For a glimpse into the red-hot world of online gambling (and, particular, poker) Cryptologic Inc.'s results are a fairly good indicator. The Toronto-based company, which makes online gambling software, posted better-than-expected profits and revenue in the second-quarter. Online poker fees from its WagerLogic unit, which account for more than 30% of the company's sales, rose nearly 180% from last year.

Telus Corp.'s recent decision to block access to a Web site operated by the Telecommunication Workers Union, which is currently on strike, raises all kinds of issues about whether the company broke the law or simply made a bad strategic decision. While Telus quickly reversed its decision to block one million ISP customers from accessing Voices for Choice, it turns out the short-term move also prevented access an additional 766 Web sites, including a breast cancer fund raising site, according to posting on Slashdot. Apparently, the method Telus used to block the IP address of Voices for Change caused "massive collateral filtering" of Web sites that share the same IP address. Michael Geist has provided some of the most insightful commentary on Telus' decision. He suggests moves by ISPs to block access to Web sites, implement packet prioritization or filtering of rival Internet telephone services such as Vonage, and concerns about privacy "may lead to calls for a new national ISP accountabilty framework". Geist's posts can be found here, here and here.

Consumers who like getting deep discounts if they buy a bundle of services (television, wireless, broadband, local telephone) should keep on what's happened in Canada in the past week. Rogers Communications and Bell Canada have unveiled plans to reduce the discounts on bundles. Rogers is going from a 15% across the board program to a plan where you get a 5% discount for taking two services, 10% for three and 15% for four. Bell has followed suit with plans to back away from its $10 discount for two services and $15 for three - replacing it with a more "targeted and surgical" approach. What these moves may suggest is the telcos and cablecos are starting to realize the convenience of doing business with a single supplier may be just as or more valuable to consumers than getting a large discount. It's akin to why many people like shopping at a department store rather than visiting different retailers for the best prices. If you read between the lines, Bell said yesterday that once it gets a customer to buy at least two services, they've pretty much got them locked down. This means all you need to do to ensure customer loyalty is convince a one-service customer to buy one more product and - voila - long-time business. Rather than closing the deal by lowering prices over a two or three year contract, you do it upfront by offering a few months of free service or cheap service, or a low-cost digital box - which talks to being more targeted and surgical. Don't be too surprised if this new approach catches the attention of U.S. telcos and carriers looking to boost revenue and ROI.

Wired News has a story on how the telcos are gearing up to offer IP-TV as a way to even the triple-play battle field with the cablecos. IPTV, in theory, will be a wonderful service - well, it could be as good as cable - but when it will be launched on a commercial basis it still unclear. Swisscom has delayed its launch while Telstra has backed away from the concept. During a conference call yesterday with analysts, Bell Canada danced around a question of how its IPTV plans were coming along. Pierre Blouin, who leads Bell's consumer business, talked about how tests with Microsoft were going on in the lab, how Bell is working with other telcos and how they're all in the same boat. There was nothing specific, however, about trials or a launch date. The fact IPTV technology is still mired in pilot mode around the world but has yet to see a commercial launch may suggest the telcos are having tough time putting the different technology together to make IPTV work. It may be Microsoft's software or Alcatel's hardware or another part the system. Still, the more time telcos take moving into the TV business, the bigger advantage the cablecos have to establish a foothold in telephony.
Addendum: It has been accurately pointed out Manitoba Tel and SaskTel are offering digital TV. What's interesting is they aren't using Microsoft software to do it - unlike the plans of Bell, BT, Verizon and SwissCom. It will be interesting to see how Siemens' software is accepted given Microsoft's apparent growing pains in TV.