Return-Path: Received: by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.7.4/NSCS-1.0S) id AAA02746; Tue, 31 Mar 1998 00:42:21 -0500 (EST) Date: Tue, 31 Mar 1998 00:42:21 -0500 (EST) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <199803310542.AAA02746@massis.lcs.mit.edu> To: ptownson Subject: TELECOM Digest V18 #47 TELECOM Digest Tue, 31 Mar 98 00:42:00 EST Volume 18 : Issue 47 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Browse the Web Undercover (Monty Solomon) Wireless Overlays are *Impossible* in the U.S. (Linc Madison) Canadian PCS Provider Uses Antique Bus to Promote Service (Nigel Allen) US West Discovers Massive Possible Slamming (Tad Cook) Telecom Update (Canada) #126, March 30, 1998 (Angus TeleManagement) TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of public service systems and networks including Compuserve and America On Line. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. Subscriptions are available to qualified organizations and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify: * telecom-request@telecom-digest.org * The Digest is edited, published and compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson of Skokie, Illinois USA. You can reach us by postal mail, fax or phone at: Post Office Box 4621 Skokie, IL USA 60076 Phone: 847-727-5427 Fax: 773-539-4630 ** Article submission address: editor@telecom-digest.org ** Our archives are available for your review/research. The URL is: http://telecom-digest.org They can also be accessed using anonymous ftp: ftp hyperarchive.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives (or use our mirror site: ftp ftp.epix.net/pub/telecom-archives) A third method is the Telecom Email Information Service: Send a note to archives@telecom-digest.org to receive a help file for using this method or write me and ask for a copy of the help file for the Telecom Archives. ************************************************************************* * TELECOM Digest is partially funded by a grant from the * * International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Geneva, Switzerland * * under the aegis of its Telecom Information Exchange Services (TIES) * * project. Views expressed herein should not be construed as represent-* * ing views of the ITU. * ************************************************************************* In addition, a gift from Mike Sandman, Chicago's Telecom Expert has enabled me to replace some obsolete computer equipment and enter the 21st century sort of on schedule. His mail order telephone parts/supplies service based in the Chicago area has been widely recognized by Digest readers as a reliable and very inexpensive source of telecom-related equipment. Please request a free catalog today at http://www.sandman.com --------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, the Digest is funded by gifts from generous readers such as yourself who provide funding in amounts deemed appropriate. Your help is important and appreciated. A suggested donation of twenty dollars per year per reader is considered appropriate. See our address above. Please make at least a single donation to cover the cost of processing your name to the mailing list. All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Reply-To: Monty Solomon From: Monty Solomon Subject: Browse the Web Undercover Date: Mon, 30 Mar 1998 01:05:36 -0500 http://www.zdnet.com/products/content/pccg/1104/293462.html Browse the Web Undercover April, 1998 Your browser is selling you out. Without your knowledge, it's offering up personal information to marketers who are only too happy to bombard you with product offers, ads, and golden opportunities to make money at home. And once their servers lock in your information, there's nothing to stop them from selling it. But there's a way to beat them at their own game: Go undercover. Here's how to protect yourself on the Net. First Line of Defense: Maintain a low profile while browsing the Web by using a proxy server, which sits between your PC and the sites you visit. Instead of capturing your information, Web servers see only the proxy's identity. If you work in a large office or corporation and connect to the Web via a T1 line, you're probably protected by a proxy server -- like Netscape Proxy Server or Microsoft Proxy Server -- or a firewall. But if you aren't covered by that kind of protection, you should check out The Anonymizer, a public proxy server at www.anonymizer.com. The Anonymizer serves as a surrogate for you, retrieving as many Web pages as you wish from as many sites as you wish. It displays the pages you request in a frame, so you know when it's working. If you're using Anonymizer's free service, your browser window will display ads and there is a 30-second delay. Another version does the job without ads or delays for a quarterly fee of $15. Paying for Anonymizer's service, or using a free personal proxy server like Lucent's Personalized Web Assistant (see "Fight Back!" page 136) are the best ways to browse incognito all the time. In addition to keeping your e-mail address from nosy servers, Anonymizer's proxy service keeps your ISP's name private and the URL of the page you visit before you've clicked on the site. Anonymizer also maintains your anonymity during FTP sessions and disables Java. Do-It-Yourself Anonymizing: A more straightforward approach to Web privacy is to temporarily remove your personal information from your browser. This is a must when browsing new sites. After you remove details like your name and e-mail address from your browser, the only info a Web site can sniff out is your ISP's address and geographical location. Here's a quick rundown of how to get at and remove personal data from Netscape Navigator versions 3.0 and 4.0. This stealth tip doesn't apply to Microsoft Internet Explorer because it doesn't have a proprietary e-mail application. Instead, IE links to Microsoft Outlook, for example -- or whatever program you use for e-mail. Before you delete any information from your Navigator settings, copy the information into another file. You'll have to restore it before you can read your e-mail later. Navigator 3.0: From the Options menu, select Mail and News Preferences. Click on the Servers tab, and delete the information in the mail server and username fields. Then select the Identity tab and delete info in the name, e-mail, reply to, and organization fields. Navigator 4.0: From the Edit menu, select Preferences and click on the Identity category listed to the left of the Preferences window. Delete the information in each of the five displayed fields. Next click on the Mail Server category and delete the information in the three fields that appear. (If the Identity and Mail Server categories are not visible, click on Mail & Groups.) Java? No Thanks! Java and JavaScript applets can take control of your browser. Among other tricks, JavaScript can send you to a Web page you didn't select, open a new preaddressed e-mail message, or send internal commands to your browser -- all without your having selected or clicked on anything. So while you're modifying your browser's settings, disable Java and JavaScript too. Navigator 3.0: From the Options menu, select Network Preferences, then click on the Languages tab. Uncheck the boxes for Java and JavaScript. Navigator 4.0: From the Edit menu, select Preferences and click on Advanced. Deselect Enable Java and Enable JavaScript. Internet Explorer 3.0: From the View menu, select Options, and click on the Security tab. Uncheck the boxes next to Run ActiveX scripts (which, in IE3, encompasses all types of scripting) and Enable Java programs. Internet Explorer 4.0: To disable Java, select Internet Options from the View menu, then click on the Advanced tab. Now double-click on Java VM, if it isn't already open, and uncheck both boxes under this header. Disabling JavaScript is a bit more involved: Click on the Security tab. Choose whether you want JavaScript to work on just certain Web sites or for the entire Internet. Truly Anonymous FTP: If you still use an FTP client program to download files, make certain it's set to give a bogus password, like guest@unknown.com. If your browser lets you, turn off the feature that sends your e-mail address as a password for anonymous FTP sessions. Navigator 3.0:Go to the Options menu and select Network Preferences. Click on the Protocols tab and uncheck Send Email Address as Anonymous FTP Password. Navigator 4.0: Go to the Edit menu and select Preferences. Click on Advanced and uncheck Send Email Address as Anonymous FTP Password. Internet Explorer users can't change this setting in their browsers; your log-in and password information is handled by whichever FTP client you use. Free Fixes: Print Web Pages. It can be frustrating to print Web pages, especially when they include frames. What you may not know is that your browser will print whatever it thinks is the current frame. Select the text in the frame you want to print, and presto! If you want to print all the frames at once and you're using Internet Explorer 4.0 or Navigator 4.0, you're in luck. Just click on Print to view your options. Or download an Internet printing utility, like ClickBook from Blue Squirrel (www.bluesquirrel.com/clickbook). If all else fails, copy and paste the contents of a Web page, frames and all, into your word processor and then print. Insider Info: Stay Connected. Ack! You're reading a Web page and click on the next link only to find that your Internet connection has gone south. Most Internet service providers disconnect you if your account is inactive for 10 or 15 minutes. To trick your ISP and keep your connection alive, you need to generate some activity every few minutes. One way is to set your mail reader to check for new mail every 10 minutes. You can also download RAS+95 (shown here and available for download at our Web site at www.pccomputing.com) and activate its ping monitor. Other options? Turn on RealNetworks RealAudio and listen to Internet radio. Free Fixes: Fight Back! Do something about unwanted jabs at your privacy with these free services and downloads. Link to them at www.pccomputing.com. www.anonymizer.com Browse the Web without being identified. www.junkbusters.com Junkbusters weeds out spam and acts as a proxy server too. www.lpwa.com:8000/privacy.html Roam the Internet without revealing your true identity with the Lucent Personalized Web Assistant. www.eflash.com Run eFilter before you check your mail to purge spam. www.omron.com/oas/index.html Use Omron's MailJail to squash spam. www.roadblock.net Set up a border patrol between junk e-mail and your PC. www.contactplus.com Block junk e-mail before it hits your hard drive with Spam Buster. www.luckman.com Browse the Web cookie-free. www.rsa.com Protect your e-mail with Secure MIME encryption. Quick Results Get It DUN Can't get on the Net? It might be your Dial-up Networking connection. Check your password and username for misspellings and incorrect capitalization. To view these settings, right-click on the Dial-up Networking (DUN) connection and choose Connect. Verify if DUN is pointing to the right modem. Check to see if the names of your mail servers are typed in properly. If your PC has a static IP address, verify that it's entered correctly. Right-click on the DUN connection, select Properties, click on Server Type, and click on TCP/IP. Does your ISP require that you specify IP addresses for its Domain Name Servers (DNS)? Verify if the DNS entries are correct while in the TCP/IP dialog box. You'll need to dig out your ISP's sign-up documentation or call its tech support to compare addresses. --------------------------- [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: A couple other things that help prevent your personal browsing habits from becoming known are to set the history deletion dates to either zero or one (or perhaps even to set the browser to forget everything once the present session is done); to keep your bookmarks or 'favorites' as they are known in IE-4 in a separate file out of reach of snoopers; and totally delete the cookie file once in a while as I do. Some web sites will go look at your entire cookie file if you let them, and they'll look over your bookmarks as well. Regarding the mail program in Netscape, since I do not use Netscape to get mail, I just left that blank all the time but you could put totally dummy information there also. My sole bookmark entry in Netscape or IE-4 is an entry which points to the page c:\windows\system\bookmarks.htm ... and my default 'home page' for both browsers is c:\windows\startbrowser.htm, with a background of clouds.bmp, and a hyperlink to my bookmarks.htm page. PAT] ------------------------------ From: Telecom@LincMad.NOSPAM (Linc Madison) Subject: Wireless Overlays are *Impossible* in the U.S. Date: Mon, 30 Mar 1998 15:05:53 -0800 Organization: LincMad Consulting; change NOSPAM to COM There has been quite a lot of discussion recently about the concept of "wireless only" overlay area codes, particularly since the Colorado Public Utilities Commission appears to be considering such a plan for the Denver area. The FCC and other agencies have ruled that wireless overlays are not allowed, because they represent "discrimination on the basis of class of service." In short, such an overlay would place wireless carriers at a possible competitive disadvantage against wirelines carriers. However, a frequent reader of this forum pointed something out to me in private e-mail: wireless overlays are not only contrary to current policy, but also impossible on a technical level! The reason is quite simple: one of the underpinnings of Local Number Portability is that you can change your service to *ANY* carrier while keeping your existing number. That specifically *INCLUDES* wireless carriers. Thus, you can force all existing wireless customers to change to the new wireless overlay, but they can then turn around, order a POTS line, and then convert the POTS number to the wireless service under LNP. There is some expense involved in the install charge on the POTS number, but I'd bet there would be a sizeable number of wireless customers who would be willing to shell out an extra $50 in order to have a cellphone in the "traditional" area code. (Here in California, we're talking $34.75 basic install plus $6.00/month basic service, put in the LNP order to switch the number to the cellphone as soon as the POTS line is turned on, easily get out for under $60.) More to the point, it would be hopelessly confusing if a prefix that had some combination of wireless and wireline numbers were converted in a wireless-only overlay. You would have three choices, each of them untenable: 1. Leave all the numbers in the wireline area code 2. Change all the numbers to the wireless area code 3. Have a prefix where NXX-1234 stays NPA1 but NXX-1235 changes to NPA2 The bottom line is that you can't have both LNP and wireless-only overlays. Since the U.S. is firmly committed to LNP, the wireless-only overlay is dead and buried as far as the United States is concerned. Anyone who wants to argue that we should proceed with wireless overlays must first address the question of how you can reconcile the conflict with Local Number Portability issues. ** Do not send me unsolicited commercial e-mail spam of any kind ** Linc Madison * San Francisco, California * Telecom@LincMad-com URL:< http://www.lincmad.com > * North American Area Codes & Splits >> NOTE: if you autoreply, you must change "NOSPAM" to "com" << [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The {Chicago Tribune} had a very inter- esting article on local number portability in the March 30 issue. Apparently it will be starting in full force here as of April 1, which I note, is April Fool's Day, for all the fools at the various telcos who think it will go over smoothly as planned. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 30 Mar 1998 22:27:17 -0500 From: Nigel Allen Subject: Canadian PCS Provider Uses Antique Bus to Promote Service The following press release from Fido, a Canadian PCS provider, was sufficiently surreal that I thought I should share with with other TELECOM Digest readers. (I found the press release on the Canada NewsWire web site at http://www.newswire.ca/ I don't work for Fido or Canada NewsWire.) FIDO UNLEASHED IN THE STREETS OF GREATER TORONTO TORONTO, March 27 - With tail wagging in excitement and motor revving in anticipation, the Fidomobile, an automotive classic, was unleashed today in the streets of Toronto. With the removal of the world's largest dog collar, the Fidomobile began its tour to deliver PCS technology into the hands of Greater Toronto residents during the next two months. Last year, Microcell Solutions brought Fido to Torontonians by means of an airship. This year, it brings Fido back by using the streets of Toronto to show off its colours. Throughout April and May, the Fidomobile will be making its rounds to communities and special events around the GTA. Members of the public are invited to tour the bus, enter on-site contests, receive entries for in-store contests, and make a free phone call on a Fido to anyone in North America. One dollar ($1.00) from every Fido(R) handset sold between April and August will be donated to Canine Vision Canada Dog Guides -- a foundation dedicated to training seeing-eye dogs for the blind and visually impaired. The Fidomobile was originally built in 1942 by General Motors as part of the "Futurliner" series designed to show off the latest technological advances in the automotive industry. Of the 12 ever built, it is one of the three that remain in operation, and is the only one in Canada. "The Fidomobile is a perfect symbol of the Fido PCS revolution," said Gary Switzer, Vice-President and General Manager, Central Region, Microcell Solutions. "It underscores the unique approach we take to wireless communications. In its day, the Fidomobile's air conditioning and power steering were a rarity. Today, true per-second billing and wireless data transmission are features unique to Fido." Refurbished to its full glory in the early 1990s, the Futurliner is now adorned with Fido logos and colours. Its sleek art deco design and truly unique dimensions (10 m long and 2.5 m wide) attract attention wherever it goes. The driver enters through the front of the bus, ascends a spiral staircase to a three-sided bubble-shaped cabin, looking out from 3.5 meters above the road. "We're putting Fido out on the streets and showing off the freedom and convenience PCS brings," explained Switzer. "With no long-term contract to sign, Fido offers a vast array of services. Call Waiting and Call Display are just some of the features available." Fido offers two extremely competitive monthly airtime packages: $40 for 400 minutes, or $20 for 100 minutes. Fido minutes can be used any time of day and are always calculated by the second. Call Waiting, Call Forwarding and Conference Call are included in Fido Service, with Customized Services also available, such as Call Display, Personal Voice Messaging, Fax Messaging and Text Messaging. Fido's long-distance rates are 15 cents per minute within the same province and 20 cents per minute for calls to the rest of Canada and the United States, usable any time of day. A 15% discount on local phone company rates applies to all international calls. Fido operates on the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) platform, the dominant world standard for wireless telecommunications technology, deployed in over 100 countries. Microcell offers seamless roaming in Hong Kong, the U.K., France, Switzerland, Germany and in over 500 U.S. cities, with several new countries to be added very soon. Fido Service is marketed by Microcell Solutions Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Microcell Telecommunications Inc. (TSE, ME: MTI.B; Nasdaq: MICTF). Microcell launched its service in November 1996, and was the first company to offer PCS at 1.9 GHz in Canada. Microcell has been a public company since October 15, 1997. Its principal shareholders include: Telesystem Ltd., Call-Net Enterprises Inc., and Le Groupe Vidotron Lte. The company's head office is located in Montreal; it currently employs more than 1,000 people. http://www.microcell.ca http://www.fido.ca Fido is a registered trademark of Microcell Solutions Inc. (end of press release) For further information: Source: Brian Smith, Opsis Communications & Marketing, (416) 368-8998; Information: Victoria Ollers, Microcell Telecommunications Inc., (416) 822-2288 [Note from NDA: Just as a footnote, this Fido has nothing to do with FidoNet, the international amateur BBS network.] forwarded by Nigel Allen, 8 Silver Ave., Toronto, Ontario M6R 1X8, Canada ndallen@interlog.com http://www.ndallen.com/ [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I am surprised that the BBS operators' network does not have the name 'Fido' tradmarked or otherwise protected; or do they? Will there be any sort of conflict using the name 'Fido' in Canada where the BBS operators are concerned? PAT] ------------------------------ Subject: US West Discovers Massive Possible Slamming Date: Mon, 30 Mar 1998 12:44:12 PST From: tad@ssc.com US West Discovers Massive Possible Slamming DENVER, March 27 /PRNewswire/ -- U S WEST Communications (NYSE: USW) has discovered possible incidents of mass slamming -- switching of customers' long-distance services without their permission -- in Minnesota and Washington, one involving 70 percent of an entire community. On March 10, a long-distance company submitted a computer file to U S WEST Communications to switch 3,877 customers served by U S WEST's Beard switching office in Minneapolis to that company's long-distance service. The switching office serves 54,356 lines in parts of Minneapolis, St. Louis Park and Edina. All of the changes involved in this order that U S WEST is aware of are in the 929 exchange within area code 612. On March 11, the same long-distance company submitted a computer file to U S WEST Communications to switch 4,647 customers served by U S WEST's Colville, Washington, switching office to its long-distance service. That's 70 percent of all the customers served by the Colville call-switching office. The office serves 4,965 residential and 1,657 business lines with the prefix 684 within area code 509. U S WEST employees processing the Minnesota changes became suspicious when they noticed that a large number of lines in a single call-switching office were being changed to the same carrier and asked the long-distance carrier to confirm the order. The long-distance company told U S WEST that a company that resells its service had submitted the order and that the reseller had verification forms for the orders. Based on the long-distance company's verification, U S WEST employees in Minnesota processed the changes, as they are required to do by law. U S WEST employees processing the Washington changes also became suspicious when they, too, noticed that so many customers served by a single call-switching office were being changed to the same carrier. The long-distance carrier again told U S WEST that a company that resells its service had submitted the order, but said it could not locate the verification forms for the changes. Because the long-distance company could not produce verification forms, U S WEST stopped processing the Colville order. About half of the changes had been made before U S WEST became suspicious and asked for verification. U S WEST does not know whether the same reseller was involved in both incidents. `We're still investigating to determine why this happened and how many customers were affected,` said Solomon D. Trujillo, president and chief executive officer of U S WEST Communications. `However, we've gotten a large number of complaints from customers reporting that they did not authorize a change in long-distance companies.` `We are working to promptly switch any customers whose long-distance service was changed without their permission back to their original long- distance company,` Trujillo said. `Any charges for switching customers back to their original long-distance company will be billed to the carriers involved. Customers will not have to pay for the changes.` Although U S WEST is still investigating the incidents in Minnesota and Washington, `We're asking the news media to alert customers so they can check to see if they've been slammed,` Trujillo said. `Whatever the final conclusion as to what happened here,` Trujillo added, `these two incidents should be powerful reminders that it's time to put an end to slamming, something we've long advocated. If it turns out that entire communities can be slammed, that's just inexcusable.` Slamming has long been the number one complaint consumers and businesses have about their phone service. U S WEST Communications alone received requests from nearly 400,000 customers last year who reported being slammed. If current trends continue, the number of customers contacting U S WEST for help because of slamming will easily exceed half a million this year. `The solution is simple,` Trujillo said. `Punish the wrongdoers by imposing fines against companies guilty of repeated slamming. And take away the financial incentives for slamming by ensuring that the money customers pay for long-distance calls go to the company they choose -- not the company that slammed them. Right now, slammers get to keep the money for any calls customers makes while they're slammed. That's just wrong.` Customers who want to find out if their long-distance company has been switched can dial 1-700-555-4141 from the phone line they want to check. The call is free and will connect the caller to an automated system that tells them the name of the long-distance company assigned to the phone line from which the call is placed. Any customers who have been slammed should contact U S WEST's customer service bureau at 1-800-922-1879 to have their service switched back to their original long-distance company. U S WEST Communications provides a full range of telecommunications services -- including wireline, wireless PCS and data networking -- to more than 25 million customers in 14 western and midwestern states. The company is one of two major groups that make up U S WEST, a company in the connections business, helping customers share information, entertainment and communications services in local markets worldwide. U S WEST's other major group, U S WEST MediaOne Group, is involved in domestic and international cable and telephone, wireless communications, and directory and information services. U S WEST has proposed splitting the two groups into separate public companies sometime after mid-1998, pending shareowner and other approvals. U S WEST Communications can be found on the Internet at http://www.uswest.com. SOURCE U S WEST Communications ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 30 Mar 1998 21:22:13 -0500 From: Angus TeleManagement Subject: Telecom Update (Canada) #126, March 30, 1998 ************************************************************ * * * TELECOM UPDATE * * Angus TeleManagement's Weekly Telecom Newsbulletin * * http://www.angustel.ca * * Number 126: March 30, 1998 * * * * Publication of Telecom Update is made possible by * * generous financial support from: * * * * Bell Canada ................. http://www.bell.ca/ * * City Dial Network Services .. http://www.citydial.com/ * * Computer Talk Technology .... http://icescape.com/ * * fONOROLA .................... http://www.fonorola.com/ * * Lucent Technologies ......... http://www.lucent.com/ * * * ************************************************************ IN THIS ISSUE: ** Telus and AT&T Weigh Merger... ** ...And Bell Canada Responds ** CRTC Okays Joint Marketing, Bundling ** fONOROLA Plans Name Change ** Public Hearing on NBTel Cable TV License Begins ** Ottawa Rejects CFIB Rate Appeal ** Bell Seeks Lower Business Rates ** BCE, Bell to Merge HQ Staff ** BC Tel Business Rate Changes Okayed ** Cantel Recruits More U.S. Execs ** Comments Sought on Satellite Licenses ** How to Appeal a CRTC Decision ** Nortel to Test Internet on Power Lines ** NBTel Puts Directory on Screen Phone ** Fido Enters Alberta ** TMI Offers Continental Packet Data ** Is There A LAN-Based PBX in Your Future? ============================================================ TELUS AND AT&T WEIGH MERGER...: Following a report published in the Globe and Mail, Telus Corporation confirmed that it is "in discussions with AT&T that could lead to a possible business combination." Telus may acquire the two-thirds stake in AT&T Canada Long Distance Services now held by three banks. ...AND BELL CANADA RESPONDS: Bell Canada replied to the Telus announcement with a statement that Stentor members are discussing how to realign their alliance "to serve our customers and to look for new business opportunities." ** Bell also announced its intention to develop a national service delivering broadband and Internet capabilities from coast to coast. CRTC OKAYS JOINT MARKETING, BUNDLING: CRTC Decision 98-4 eliminates restrictions which prevented telcos from jointly marketing wireless and wireline services and sets out rules for pricing services which "bundle" tariffed and non- tariffed offerings. http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/telecom/decision/1998/d984_0.txt fONOROLA PLANS NAME CHANGE: Long distance carrier fONOROLA has announced that it will change its name this year, to avoid legal disputes with Motorola in the United States. PUBLIC HEARING ON NBTEL CABLE TV LICENSE BEGINS: On March 30, the CRTC begins a public hearing in Saint John, New Brunswick, to consider NBTel's application for a commercial broadcasting distribution (cable TV) license. This is the first such application by a Canadian telco. http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/bcasting/hearing/1998/n981_0.txt OTTAWA REJECTS CFIB RATE APPEAL: On March 20, the Federal Cabinet turned down the Canadian Federation of Independent Business's appeal against the July 1997 repricing of Bell Canada's business lines and trunks. (See Telecom Update #101) BELL SEEKS LOWER BUSINESS RATES: In a CRTC application today, Bell Canada proposes to reduce the monthly charge for all business local lines from $45.45 to $39.95. The filing also includes reductions to Megaroute rates. ** On March 26, Bell announced that it will not implement the CRTC-approved 15 cents/month increase in local residential rates this year. (See Telecom Update #123) BCE, BELL TO MERGE HQ STAFF: On March 25, Bell Canada and its parent, BCE, merged their corporate offices. The companies expect to eliminate about 200 positions, 15% of their combined corporate staffs. ** Fred Rucker, Group Vice-President Strategy at Bell Canada, has left the company to join Global One in the U.S., and Norm Simon, Group Vice-President Communications, is "pursuing other opportunities." Rucker and Simon were the last remaining members of the executive team recruited by former Bell President John McLennan. BC TEL BUSINESS RATE CHANGES OKAYED: CRTC Decision 98-288 approves BC Tel's plan to restructure rates for single line and multiline local business service into rate bands. Changes range from a $16.85/month increase to an $8.80/month decrease. (See Telecom Update #120) http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/telecom/order/1998/o98288_0.txt CANTEL RECRUITS MORE U.S. EXECS: Rogers Cantel has named William Gibson as President of its Western Region and Jeffrey Locke as Senior Vice-President Marketing. Both previously held executive positions with Sprint PCS in the United States. COMMENTS SOUGHT ON SATELLITE LICENSES: Industry Canada has issued a "Consultation Paper" on changes to satellite licensing policy resulting from last year's WTO agreements on telecommunications. The deadline for written submissions on the policy is June 30. The full text of the paper can be found at: http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/SSG/sf01587e.html HOW TO APPEAL A CRTC DECISION: CRTC Telecom Public Notice 98-6 sets out guidelines for applications to "Review and Vary" CRTC decisions. http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/telecom/notice/1998/p986_0.txt NORTEL TO TEST INTERNET ON POWER LINES: Northern Telecom and the UK's United Utilities have formed a joint venture called Nor.Web to develop and market Digital Powerline, a product which enables high-speed data communication over normal electrical lines. Seven power utilities in Europe and Asia have agreed to test the product. NBTEL PUTS DIRECTORY ON SCREEN PHONE: Customers of NBTel can now look up telephone listings using the screen display on a Vista 350 telephone. The PowerPages service also provides free "Name That Number" service. FIDO ENTERS ALBERTA: On March 25, Microcell Solutions launched its Fido PCS service in Calgary. TMI OFFERS CONTINENTAL PACKET DATA: TMI Communications has introduced a satellite-based packet data network that is available anywhere in Canada, the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean. IS THERE A LAN-BASED PBX IN YOUR FUTURE? In the April issue of Telemanagement, John Riddell looks at the potential and promise of LAN-based business telephone systems. Also in this issue: ** Lis Angus interviews WIC Connexus executives on their plans for wireless broadband services. ** Gerry Blackwell reports on the experiences of U.S. cable companies which are now offering voice telephone service. To subscribe to Telemanagement, call 1-800-263-4415 ext 225, or use the Online Subscription Form at http://www.angustel.ca/teleman/tm-sub.html ============================================================ HOW TO SUBMIT ITEMS FOR TELECOM UPDATE E-MAIL: editors@angustel.ca FAX: 905-686-2655 MAIL: TELECOM UPDATE Angus TeleManagement Group 8 Old Kingston Road Ajax, Ontario Canada L1T 2Z7 =========================================================== HOW TO SUBSCRIBE (OR UNSUBSCRIBE) TELECOM UPDATE is provided in electronic form only. There are two formats available: 1. The fully-formatted edition is posted on the World Wide Web on the first business day of the week. Point your browser to http://www.angustel.ca/update/up.html 2. The e-mail edition is distributed free of charge. To subscribe, send an e-mail message to majordomo@angustel.ca. The text of the message should contain only the two words: subscribe update To stop receiving the e-mail edition, send an e-mail message to majordomo@angustel.ca. The text of the message should say only: unsubscribe update [Your e-mail address] =========================================================== COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER: All contents copyright 1998 Angus TeleManagement Group Inc. All rights reserved. For further information, including permission to reprint or reproduce, please e-mail rosita@angustel.ca or phone 905-686-5050 ext 225. The information and data included has been obtained from sources which we believe to be reliable, but Angus TeleManagement makes no warranties or representations whatsoever regarding accuracy, completeness, or adequacy. Opinions expressed are based on interpretation of available information, and are subject to change. If expert advice on the subject matter is required, the services of a competent professional should be obtained. ============================================================ ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V18 #47 *****************************