Mark Els

A shift from broader bandwidth to higher quality of service for voice over the Internet is being watched closely by the Canadian telecom industry, with most analysts expressing concern that the move may jeopardize advances in technology.

Telecommunications experts have been watching the developments at Toronto Hydro Telecom Inc. since David Dobbin was named president.

Industry analysts have praised Toronto's plans for a city-wide municipal Wi-Fi network.

Telecommunications experts have been watching the developments at Toronto Hydro Telecom Inc. with avid anticipation ever since David Dobbin was named president of the Toronto Hydro Corp. subsidiary in August. And the announcement of plans to throw a blanket Wi-Fi hotzone over the city came as no surprise.

Industry analysts have praised Toronto

Wi-Max holds the promise of ever more bandwidth for the mobile workforce, but for the foreseeable future the wireless radio technology will be deployed primarily to extend the reach of Internet access to far-flung rural regions.

IT shops in Canada are showing a healthy uptake of new and improved network technologies designed for faster connectivity and increased capacity, wireless mobility and enhanced security. Network World Canada recently conducted a Hewlett-Packard ProCurve-sponsored survey of 272 Canadian CIOs, systems administrators and network managers to determine the latest trends in networking technology and IT spending.

For nearly a decade, senior systems architect Barron Mertens would describe his alternative job title as