Date: 22 Aug 2000 06:15:11 -0400 Message-ID: <20000822101511.17692.qmail@xuxa.iecc.com> From: owner-telecom-digest@telecom-digest.org (Telecom Digest) To: telecom-digest@telecom-digest.org Subject: Telecom Digest V2000 #29 Reply-To: editor@telecom-digest.org Sender: owner-telecom-digest@telecom-digest.org Errors-To: owner-telecom-digest@telecom-digest.org Precedence: bulk X-UIDL: a553aa1cd0a29674cbbeb7ec92bf7530 Status: RO X-Status: Telecom Digest Tuesday, August 22 2000 Volume 2000 : Number 029 In this issue: Re: GEICO Encourages Theft of Service Telecom Update (Canada) #245, August 14, 2000 Telecom Update (Canada) #246, August 21, 2000 8/21/00 ICBTollFree.Com HEADS UP HEADLINES In Michigan, the legislature giveth, the MPSC taketh away cmsg cancel <8nt490$15s3$60@serv2.vsi.ru> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 21 Aug 2000 08:14:37 -0400 From: blw1540@aol.com (Bruce Wilson) Subject: Re: GEICO Encourages Theft of Service >A few months ago, I saw a presentation by some exec from worldcom (he >was talking about what a wonderful thing that merger -- since blocked -- >would be) and I seem to recall a pie chart with something like 17% of costs >going to operational stuff like switching ops and hardware, with billing a >larger chunk and marketing just under 50% of the total. It's been a long time since I've seen telco annual reports, but it seems the LEC's percentage of keep (the share of the long distance dollar which was kept by the LEC for billing, collection, and use of its plant) was something on the order of 70% back in the "glory days" of AT&T and use of the separations process. Bruce Wilson - -- The Telecom Digest is currently robomoderated. Please mail messages to editor@telecom-digest.org. ------------------------------ Date: 21 Aug 2000 15:24:39 -0400 From: Angus TeleManagement Group Subject: Telecom Update (Canada) #245, August 14, 2000 ************************************************************ TELECOM UPDATE Angus TeleManagement's Weekly Telecom Newsbulletin http://www.angustel.ca Number 245: August 14, 2000 Publication of Telecom Update is made possible by generous financial support from: AT&T Canada ...................... http://www.attcanada.com/ Bell Canada ............................ http://www.bell.ca/ Lucent Technologies .................. http://www.lucent.ca/ Sprint Canada .................. http://www.sprintcanada.ca/ Teleglobe Business Solutions ...... http://www.teleglobe.ca/ Telus Communications.................. http://www.telus.com/ TigerTel Services ................. http://www.tigertel.com/ ************************************************************ IN THIS ISSUE: ** Teleglobe Revenue and Income Plunge ** Quebecor Bids $4.9 Billion for Videotron ** 14% of Canadian Businesses Buy on Line ** Bell Battles Futureway Over Building Access ** Clearnet Launches Prepaid PCS ** Mitel Reports Breakthrough in Fiber Optics ** U.S. DSL Deal Has Canadian Connections ** Riptide Achieves CLEC Status ** Cisco Sales Up 61% ** Teleglobe Buys Fibre Capacity ** EastLink Publishes Halifax Phone Book ** CRTC Finalist for Management Award ** Memotec Denies Mitel Buyout ** New Standard Enables Circuit/Packet Links ** Nortel Adopts Aliant Web Training Software ** Look Passes 200,000 Subscribers ** Videoconferencing Guide Now on Line ** Telus Asks for Funding Applications ** Call Centre Seminar "Fun and Informative" ============================================================ TELEGLOBE REVENUE AND INCOME PLUNGE: Teleglobe revenues in the second quarter were US$594.6 Million, down 17% from the same period last year. The company lost $87.7 Million in the quarter, compared to a net gain of $25.9 Million a year ago. About half of the decline resulted from falling revenues at multi-level marketing subsidiary Excel Communications. ** New owner BCE said it will close Teleglobe's Montreal head office and eliminate about 850 jobs worldwide this year. ** All of Teleglobe's retail sales operations are being moved into Excel, and its results will be reported separately from Teleglobe in future quarters. QUEBECOR BIDS $4.9 BILLION FOR VIDEOTRON: Quebecor and the Caisse de depot have announced an all-cash, $45-per-share bid for all outstanding shares of Videotron. The proposal appears to be $10 a share higher than the all-share offer made by Rogers Communications. ** The courts have not yet ruled on the Caisse de depot's claim that it has a right to veto any acquisition of Videotron. 14% OF CANADIAN BUSINESSES BUY ON LINE: Statistics Canada reports that 14% of Canadian businesses used the Internet to buy goods and services in 1999. Among public sector institutions, 44% did some of their purchasing on the Net. ** Overall, orders received on the Internet in 1999 totalled $4.4 Billion, representing 0.2% of total revenues. 53% of Canadian businesses used e-mail, and 22% had Web sites. http://www.statcan.ca:80/Daily/English/000810/d000810a.htm BELL BATTLES FUTUREWAY OVER BUILDING ACCESS: On July 31, Bell Canada asked the CRTC to order Futureway, a CLEC operating north of Toronto, to terminate exclusive arrangements that prevent Bell and other local carriers from serving customers in buildings served by Futureway (see Telecom Update #178, 196). http://www.crtc.gc.ca/ENG/public/2000/8644/B2-01.htm CLEARNET LAUNCHES PREPAID PCS: Clearnet Communications has introduced Pay & Talk, a prepaid wireless plan. Airtime pricing begins at 29 cents/minute; dual-mode data-ready handsets are available. MITEL REPORTS BREAKTHROUGH IN FIBER OPTICS: Mitel says it has produced working prototypes of devices aimed at "improving the price/performance ratio of Dense Wave Division Multiplexing by an order of magnitude or more." An 80-channel DWDM multiplexer is in development. http://www.mitel.com/bcs/bcsprod.nsf/news+release+by+date?OpenView U.S. DSL DEAL HAS CANADIAN CONNECTIONS: Verizon Communications, formed by the merger of Bell Atlantic and GTE, has announced plans to buy 55% of DSL provider NorthPoint Communications for US$800 Million. In Canada, NorthPoint and Call-Net have a joint venture to provide and sell DSL services, while Verizon owns 26% of Telus, one of Call-Net's largest competitors. RIPTIDE ACHIEVES CLEC STATUS: The CRTC has informed Riptide Networks that that it has met requirements to operate as a CLEC, and has approved Riptide's General Tariff. Riptide offers wholesale DSL services in Toronto, Thornhill, and Unionville. http://www.crtc.gc.ca/ENG/public/2000/8180/8180-8-co.htm http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/Orders/2000/O2000-742.htm CISCO SALES UP 61%: Cisco Systems reports sales of US$5.72 Billion in the quarter ending July 29, up 61% from the previous year. Excluding one-time charges of $404 Million, profits reached $1.2 Billion, a 69% increase. ** Saskatchewan-born Don Listwin is resigning as Cisco Executive VP in order to head a newly merged company combining Phone.com and Software.com, which supply Internet software to telecom carriers. TELEGLOBE BUYS FIBRE CAPACITY: Teleglobe will buy about US$100 Million of capacity on 360networks' projected fibre links between North and South America. EASTLINK PUBLISHES HALIFAX PHONE BOOK: EastLink, a Halifax- based CLEC, has published a phone directory for the Halifax area. The new directory includes postal code listings and a reverse number-based directory. CRTC FINALIST FOR MANAGEMENT AWARD: The CRTC is one of three finalists for an award for Innovative Management by the Institute of Public Administration of Canada, recognizing in particular the contribution of the CRTC Industry Steering Committee (CISC) in implementing local telephone competition. http://www.crtc.gc.ca/ENG/NEWS/RELEASES/2000/I000808e2.htm MEMOTEC DENIES MITEL BUYOUT: Memotec Communications, a Montreal-based equipment supplier, says that published reports that it is being acquired by Mitel are untrue. NEW STANDARD ENABLES CIRCUIT/PACKET LINKS: The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) have agreed on a new standard, known as H.248 or the Megaco protocol, for gateway devices that pass voice and data traffic between circuit-switched and IP-based networks. http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press/releases/2000/17.html NORTEL ADOPTS ALIANT WEB TRAINING SOFTWARE: Innovatia, Aliant's Web commerce unit, has won a five-year $175-Million contract to supply Web-based training technology to Nortel Networks. LOOK PASSES 200,000 SUBSCRIBERS: Look Communications had 234,007 subscribers on June 30: 60,117 for digital TV and the rest for Internet services. Second-quarter revenue was $16.5 Million. VIDEOCONFERENCING GUIDE NOW ON LINE: The Video Development Initiative, which includes CANARIE, has published version 2.0 of its Videoconferencing Cookbook, a guide to H.323 videoconferencing. http://www.vide.gatech.edu/cookbook2.0/ TELUS ASKS FOR FUNDING APPLICATIONS: Telus is inviting applications to a $200,000 fund for community-based telecommunications projects in Alberta and BC. Deadline: October 15, 2000. http://www.telus.com/about/community/innovationfund.html CALL CENTRE SEMINAR "FUN AND INFORMATIVE": Participants are heaping praise on Angus Dortmans' on-site seminar, "Essential Skills and Knowledge for Effective Incoming Call Centre Management," led by Henry Dortmans. Among recent comments: ** "Henry really knows call centres! He made the seminar fun and informative." ** "For managers new to the call centre environment, a solid foundation. For managers experienced in the environment, useful tools to improve management skills." ** "[Henry] is excellent at involving seminar attendees. He has a natural interest in us." For information, call 1-800-263-4415 ext 300 or go to Call Centre Seminars at http://www.angustel.ca/. ============================================================ 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 at http://www.angustel.ca 2. The e-mail edition is distributed free of charge. To subscribe, send an e-mail message to: listmanager@postmastergeneral.com Insert as the subject of your message the two words: subscribe TelecomUpdate To stop receiving the e-mail edition, send an e-mail message to: listmanager@postmastergeneral.com Insert as the subject of your message the two words: unsubscribe TelecomUpdate =========================================================== COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER: All contents copyright 2000 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. ============================================================ - -- The Telecom Digest is currently robomoderated. Please mail messages to editor@telecom-digest.org. ------------------------------ Date: 21 Aug 2000 15:24:40 -0400 From: John Riddell Subject: Telecom Update (Canada) #246, August 21, 2000 ************************************************************ TELECOM UPDATE Angus TeleManagement's Weekly Telecom Newsbulletin http://www.angustel.ca Number 246: August 21, 2000 Publication of Telecom Update is made possible by generous financial support from: AT&T Canada ...................... http://www.attcanada.com/ Bell Canada ............................ http://www.bell.ca/ Lucent Technologies .................. http://www.lucent.ca/ Sprint Canada .................. http://www.sprintcanada.ca/ Teleglobe Business Solutions ...... http://www.teleglobe.ca/ Telus Communications.................. http://www.telus.com/ TigerTel Services ................. http://www.tigertel.com/ ************************************************************ IN THIS ISSUE: ** Telus Buys Clearnet ** Area Code Overlays Set for 905, 604 ** Videotron Saga Continues ** Canoe Cuts Staff by 25% ** Bell Cable Cut in Ottawa ** Videotron Loses Battle With ISPs ** PCS Auction Application Deadline Extended ** Certification of .Ca Registrars Begins ** AT&T, BT Discuss Merger ** Microcell Launches in Winnipeg ** PIAC Says Digital Divide Growing in Canada ** Cross-Border E-Shoppers Get a Broker ** Ad-Based ISP Expands Service ** Compaq Adopts RIM's BlackBerry ** Look Buys Internet Connect ** CIBC to Build NB Call Centre ** Bell to Use UBS Wireless Technology ** Telus Exec Joins Rogers AT&T ** Nortel Buys Carrier Services Provider ** Angus Dortmans Consulting -- "The Best Product" ============================================================ TELUS BUYS CLEARNET: Telus Corporation has agreed to buy all outstanding shares of Clearnet Communications, for $6.6 Billion in cash and stock. Clearnet President George Cope will head the combined operation. ** The Boards of both companies have approved the deal, which is expected to close in October. AREA CODE OVERLAYS SET FOR 905, 604: The CRTC has ordered the introduction of new Area Codes in 905 (southern Ontario) and 604 (southwestern BC) as overlays. When the new codes are added, 10-digit dialing will be mandatory for all local calls in both areas. ** On June 9, 2001, Area Code 289 will overlay the entire 905 area. The CRTC has ordered the industry to implement number conservation measures in 905 until the new code is operational. ** On November 3, 2001, Area Code 778 will overlay 604 in Greater Vancouver, Abbotsford, and Mission only. Outside of those locations, 604 will continue as the only Area Code. VIDEOTRON SAGA CONTINUES: Rogers Communications has asked the Quebec Superior Court to overturn the injunction that has prevented Videotron from accepting its takeover bid. Videotron's Board of Directors has formally declared that it still supports the Rogers deal, but Montreal's La Presse reports that the company will accept Quebecor's higher offer if Rogers doesn't match it. CANOE CUTS STAFF BY 25%: Quebecor's Web portal, Canoe, has laid off 65 of its 242 staff, following a quarter in which losses rose to $8.1 Million. Quebecor says it is "more than ever committed to the Internet." BELL CABLE CUT IN OTTAWA: On Wednesday, August 16, contractors excavating for a retirement residence in downtown Ottawa (Byward Market area) drilled through two Bell Canada cables encased in concrete five meters below ground, severing 5,400 phone lines. Bell crews worked around the clock to restore service, completing the task by late Friday. VIDEOTRON LOSES BATTLE WITH ISPs: In Order 2000-788, the CRTC orders Videotron to provide its high-speed Internet service for resale to Internet Service Providers for $22.46 a month (see Telecom Update #233). This rate will apply "until Videotron develops long-term contracts that differ from its monthly contracts," and it obtains informed consent from users for such contracts. http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/Orders/2000/O2000-788.htm PCS AUCTION APPLICATION DEADLINE EXTENDED: Industry Canada says that it cannot post answers to clarification questions about the upcoming PCS auction until early September, so the deadline for applications will be two weeks after the date of posting. All other dates in the process will shift accordingly. http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/SSG/sf05252e.html CERTIFICATION OF .CA REGISTRARS BEGINS: The Canadian Internet Registry Authority has begun certifying Registrars who will record names for the .ca Internet domain. For information, go to http://www.cira.ca. ** The transition to the new regime will begin this fall; in the interim, domain name requests are still processed through http://www.cdnnet.ca. AT&T, BT DISCUSS MERGER: According to reports published last week, U.S.-based AT&T Corp. and British Telecom are exploring the possibility of a merger. The two already share a global joint venture (Concert) that provides voice and data services to large businesses. MICROCELL LAUNCHES IN WINNIPEG: Microcell Connexions has extended its network to Winnipeg and plans a further expansion to Saskatchewan. Microcell has dropped plans to have Telemetrix to build and operate its network in these areas. (See Telecom Update #191) ** Microcell's second-quarter revenue was $104 Million, up 68% from last year. The net loss was $120 Million. (See Telecom Update #241) PIAC SAYS DIGITAL DIVIDE GROWING IN CANADA: The Public Interest Advocacy Centre reports a widening gap in Internet usage between high- and low-income Canadians. Usage increased 25% in 1999 among those with incomes over $60,000, but only 17% among those with incomes under $20,000, PIAC says. http://www.piac.ca CROSS-BORDER E-SHOPPERS GET A BROKER: Toronto-based Borderfree.com plans to provide purchasing services and cross-border delivery to facilitate Canadian purchases from U.S. Web sites. Minacs Worldwide is supplying software and call-center backup. AD-BASED ISP EXPANDS SERVICE: Cybersurf Corp, which provides free Internet access in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Toronto, has extended service to seven more urban areas and plans to add another 10 during the next month. COMPAQ ADOPTS RIM'S BLACKBERRY: Compaq Computer has agreed to sell Research In Motion's BlackBerry wireless e-mail devices under its iPAQ brand. LOOK BUYS INTERNET CONNECT: Look Communications is buying Internet Connect, an Edmonton-based ISP with 8,000 subscribers. CIBC TO BUILD NB CALL CENTRE: CIBC says it will spend $12 Million and hire 500 people for a new telephone-banking call centre in Fredericton, NB. BELL TO USE UBS WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY: Bell Canada will pay $3.9 Million for fixed wireless equipment from Unique Broadband Systems of Concord, Ont, to provide high-speed Internet access to institutional customers in rural areas. TELUS EXEC JOINS ROGERS AT&T: Rogers AT&T Wireless has appointed Nadir Mohamed as President and COO. Mohamed was previously Senior VP, Marketing and Sales at Telus and headed BC Tel Mobility from 1997-99. NORTEL BUYS CARRIER SERVICES PROVIDER: Nortel Networks is paying US$540 Million in shares to buy California-based Sonoma Systems, which makes equipment that delivers different types of voice and data traffic over a single connection. ANGUS DORTMANS CONSULTING -- "THE BEST PRODUCT": "I would recommend Angus Dortmans to any organization that wishes to [improve] their call centre environment. When you choose the best you get the best product!" --Sheila Ducarme, Programs and Services Consultant, Human Resources Development Canada. ** For more information about Angus Dortmans consulting services and private seminars on call center management, visit www.angustel.ca or call 1-800-263-4415 ext 300. ============================================================ 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 at http://www.angustel.ca 2. The e-mail edition is distributed free of charge. To subscribe, send an e-mail message to: listmanager@postmastergeneral.com Insert as the subject of your message the two words: subscribe TelecomUpdate To stop receiving the e-mail edition, send an e-mail message to: listmanager@postmastergeneral.com Insert as the subject of your message the two words: unsubscribe TelecomUpdate =========================================================== COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER: All contents copyright 2000 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. ============================================================ - -- The Telecom Digest is currently robomoderated. Please mail messages to editor@telecom-digest.org. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Aug 2000 23:39:27 -0400 From: "Judith Oppenheimer" Subject: 8/21/00 ICBTollFree.Com HEADS UP HEADLINES ************************************************************************* ICBTollFree.Com HEADS UP HEADLINES ************************************************************************* from ICB Toll Free News - Daily News and Intelligence covering the Political, Legal and Marketing Arenas of 800 and Dot Com. ************************************************************************* CONTENTS - - DOMAIN MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES - - REGULATORY ARBITRAGE: BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY OR GLOBAL CHAOS? - - FREE.TV, CHINA.TV, NET.TV, GO FOR $100,000 REGISTRATION FEE EACH - - LYCOS ENTERS NET-BY-PHONE MARKET - - PROTECTING FAMOUS TRADEMARKS IN CHINESE DOMAINS - - DNSO GA SELECTING ICANN BOARD MEMBER - - GRIEVANCE SITES ENTITLED TO VISIBILITY - - HUNDT OFFERS BOOK FREE VIA INTERNET - - TOLL FREE PORTAL BEVOCAL EXPANDS DIRECTIONS SERVICE NATIONWIDE ************************************************************************* CUSTOMER SERVICE NOTES: ICB Premium Service is on Summer Sale for $99 for a 12 month subscription, including access to all 'P' articles and Premium areas of the web site. (regular price $549) SUMMER'S ALMOST OVER - ACT NOW! - http://www.icbtollfree.com/order.cfm ICB is a popular research destination, with all content archived indefinitely. Find all ICB headlines, current and archived, at http://www.icbtollfree.com/icbheadlns.cfm. ************************************************************************ ARTICLE ACCESS CODE LEGEND ICB Toll Free News offers two valuable service options: F = Free - News and Features articles P = Premium - Unlimited Site Access including all Articles and Documents. ************************************************************************* HEADLINES FOR August 21, 2000 P - DOMAIN MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES ''You start registering a massive amount of domains early on,'' says the source, ''and within that mass, the domain name you're really after is a little more hidden. That's really what it's come to. You just register 300 domain names at once.'' CONTINUED HERE: http://www.icbtollfree.com/article.cfm?articleId=4366 P - REGULATORY ARBITRAGE: BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY OR GLOBAL CHAOS? Regulatory arbitrage is the business of exploiting different rules in different jurisdictions for profit. But to James Bennett, the "sovereignty services" he offers are really more of an art. CONTINUED HERE: http://www.icbtollfree.com/article.cfm?articleId=4365 F - FREE.TV, CHINA.TV, NET.TV, GO FOR $100,000 REGISTRATION FEE EACH dotTV has a hybrid pricing model where most .tv addresses are available on a first come first served basis for an initial annual registration fee of $50, while generic "dictionary" names, such as business.tv and news.tv, are available by auction. CONTINUED HERE: http://www.icbtollfree.com/article.cfm?articleId=4364 F - LYCOS ENTERS NET-BY-PHONE MARKET "This new voice portal is one element of the Lycos Anywhere wireless platform that is rapidly changing the way our users can access Web information," said Ron Sege, executive vice president of Lycos. CONTINUED HERE: http://www.icbtollfree.com/article.cfm?articleId=4363 P - PROTECTING FAMOUS TRADEMARKS IN CHINESE DOMAINS This article examines in detail the landmark implications of the Ikea case. On the basis of these reviews, the author recommends some practical strategies for trademark owners in dealing with cyber-squatting disputes in China. Guest article by Jin Ling, consultant of Rouse & Co International. CONTINUED HERE: http://www.icbtollfree.com/article.cfm?articleId=4362 ************************************************************************* **************************************************advertisements********* >>>>>>>>>>>>> http://1800TheExpert.com <<<<<<<<<<<<< 800 & Domain Name Acquisition Management, Lost/Stolen 800 # Retrieval, Litigation Support, Regulatory Navigation, Correlating Domain Name & Trademark Matters. ************************************************************************* Are you a local or regional business that advertises in newspapers, direct mail, on radio or tv? 1 800 BRAND IT shared use marketing programs can help your sales skyrocket! http://www.1800BrandIt.com ************************************************************************* FT Telecom Conferences In its 20th year, this event will bring leading personalities in the telecomms industry to discuss opportunities and challenges which technological advancement, increased competition and restructuring will pose to the future of global telecommunications. Book before 1/09/00 to receive your 10% discount. www.ftconferences.com/dynamic/conferences/ftwt00.htm?bn=icb ************************************************************************* EVERY 3.6 SECONDS SOMEONE DIES FROM HUNGER http://www.hungersite.com/ ************************************************************************* Visit Global Telecom Domains(SM), 'The Best Names in Telecom' www.GlobalTelecomDomains.com ************************************************************************* ************************************************************************* more HEADLINES FOR August 21, 2000 P - DNSO GA SELECTING ICANN BOARD MEMBER In order to be considered for the ICANN Board selection a nominee must have the support of, at least, 10 members of the General Assembly of the DNSO. CONTINUED HERE: http://www.icbtollfree.com/article.cfm?articleId=4370 P - GRIEVANCE SITES ENTITLED TO VISIBILITY Those who have genuine grievances against others or wish express criticisms of them -- whether the objections are against commercial or financial institutions, against governments, against charitable, sporting or cultural institutions, or whatever -- must be at liberty, within the confines set by the laws of relevant jurisdictions, to express their views. If today they use a website or an email address for the purpose, they are entitled to select a Domain Name which leads others easily to them, if the name is still available. CONTINUED HERE: http://www.icbtollfree.com/article.cfm?articleId=4369 F - HUNDT OFFERS BOOK FREE VIA INTERNET Hundt said You Say You Want A Revolution: A Story of Information Age Politics "is now available free in cyberremainder form" on his web site - -- www.reedhundt.com/book -- "if you don't mind downloading 100,000 words." CONTINUED HERE: http://www.icbtollfree.com/article.cfm?articleId=4368 F - TOLL FREE PORTAL BEVOCAL EXPANDS DIRECTIONS SERVICE NATIONWIDE Consumers can access BeVocal's driving directions from any phone, wireless or landline, with the option of receiving information through voice output, email or wireless web phones. BeVocal's new service is one of many that the company plans to introduce over time. CONTINUED HERE: http://www.icbtollfree.com/article.cfm?articleId=4367 ************************************************************************* **************************************************advertisements********* TelecomCareers.net - Cutting Edge Telecom Careers, #1 Telecom Job Site! http://TelecomCareers.net ************************************************************************* P.A.T. - a real Live person inside your voice mail? Yes. P.A.T.LiVE, a division of ATG Technologies, Inc., rents live secretarial services through a toll free number. P.A.T. (Personal Assistance Team) can enhance your productivity and image with rates as low as 3 cents per minute. http://www.patlive.com or 800.775.7790 ************************************************************************* Free Timely Time Management Tips to increase your personal productivity and give you more time and balance for your personal life. Subscribe now at: http://www.topica.com/lists/timemanagement ************************************************************************* Read TOLLFREE-L online at http://www.egroups.com/group/tollfree-l/info.html ************************************************************************* ABOUT ICB ICB HeadsUp Headlines Daily Email is sent by request. Subscriptions are free to qualified applicants. Visit http://www.icbtollfree.com/reg.cfm?NextURL=Index.cfm to sign up. Please feel free to pass along a copy to a friend, within reason so long as the message is not modified or used unfavorably. To unsubscribe mailto:editor@icbtollfree.com, subject: unsubscribe. *************************** ADVERTISING INFORMATION *************************** For information on advertising in ICB HeadsUp Headlines emails, see http://www.icbtollfree.com/advertiz.cfm ************************************************************************* Only subscribers or registered users of ICB Toll Free News web site will be able to access all or some of the full text of URLs provided. ************************************************************************* Copyright © 2000 ICB, Inc. All rights reserved. ************************************************************************* ------------------------------ Date: 22 Aug 2000 00:33:04 -0400 From: Michigan Telephone Subject: In Michigan, the legislature giveth, the MPSC taketh away The workings of government are sometimes a strange and wondrous thing to behold. Here in Michigan we've just had a situation occur that I quite frankly don't understand, and I wish someone could enlighten me a little. Our state legislature recently passed a new telecommunications act. It was given "immediate effect", and signed into law by Governor Engler on Monday, July 17, 2000. One of the provisions of this new act read as follows: "A call made to a local calling area adjacent to the caller's local calling area shall be considered a local call and shall be billed as a local call." This provision was first proposed as an amendment by Michigan Senator Dave Jaye. In a mailing to constituents, Senator Jaye explained one reason he had proposed this amendment: "Currently it is a long distance phone call for Shelby Township residents to call Troy Beaumont Hospital which is located less than a mile away." In other words, the clear intent of the Michigan Legislature was to provide local calling to adjacent exchanges, in areas where it does not already exist. In a mailing to constituents, another Michigan Senator (Leon Stille) wrote "The law includes a number of other consumer-friendly provisions, such as requiring that phone calls made to an adjacent exchange be considered local calls and billed as such." All of this is documented on the web page at http://michigantelephone.cjb.net/ As I mentioned, the law was given "immediate effect". Yet as of today, more than a month since the law was signed, no toll charges have been eliminated on calls to adjacent exchanges. Worse yet, it appears there's a chance that the local calling areas for Michigan telephone customers could actually be *reduced* in size. Enter the Michigan Public Service Commission Before the new law had even been signed by the governor, the Michigan Public Service Commission opened a case (Case No. U-12515) with the shortest comment period I have ever seen (about a week, give or take a day or two), asking for comments on how this section of law should be interpreted. Despite the short comment period, several parties filed comments, including of course Ameritech Michigan and GTE (now Verizon), the two largest telephone companies in the state. Incredibly, Ameritech Michigan said that "the Commission should reduce the size of existing local calling areas before implementing the provisions" of the section under discussion. This was mentioned in the order for Case No. U-12528 (which will be discussed in a moment), as was this rather chilling paragraph: "There are several recurring comments with which the Commission agrees. (1) Existing local calling areas should be revised. (2) The broader interpretations of the subsection will likely have anticompetitive effects. (3) The Commission should commence a contested case proceeding to determine how subsection (11) should be implemented. (4) It is not possible to immediately implement revised local calling areas regardless of the interpretation give to subsection (11)." "Not possible to immediately implement revised local calling areas?" Excuse me, but I thought that an act of a state legislature, given immediate effect, would override any action by an appointed commission. What the Commission did, instead of ordering Michigan phone companies to immediately begin removing tolls on calls to adjacent exchanges, was to open yet another case (the aforementioned Case No. U-12528 ). If you click on the link to this case, you can read the comments from some of the parties. What it appears that the Michigan Public Service Commission is going to try to do is first *reduce* the size of existing local calling areas, then apply the new law. Therefore, some Michigan telephone customers could actually lose existing local calling areas. I would not be surprised if some customers, especially in rural areas, discover that they can no longer access their Internet Service Provider as a local call. But there is another question that is in some ways even more perplexing: How can an appointed state commission in effect give permission to telephone companies to ignore a state law that is now in effect? Let's suppose for a moment that someone were to file a class action lawsuit on behalf of all Michigan telephone customers that have been charged tolls on calls to adjacent exchanges since July 17, the date that the act was signed into law. Would Ameritech and GTE be able to escape liability for following the law by saying that the Michigan Public Service Commission in effect gave them tacit permission to delay implementation of the law? You know that if a state legislature passed a law covering some small business, perhaps one owned by you or I, ordering us to stop charging customers some particular charge or fee, and a month later we were still charging that fee, we'd probably be under investigation by our state's Attorney General. But in Michigan, Attorney General Jennifer M. Granholm seems most concerned that "the Commission avoid an interpretation that damages emerging competition." What is so great about Ameritech that they are apparently considered immune from state law, and protected by the state attorney general and the appointed commission that is *supposed* to be watching out for telephone customers? Is it legal for the Michigan Public Service Commission to 1) Give implicit permission to telephone companies to just ignore state law until they have conducted all the hearings they feel are necessary, 2) Thwart the expressed will of the state legislature by changing local calling areas in such as way as to negate the effects of the new law? I would really like to know the answers to this, because it just boggles my mind that an elected commission can tell a company that it is okay to just ignore an explicit state law. Either I have a total misunderstanding of how the lines of authority within government work, or something very strange is happening here. If you are a Michigan resident, please make it a point to visit the page at http://michigantelephone.cjb.net/, which gives considerably more information on this topic (including a link to a chart that shows what exchanges will become local calls from every existing Michigan exchange, *if* the law is implemented as the state legislature intended). You may also want to send a comment to the Michigan Public Service Commission *before the September 5, 2000 cutoff date* for comments on Case No. U-12528. - ---------- Message To Spammers -- Game Over! Get spam-free email at http://www.MsgTo.com - -- The Telecom Digest is currently robomoderated. Please mail messages to editor@telecom-digest.org. ------------------------------ Date: 22 Aug 2000 07:28:27 GMT From: spamcancel@wupper.com Subject: cmsg cancel <8nt490$15s3$60@serv2.vsi.ru> Excessive Multi-Posted spam article exceeding a BI of 20 cancelled by spamcancel@wupper.com. >>From was: postagent@mindspring.com Subject was: DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE TRIAL VERSION OF POSTAGENT!! 1806 NNTP-Posting-Host was: user-38lde02.dialup.mindspring.com ------------------------------ End of Telecom Digest V2000 #29 *******************************