Toronto cabs take a new route
Diamond Taxi in Toronto recently launched SiGEM Inc.’s ePiNG dispatch system to improve the security of its drivers and passengers, according to a press release. The system is comprised of ePiNG Emerald mobile data terminals and ePiNG Enterprise dispatch software which uses global positioning system (GPS) technology. The system is able to track and locate any vehicle that requires assistance, according to the release. The two companies had been working together for about six months prior to the deployment. The City of Toronto had recently passed legislation, which required all taxi companies in the city to put approved security devices into their fleets.
He’s not even old enough to drive…
Thirteen year-old president and CEO Keith Peiris of London, Ont., this month headed out to the APEC Young Leaders and Entrepreneurs Forum in Beijing and Shanghai. Peiris, along with nine other young Canadian leaders under the age of 40, attended the event, which focuses on bringing together young leaders from 21 APEC economies to “share experiences and consider how to strengthen the capacity for innovation, entrepreneurship, trade and investment” in the context of the new economy, according to a release. Peiris is the president and CEO of Cyberteks Design, a division of Cyberteks Systems Corporation, which provides Web design, Web hosting e-commerce and marketing services. The company has sales offices in seven states, and plans to establish Cyberteks Design (Asia) Ltd. in China next month. It also plans to establish headquarters in Manhattan, N.Y., New York City, Montreal as well as Toronto branch offices by the end of this year. Peiris recently stated in an interview that he expects to be a millionaire in about a year.
Survey finds investors turning to the Web
The Internet has become a more influential source of investor information, and chat room discussions can impact share prices, according to a recent survey of more than 120 public companies. The survey, conducted by public relations firm Fleishman-Hillard Inc., reported that the majority of respondents (84 per cent) believe the Internet has become a more influential source of investor information and almost two-thirds (60 per cent) hold the view that Internet chats and rumours can have an impact on share price. Only 20 per cent could confirm that their companies had a communications plan currently in place that addressed or included strategies dealing with the Internet. Anne Lachance, senior vice-president and partner of Fleishman-Hillard’s Canadian financial communications practice, said the results show that perceptions and understanding of public companies can be substantially broadened through effective Internet communications. Participants also revealed that the Internet has changed the way in which information has been traditionally disclosed, and over ten per cent reported that material non-public company news had been broken over the Internet prior to being officially released to the market, the survey reported.
Don’t use it? You’ll still have to pay
Bell Canada residential rotary phone customers in Quebec and Ontario got a bit of a shock earlier this month when they were delivered the news about their phone service: They might have to pay for touch-tone service, even if they don’t use it. Bell Canada has asked the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) for permission to make touch-tone service a standard feature. This means that customers with rotary phones will still be able to use their phones, but will have to fork over the money for the touch-tone service regardless of whether or not they use it. The CRTC should make its decision on the request by next month.