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December 22, 2008
This Week:
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Q3 TEXT MESSAGES TOTAL 5.2 BILLION
In the third quarter of the year, Canadians sent more than 5.2 billion person-to-person text messages, bringing the total number of text messages in the first nine months of the year to more than 14.1 billion. Canadians are now sending approximately 64 million text messages per day. Text messaging volumes have more than doubled each year since inter-carrier text messaging was introduced in Canada in the spring of 2002.
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MTS OFFERS BREW APPLICATIONS FOR DOWNLOAD
MTS Allstream has announced that it is the first service provider in Canada to offer customers the ability to download binary runtime environment for wireless (“BREW”) applications to their BREW-enabled devices. MTS Mobility subscribers with CDMA2000 EVDO or CDMA2000 1X capable devices will be able to download a variety of BREW content, including games and applications.
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TTC LAUNCHES NEXT VEHICLE ARRIVAL NOTIFICATION SERVICE
The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) has launched its next vehicle arrival notification system. With the pilot project, at the Spadina Station streetcar platform, customers will be able to find out when their next bus or streetcar will arrive through information displayed on screens in subway stations or at select TTC stops. The TTC will also be implementing many other new features to improve and enhance customer communications, including a Web-based trip planning application. As well, work to allow customers to be able to use text messaging to get information about next vehicle arrival information on all TTC surface routes begins in 2009. The final project roll-out will include a unique identifier for each vehicle stop to allow patrons to obtain specific stop information via wireless Web browsers or text messaging.
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CRTC DECISION: WNP IN SILEC TERRITORIES
In Telecom Decision CRTC 2008-122, the Commission has established a framework for the implementation of wireless number portability (WNP) in the serving territories of the small incumbent local exchange carriers (SILECs). The Commission has determined that: WNP can be implemented independent of local competition and local number portability (LNP) in the SILECs’ territories; the current WNP framework applicable to the ILECs will apply to the SILECs; the existing interconnection arrangements are appropriate for the implementation of WNP; and WNP will be implemented in the SILECs’ serving territories on a request-driven basis. SILECs must implement porting-out, but may choose whether or not to implement porting-in. Full text of the Decision is available at: http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2008/dt2008-122.htm.
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LG CANADA BECOMES TITLE SPONSOR OF 2009 TORONTO FASHION WEEK
On the heels of its recent foray into the Canadian fashion scene during the 2008 Toronto Fashion Week, LG Canada has officially announced its continued commitment to the industry as it becomes title sponsor of Toronto’s Fashion Week beginning in 2009. LG will work closely with the incumbent title sponsor, L’Oreal Paris, that will now become the exclusive beauty partner and presenting sponsor of the event. The Fashion Design Council of Canada (FDCC), celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2009, will continue to develop and produce all creative aspects of the week’s events.
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MTS ALLSTREAM DEPLOYS $1.2 MILLION WAN FOR MANITOBA SCHOOL DIVISION
MTS Allstream has announced it has deployed a $1.2 million contract for Prairie Rose School Division for the provision and installation of a wireless wide area network (WAN) to 28 locations within the Division, which covers an area spanning 3,600 square kilometres in southwest Manitoba. The new WAN will provide the capacity to upgrade the Division’s distributive learning infrastructure, as well as long-term potential to access a spectrum of services, including internal communication like videoconferencing, voice, e-mail, interactive learning applications, network administration and desktop maintenance, Internet access, library applications and student information systems applications.
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CRTC DECISION: ON-BOARDING OF NEW TRADING PARTNERS REPORT
As part of Telecom Decision CRTC 2008-120, the Commission has approved a Business Process Working Group (BPWG) consensus report from the CRTC’s Interconnection Steering Committee (CISC). The “On-boarding of New Trading Partners Report” was prepared by the BPWG to assist companies completing the steps to become local exchange carriers (LECs) and wireless service providers (WSPs) in Canada. Full text of the Decision is available at: http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2008/dt2008-120.htm.
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Rx NETWORKS RECEIVES $1.85 MILLION INVESTMENT FROM BC DISCOVERY FUND, AUDIOVOX AND TELUS
BC-based Rx Networks Inc., a mobile positioning technology and global services company, has announced the closing of a $1.85 million financing from its existing investors. British Columbia Discovery Fund (VCC) Inc., Audiovox Canada and TELUS are making the second round investment as part of a larger $3 million series due to close on March 31, 2009. The funding will enable Rx to support the integration and licensing of its assisted-GPS performance acceleration solutions with a growing list of GPS chipset and device manufacturers.
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MICROSOFT NAMES MTS ALLSTREAM UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS PARTNER OF THE YEAR
MTS Allstream was selected as the winner in the Solutions Awards category at the 2008 Microsoft Partner Program IMPACT Awards. The sixth annual awards recognize excellence across the large community of Microsoft’s Canadian technology partners. MTS Allstream was chosen as the winner in the Solutions Awards category for delivering a market-leading customer solution built on Microsoft technology. MTS’ real-time solution developed for the healthcare provider industry unifies communication within an information portal, converging access to e-mail, instant messaging, voice, data, video and conferencing, and providing seamless access to information via virtually any electronic device.
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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
Glenn O’Farrell, President & CEO of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB), has announced his decision to leave the CAB early in 2009. Mr. O’Farrell joined the CAB as President & CEO in January 2002 from the Global Television Network, where he was Senior Vice-President, Specialty Services.
Aran Hamilton has been named Vice President, Business Development at EnStream LP, a Toronto-based developer of mobile commerce solutions that is jointly owned by Bell Canada, Rogers Communications Inc. and TELUS Corporation. Mr. Hamilton was most recently Regional Vice President for Canada at VeriSign Inc.
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