Although almost half of Canadians own mobile phones, few use the portable handsets exclusively for business, according to a massive poll from RTS Canada. The firm notes that 47 per cent of Canadians own mobile phones. Whereas 64 per cent of them use the devices for personal purposes, just nine per cent use them for business alone. RTS also says 27 per cent of respondents purchased a mobile phone in the past two years, 91 per cent spend less that $100 per month on the phones and 52 per cent spend less than $30 per month. RTS surveyed 52,000 Canadians.
Despite complaints about the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission’s (CRTC’s) “price cap” decision earlier this year, things aren’t so bad, says a new report from the telecom analysts at Mark H. Goldberg & Associates Inc. According Goldberg’s crew, the CRTC’s decision spells serious cost savings for competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs). The CRTC in May lowered the price of services CLECs must purchase from incumbent carriers to provide local voice. The CLECs largely derided the decision for not going far enough, while incumbents said it went too far and cut into their coffers. For more information about Goldberg’s report, see the company’s Web site, www.mhgoldberg.com.
There’s a whole lot of moving and shaking going on at BCE Inc. The communications firm announced increased investment in one business and the sale of another. BCE in September said it would purchase the 29 per cent stake Terra Lycos holds in Sympatico Lycos Inc., BCE’s Internet arm. BCE, which as a result of the deal now owns 100 per cent of Sympatico Lycos, called the move a “step towards consolidating our media properties.” BCE also announced that it would sell its Bell Canada directories business – including the White Pages and Yellow Pages directories – to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and the Teachers’ Merchant Bank for $3 billion. BCE plans to use the funds to buy back Bell Canada shares currently held by U.S. telco SBC.
