Ugh, annoying TorStar registration. Apr. 1, 2005. 06:56 AM 3 chosen to review CRTC's policy: Sources Telecom industry seeks rule changes New technologies spark action
TYLER HAMILTON TECHNOLOGY REPORTER The former head of Microsoft Corp.'s Canadian Web portal and a prominent communications lawyer from Toronto are among three panellists who will conduct a sweeping review of Canada's telephone regulator, industry sources say. The federal government announced in its Feb. 23 budget it would create a panel of "eminent" Canadians to review the country's telecom policy and regulatory framework at a time when new technologies are transforming the $30-billion-a-year market. The panel is supposed to make recommendations for change directly to Industry Minister David Emerson before the end of the year. Gerri Sinclair, a Vancouver-based technology entrepreneur, most recently the general manager of Microsoft's MSN.ca operation, and Hank Intven, partner and head of the communications law group at McCarthy Tétrault LL, have been chosen for the job, sources say. There is also speculation that André Tremblay, former chief executive of Montreal-based Microcell Telecommunications Inc. will round out the group. Sinclair and Tremblay did not return calls. Intven, contacted at his office yesterday, was reluctant to confirm the news. "Like any political process, it is a little bit uncertain until it's announced," he said. Sources said the Privy Council Office was in the process of doing security background checks on each panellist before Industry Canada issues a formal announcement, likely next week. Bell Canada and others in the industry, having accused the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission of taking too long to make decisions, lobbied hard for a regulatory overhaul that would modernize the rules and create a more streamlined decision-making process that's adaptable to changing technologies and industry trends. Ultimately, Bell would like to see deregulation of the local phone market, arguing that new Internet and wireless technologies provide enough competition. One contentious issue is residential Voice over Internet Protocol phone service and the CRTC's preliminary view that it should be regulated like traditional phone service. The commission held a hearing into the matter and a major decision expected to clarify the rules is expected by mid-May. Bell, signalling its impatience with the regulator, went ahead on Wednesday and launched Internet-based phone services in three Quebec cities without filing for regulatory approval, essentially flouting the authority of the CRTC. Bell's view is that Internet-based phone service, particularly the kind that can ride over any high-speed connection, is just a software application and therefore not subject to regulation. The cable companies and some other VoIP providers argue that Bell should be regulated to prevent it from abusing its near-monopoly dominance. Iain Grant, managing director for the Seaboard Group, a telecom research group in Toronto and Montreal, said the problem is the CRTC is using old rules to referee a new game. "They think that trying to create some regulatory bridges between 1990s products and thinking and today's products and thinking is important. That's their fatal flaw. They haven't admitted that the world has changed out there," he said. Intven joined McCarthy Tétrault in 1986 after serving as executive director of telecom at the CRTC, making him the most knowledgeable of the three about telecom policy. Sinclair, who has a PhD in Shakespearean comedy, was founder and president of Ncompass Labs Inc., an Internet venture Microsoft purchased in 2001 for $55 million. Sinclair, 58, has also been a technical adviser to B.C. premier Gordon Campbell and early in her career earned the nickname "Madam Modem." She brings Internet expertise to the group, while Tremblay would bring an in-depth knowledge of wireless technologies. On Apr 7, 2005 9:37 AM, John Pennington <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > I haven't had much direct exposure to the CRTC's process, but I don't > > know that I would call the entire structure completely irrelevant. I > > for one am glad that there are Canadian content requirements for the > > broadcasting industry, and that foreign investment limitations in our > > telcom industry prevent it from being a direct subsidiary of a foreign > > corporation. > > > > I would say though that what's needed is a lean and fast division > > that's able to make timely decisions about fairly simple issues. > > Taking a year to decide whether 911 service is required for consumer > > VoIP service and then mandating compliance within 90 days seems > > hypocritical. I also wonder if the suit brought against Vonage in > > Texas [1] "accelerated" the process ;-) > > > I think there should be separate divisions, one for broadcasting and one for > telecom to speed up the process > > > > Someone mentioned to me the other day that a commission of prominent > > Canadians has been put together to evaluate the effectiveness of the > > CRTC, but I haven't found anything on the web yet. > > > http://www.wednesday-night.com/crtc.asp > > > Friday Apr 1, 2005 ts 3 chosen to review CRTC`s policy: Sources The former > head of Microsoft Corp.`s Canadian Web portal and a prominent communications > lawyer from Toronto are among three panellists who will conduct a sweeping > review of Canada`s telephone regulator, industry sources say. > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, > e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- * Simon P. 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