The CRTC stands behind Aliant’s decision to terminate one customer’s dial tone after the client allegedly pestered the Nova Scotia government by phone. The CRTC said the customer made nearly 10,000 calls to government departments in 2001, tying up phone lines so other Nova Scotia residents couldn’t get through. Aliant severed his service Dec. 2001. The client asked for a CRTC review, blaming network glitches for the trouble. But the CRTC last month sided with the telco, adding that the customer must swear off abusing Aliant’s service if he wants a dial tone again.
Montrealers like privacy: survey
A survey indicates differences in the way Torontonians and Montrealers view communication. Sprint Canada’s TeleEtiquette Survey discovered, for example, that Torontonians are less likely to answer the phone immediately than are Montrealers. Torontonians won’t answer calls from the boss while on a date, whereas Montrealers will. And Montrealers won’t put their cell phone numbers on job applications; Torontonians will. Regardless of the region, Canadians expect to receive responses within a day after leaving voice mail messages. Compas Inc. conducted the poll of 1,000 people. For more info visit www.call-net.ca.
Back to class for telcos
Bell Canada is pumping $5 million into its University Labs program in Alberta and B.C. The initiative brings together academic and business researchers to explore new communication technology. Bell said the investment coincides with its expansion into Western Canada via Bell West. Meanwhile, Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. has promised up to $425,000 in equipment, scholarships and R&D funding to Red River College in Winnipeg. The school will get new Cisco equipment and a new telecom-training centre out of the deal. Bell University Labs is online at www.bell.ca/bul. MTS is at www.mts.mb.ca.