A bit of a tangent from the world of tech and telecom, but if you get a chance, check out David Byrne's new online radio station. It's definitely what you would expect from the Talking Heads frontman: eclectic, different, intriguing, strangely addictive. I'm not a big online radio listener but I've got Mr. Byrne bookmarked already.

Bell Canada moved cautiously moved into the VOIP market today by launching a Vonage-like service in three cities in Quebec. To be honest, it looks like a pilot project and a shot across the bow of the CRTC, which is taking its sweet time deciding whether or not to regulate VOIP. There are several intriguing parts to Bell Digital Voice. First, the regulatory angle. Clearly, Bell is displeased the CRTC appears to be leaning towards a regime where VOIP services offered by incumbent carriers will regulated, while rivals such as Rogers Communications and Vonage Holdings will be free to set their own prices. By brazenly launching a VOIP service before the CRTC makes a decision, Bell is saying "Look, VOIP is an Internet application so stop thinking of regulating our VOIP service in the same way as traditional telephony service." Bell has bolstered its case by launching Bell Digital Voice without it to its broadband access service - thereby making it clear to the CRTC its VOIP service is just an Internet application available to anyone with broadband access. My take is if the CRTC regulates ILECs who offer VOIP service, Bell will launch a legal challenge. Basically, Bell is backing the CRTC into a corner in a game of chicken.
As for what Bell is offering with Bell Digital Voice - three simple plans ranging from $38 to $45 a month, which is not cheap but reasonable. It includes lots of features, including the ability to do conference calling, and free long-distance. Eamon Hoey, a telecom consultant, describes Bell Digital Voice as the "beginning of the beginning of the end" of the long-distance business, which had already had the bottom taken out of last year when Bell launched a $5 for 1000 minutes plan.
All in all, I would give Bell credit on all fronts. It introduces what appears to be an attractive service that's reasonably priced, and sends a strong message to the CRTC that push has come to shove. We know where Bell stands, now it's a matter of finding out where the CRTC is going to go with VOIP.

For investors still curious about Nortel Networks' plans for an AGM, you can now mark down June 29 on your calendars. In a regulatory filing today, Nortel said its 2004 and 2005 AGMs will be held then. If you like corporate drama, we can only hope the AGM is anywhere near as exciting as Nortel's last AGM in Halifax. That meeting lasted more than five hours due to questions from shareholders, and required an unscheduled break for lunch to placate the hungry masses. Let's hope Nortel shareholders don't get lulled into complacency by CEO Bill Owens' deliberate and calming tones. This is a rare opportunity to grill...i mean, question...senior management about what the company's embarassing accounting scandal, including the firing of ex-CEO Frank Dunn.

In the hunt for the rare VOIP investment play, Russell Shaw offers a take from the Wall Street Transcript, which features an interview with Kaufman Brothers analyst Ari Moses. So what are Moses' leading VOIP plays? deltathree, Covad and Net2Phone. What I find most interesting is the Q&A suggests analysts are starting to think about VOIP investment plays. For the enterprising analyst, there is an opportunity to carve out a distinct niche - much like Mary Meeker and Henry Blodget capitalized on the dot-com boom to make themselves into superstars (and I use that term loosely given they only knew a tad more than the rest of us). I think over the next year, there will be VOIP IPOs, although the market will likely be pragmatic and cautious (translation: demanding that a company have sales, profits and customers) rather than speculative. In Canada, Terry Matthews' Mitel Networks sticks out as the most likely candidate, although CEO Don Smith sounded cautious about the idea in a recent interview.

In a sign of things to come as the lines between carriers and cablecos disappear, Telus has filed an application with the CRTC to order Shaw Communications to stop selling telephony service. The complaint has to do with Shaw not filing the proper documentation with the CRTC and not following some minor rules. In response, Shaw accuses Telus of regulatory harassment and anti-competitive behaviour.
In and of itself, Telus' application is not terribly exciting but it offers some valuable insight into how carriers and cablecos are going to butt heads and use any weapons they can to fight it out. It's a logical environment when you are selling the exact same services to the same group of consumers. You can go battle it out using the big weapons - prices, customer service and bundles - but you can bet there's also going be plenty of picking, niggling, complaining and whinging going on in public and behind the scenes. The CRTC's decision to expedite its decision-making process will be a necessity as we see more focus on he-said, she-said regulatory spats.