attached bulletin? I've got som einterest in the
Canadian market.

Thanks.

Harry
  -----Original Message-----
  From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]]
  Sent: Monday, May 10, 2004 7:55 AM
  To: [email-masked]
  Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Telecom Update #432, May 10, 2004

  IN THIS ISSUE:

  www.ciaccess.com/

  http://canada.utc.org/

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 14:33:01 -0400

It comes in an email format. I will  lokk for the info-

Harry Ekelund wrote:

>  Hi, Marcel...What is the source for the attached bulletin? I've got
> som einterest in the Canadian market.Thanks.Harry