Bell Canada is challenged for long-distance business.Bell Canada Bell Canada Enterprises (TSX: BCE, NYSE: BCE), legally BCE Inc., is a major Canadian telecommunications company. Through its subsidiaries including Bell Canada, Bell Aliant, Northwestel, Télébec, and NorthernTel, it is the incumbent local exchange carrier for is challenged for long-distance business South of the border, AT&T was once king of the telecommunications sector. During recent years the king has seen his borders moved inwards by an anti-trust ruling and the emergence of long-distance companies such as MCI (1) (Media Control Interface) A high-level programming interface from Microsoft and IBM for controlling multimedia devices. It provides commands and functions to open, play and close the device. (2) (Microwave Communications Inc. and Sprint. However, north of the border, AT&T is one of a number of companies taking on Bell Canada for a piece of the long-distance pie. "It's a role reversal In psychodrama, role reversal is a technique where the protagonist is asked, by the psychodrama director, to exchange roles with another person (an auxiliary ego) on the psychodrama stage. The former assumes as many of the roles of the other as possible and vice versa. for AT&T," said Dave Alger, vice-president of sales and marketing for Sudbury Telephone - the AT&T franchise holder for Sudbury and North Bay. Alger notes that while the North American North American named after North America. North American blastomycosis see North American blastomycosis. North American cattle tick see boophilusannulatus. telecommunications giant is attempting to capture a portion of the long-distance market, it is not going to be in direct competition with Bell Canada. At present there is only one formal challenge to what is considered Bell Canada's monopoly of long-distance service. The CRTC CRTC Canadian Radio-Television & Telecommunications Commission CRTC Combat Readiness Training Center CRTC Cathode Ray Tube Controller CRTC China Railway Telecommunications Center CRTC Cold Region Test Center CRTC Continuously Regenerated Trap Column (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC, in French Conseil de la radiodiffusion et des télécommunications canadiennes) was established in 1968 by the Parliament of Canada to replace the Board of Broadcast Governors. ) is expected to announce a decision sometime this fall on an application made by Unitel to provide long-distance telephone service. The company, 40-per-cent owned by Rogers Communications Rogers Communications Inc. (TSX: RCI.A, TSX: RCI.B, NYSE: RCI) is one of Canada's largest communications companies, particularly in the field of wireless communications and cable television, with additional telecommunications and mass media assets. Edward S. Inc. of Toronto and 60-per-cent by Canadian Pacific Ltd. of Montreal Of Montreal is an American indie pop band formed in Athens, Georgia, fronted by Kevin Barnes. It was among the second wave of groups to emerge from The Elephant 6 Recording Company. , also attempted to secure the approval of the commission in 1985. The earlier application was rejected because of an inadequate business plan. According to Alger, the CRTC's upcoming decision will determine the future of long-distance service alternatives to Bell. "The CRTC has a mandate to determine what the rules (of the deregulation Deregulation The reduction or elimination of government power in a particular industry, usually enacted to create more competition within the industry. Notes: Traditional areas that have been deregulated are the telephone and airline industries. of the industry) will be," he said. "Right now, I'm not sure how the rules are going to affect us." At about the same time the decision is expected, AT&T will be in the final stage of laying a fibre-optic transmission line from Sudbury to Toronto. A second line from North Bay to Toronto is scheduled to be in place by spring. The lines will contain a number of strands of the width of a human hair, which can transmit up to 64 simultaneous telephone conversations. Alger pointed out that the transmission lines are intended only for commercial customers. "It's very expensive (to rent a transmission line), but it makes sense for a large company," Alger said. The Sudbury executive said the current business plan calls for businesses to pay a flat monthly fee to rent a transmission line from AT&T. The line not only provides access to Toronto, but also allows companies to utilize AT&T's satellite service to call to either Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver or the United States. The service would also provide access to the CallNet system. For example, Alger said the main branch of a bank in Sudbury could be connected by fibre-optic lines to branches throughout the region and by the main transmission line to head office in Toronto. The mini-network would allow the northern branches to access central computer information and contact personnel at the main branch. He pointed out that renting a transmission line is only beneficial if many long-distance calls are being made by a company. The rental fee is about $15,000 per month. Alger said several large firms in the Sudbury area are considering signing up for the system. He suggested that large companies could make money by subleasing the line to smaller businesses. |
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