Previously, we covered the Canadian wireless spectrum auction, which promised to increase wireless competition with seven new companies awarded licenses. One of these new entrants was Shaw Communications, acquiring $190M worth of spectrum in BC, Alberta, Winnipeg, Saskatchewan, and Northern Ontario. Unfortunately, the Globe and Mail reports that everyone's favorite elephant-in-the-room, Global Economic Uncertainty, has led Shaw to put off plans to launch a wireless service for "at least a year".
During the time Mr. Shaw and his team weighed options, economic conditions deteriorated, giving the executives even more confidence in their ultimate decision. In a bad economy, families stay home and watch more television, so the company has decided to invest in its cable offerings for now, such as adding more high-definition programming.
"We felt it more prudent to develop our core business right now, and not divert any of our attention away from our mainstream products. It's like you don't want to buy the neighbour's house when your house isn't fixed up," Mr. Shaw says. "It's really about where do you put your money and at what time. And we think this is the best spot to put it in right now, and that the time will come for cellular."
People prefer TV in a recession? Bothersome, but valid. I'd say people will also prefer the Internet, but I suppose that still falls under Shaw's core business. A new wireless service would have to compete aggressively on price and service, and the ROI on building out wireless infrastructure is likely not strong enough at this time.
This move in contrast to other spectrum buyers Quebecor and Globalive. Quebecor recently announced plans to go ahead and make use of their spectrum space with an $800M 3G network in Quebec. Ontario and Western Canada should still see some wireless competition courtesy of Globalive, which has pledged to launch wireless service in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Ottawa, starting in the 2nd half of 2009.
Shaw has experienced rapid and successful growth within the cable, satellite and telecommunications industries over the last several decades. With... [more]
Twenty million households in the USA have done away with landlines, using their cell phones as their default phones. But old habits can be hard to break and some might miss the convenience of receiving calls through their old landline.
Calgary-based Xtreme Technologies Corporation has launched XLink, which routes up to three cell phones through your old landline, even if you've already abandoned regular phone service (or set up in addition to your existing landline service). The landline phone can be enabled to use distinct rings for each cell phone, so nobody has to become a receptionist for their roommate or colleague. The product also comes with an optional long-distance service. Skype support is coming in 2009.
For those thinking of giving up their regular landline or who are regretting doing so, this service seems to offer a pretty good compromise between landline-plus-cell or fully mobile for the home or office.
Xtreme Technologies is an electronics design and manufacturing company and the leader in Cellular Gateways and Bluetooth Docking Stations. The new... [more]
Amidst the excitement of the American election this week, the US Federal Communications Commission made a decision that is likely to lead to a new generation of wireless networking with far greater range and speed than we enjoy today. The 5-0 decision approved new uses for "white space" - portions of the electromagnetic spectrum that are unlicensed. Contemporary WiFi networking also uses unlicensed white space. The area of the spectrum in question includes space that is currently used by television, but will become empty in February 2009 as per the US digital switchover mandate. This space could have been auctioned off, as the US and Canada have done recently, licensing new spectrum space for cellular providers.
This initiative has been spearhead by the White Spaces Coalition, a group of companies including Google, Microsoft, Dell, HP, Intel, Philips, Earthlink, and Samsung. They argue that the space could be used for long distance networking of 10Mb+, and 50-100Mb for short range (compare to current speeds of about 2Mb and 11-54Mb, respectively). Such new technology could be a major boost for rural broadband, and stimulate competition against ISPs and telecom providers.
Bringing devices to market that make use of this newly freed spectrum space will take some time, perhaps they'll be ready in time for Canada's digital-only switchover date, August 31, 2011, about two and a half years after the US. This week at the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Convention, the CRTC urged the federal government to assist the country's transition, saying that "We're way behind as a country. We need government involvement. We need to act fast, otherwise folks will go without their programming," Oh no, folks won't have their TV programming? Mass panic! Rioting in the streets! Seriously though, the digital transition is an expensive one for both broadcasters and viewers, and according to the CRTC, Canada is lagging behind. The US government recognizes the importantly of keeping the god-boxes running; they've offered rebates for those who have to purchase digital-conversion boxes. Will Canadian taxpayers get to pick up the tab to save their own TVs from obsolescence? Is this even a real issue in times of global economic uncertainty? Will we have to wait three years to use new faster networking devices that our American counterparts will be enjoying? Time will tell.
Bell Canada recently announced they're letting customers roll over unused minutes into the following month. For $30 a month and up, Bell customers can choose from a variety of rollover plans.That's a bold, decisive move...for American companies a few years ago. As ever, progress comes slowly to Canada's mobile space, despite the best efforts of everyone but the carriers themselves.
Or maybe not. Fido just dropped the despised system access fee, which has been widely touted as the most hated "feature" of mobile phone use in Canada, and Rogers is rumored to be following suit soon. The reason? Competition. Next year new mobile phone companies will arrive, and the established order is already being shaken up. Even Koodo, the Telus-backed discount phone brand, is lighting a fire under carriers to change their established practices. And not a moment too soon, as smart phones like the iPhone and the upcoming Blackberry Storm redefine mobile computing...as long as the infrastructure, fees and data plans are in place to make them effective tools and not paperweights that take calls.
BCE is Canada's largest communications company, providing the most comprehensive and innovative suite of communication services to residential and... [more]
RBC, Rogers Wireless and Visa are joining forces to push Canadian wireless purchasing to the next level. With an end goal of allowing customers to make secure point-of-sale purchases simply by waving their phone, the trio have created a pilot project expected to launch in mid-2009.
Designed for small purchases and with an emphasis on convenience, the pilot project relies on Motorola phones equipped with Near Field Communication (NFC) chips, which enable the VIsa Paywave feature in the same way as with a contactless RBC Visa card.
Several Asian countries, particularly Japan, have enabled mobile wallet technology for quite some time. But though replacing your wallet with your phone means you'll have one less thing to carry around in your pocket, it also means you'll be pulling out your virtual cash and putting it to your ear in plain view of everyone throughout most of the day. It remains to be seen if North Americans are ready for their phones to replace everything.
We are a diversified Canadian communications and media company. We are engaged in wireless voice and data communications services through Wireless,... [more]
Back in July we reported on the Canadian wireless spectrum auction, where the biggest investor (aside from the big three: Rogers, Bell, and Telus) was Quebecor Media, spending $554M for spectrum rights in Quebec. Today, Quebecor announced their plans to make use of that spectrum "space", deploying a HSPA/3G network under the Vidéotron brand, a Quebecor Media subsidiary. Currently Vidéotron's wireless service piggybacks on Rogers' network. Quebecor President and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau bills it as a major shift for Quebecor's business:
“This project is of more than technical interest; it is a watershed event in the history of Quebecor Media and Videotron...what we are announcing is not just the building of a new telecommunications network; with this network, we are laying the foundations of a new business model for Quebecor Media and all its subsidiaries."
Vidéotron claims that this $800M investment will create 1,000 jobs, though the price includes the $554M spent just on spectrum rights. Nokia Siemens Networks will supply the hardware for the upgrade. The new network will be launched in 12-18 months, around the same time Globalive plans to launch in other provinces.
Vancouver's Sutus Inc. announced yesterday that it has secured $2 million in venture funding from BDC Venture Capital, the Working Opportunity Fund, managed by Growthworks Capital Ltd. and an additional $2.5 million in debt financing from MMV Financial Inc. In addition to the new funding, Sutus announced the addition of Mike Donnell as CEO, who brings with him over 25 years of executive leadership experience in the telecom and software industries.
Founded in 2002, with over $15.5 million invested into its technology, Sutus is focused on the small business office communications market with its Business Central product. The new funding will be used to accelerate sales, leveraging the traction Sutus has established in the market since launching its flagship product in late 2007.
Greg Aasen, chairman of Sutus' board of directors, commented, "We are thrilled that Mike has joined us and will be leading the next phase of the company's growth. Mike's experience in leading both public and private companies to profitability, as well as his successful track record in fund raising, channel expansion and new product development will be instrumental in Sutus' future success. His background in service provider organizations as well as vendors to tier-1 service providers will ensure Sutus' development into a leading partner to the service provider community."
GrowthWorks is a recognized leader in the Canadian venture capital industry, specializing in the management and growth of regionally based venture... [more]
At Sutus we are focused on providing Small Businesses with the complete office communication and IT solution needed to effectively compete in... [more]
MMV Financial is a Toronto-based specialty finance company providing creative debt solutions directly to technology and life sciences companies... [more]
We first reported on rumors to this effect back in July, and today, in a buzzword laden press release barely discernible to commoners, Bell announced they will be upgrading their network with HSPA technology. This will expand the models of phones they are able to support and bring them in line with the GSM standard that has achieved near ubiquity outside of North America.
As it continues to expand and enhance its national 3G CDMA/EVDO service, Bell will also overlay this industry-leading network with HSPA technology, maximizing the latest-generation wireless options the company can offer customers across Canada.
Bell wireless customers will be able to choose between EVDO – already the dominant 3G standard in Canada and across North America – and HSPA, which is rapidly becoming the main platform with carriers outside North America. At the same time, overlaying HSPA on its national network will offer Bell the most efficient upgrade path to the 4G LTE broadband standard in coming years.
This is a very major upgrade, and is likely costing Bell chunks of cash, but it is a necessary one to stay competitive and pave the way for future upgrades. The release also mentions that the upgrade will give them a migration path to the 4G Long Term Evolution standard that will give us faster speeds and reasons to upgrade our phones in the mid-distant future.
You might recall that went the iPhone came to Canada, there was only one carrier they could go with: Rogers/Fido. Only they supported the GSM standard that the iPhone (and many other phones) required, as opposed to the CDMA standard that Telus and Bell uses. This change doesn't mean that Bell will immediately begin carrying all these GSM phones, such things may be subject to carrier exclusivity agreements, but it does mean that it will be at least technically possible for these phones to work with Bell.
They don't mention an exact timeline for the upgrade, but there is one quote:
“As the exclusive telecommunications partner to the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games, we look forward to delivering these enhanced capabilities before Canada hosts the world in 2010.”
Nice job getting the Olympic sponsorship reference in, I know I'm looking forward to seeing a Bell ad every 3 minutes during the Olympics. There's a major incentive for them to ensure that the GSM upgrade is in place before the 2010 Winter Olympics. When Olympic athletes and visitors land in Vancouver and power up their (likely GSM) phone, which provider will it connect to and start roaming with? Will it be the exclusive Olympic partner, or will it be Rogers? The big countdown clock behind the Vancouver Art Gallery says they have 490 days to make it happen.
Bell Canada, Canada's national leader in communications, provides connectivity to residential and business customers through wired and wireless... [more]
Today Canada's Do Not Call Registry comes into effect and is open for registration. 31 days after your number is registered, it will be illegal for telemarketers to solicit your number. You can register your number on their website, however the site seems to be very busy right now and is returning errors. Best wait a day or two for the rush to die down. You can also register by calling 1-866-580-3625, though imaginably that number will be quite busy today as well.
It's nice to finally see this in Canada, five years after the US Do Not Call Registry started. Telemarketers will face up to a $15,000 fine if they call a number listed in the registry. However, getting on the list won't end all spam calls, as there are exemptions:
The exemptions include telemarketing calls made by, or on behalf of:
- Canadian registered charities;
- Political parties, riding associations and candidates; and
- Newspapers of general circulation for the purpose of soliciting subscriptions.
Telemarketing calls from organizations with whom you have an existing business relationship are also exempt. You are considered to have an existing business relationship with a telemarketer if you:
- Purchased, leased, or rented a product or service in the last eighteen (18) months from the telemarketer;
- You have a written contract with the telemarketer for a service that is still in effect or expired within the last eighteen (18) months; and/or
- You asked a telemarketer about a product or service within the last six (6) months.
Telemarketers may also call you if you have provided express consent to be called. Express consent includes:
- Your permission on a written form, electronic form, or an online form; or
- Your verbal permission.
The National DNCL Rules to not apply to telemarketing calls made to businesses.
Also, market research, surveys, and public opinion polls are not covered by the registry. No more carpet or furance cleaning solicitations, at least. What are the chances we could get a "Wrong Number Registry", where I could specify that I'm not Steve, Cindy, or Samir?
Via the CBC, a study from the Oxford Business School in London comparing global Internet speeds and response times claims that Canada is lagging behind and woefully prepared for future demand. This is strange news to me as I use the Canadian Internets to research and write this post with no unacceptable delays. Canada ranked 27th out of 42 nations, with the United States in 16th. Their standard of acceptable speed is 3.75 Mb download, 1 Mb upload, and latency less than 95 ms. This defined standard may be slightly above the average Canadian broadband connection, but likely only in upload speed, which is usually restricted more on home connections.
I find two faults with the results of this study. First, they say to have used results collected from speedtest.net. Speedtest is a reliable site for what it does, but people most often run speed tests when their connection is acting abnormally, so there's a fair chance that such results would be lower than a true average. Second, the top ranking "broadband quality" countries on the list were Japan, Sweden, Netherlands, Latvia, Korea, and Switzerland. These countries have between 10-100x higher population density than Canada. The vast size of the great white north introduces challenges for our internet service providers in deploying infrastructure. Ranking below Canada were countries like India and China that, while have high population density, have to deal with aged infrastructure and a much larger population to service.
What's that last line? Ohh, the study was sponsored by Cisco, the world's leading provider of networking hardware, the company with the most to gain from the expansion of Internet infrastructure.
It's a fact that Canada's broadband speeds lag behind other developed countries, but are we being held back because it isn't fast enough? I don't see how. I agree that Canada's ISPs will have to step up upgrading infrastructure to keep up with future demand and expand access to rural communities, but I think they'll manage. After all, their wireless divisions are the most profitable in the developed world. The spread of broadband has opened competition for television and phone service, and these previously entrenched monopolies have found themselves in a much more competitive space. The time for resting on their laurels has passed.
