SI
SI
discoversearch

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor.  We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community.  If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.
Technology Stocks : America On-Line (AOL) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: Grandk who wrote (30971)9/17/1999 7:07:00 PM
From: puborectalis  Respond to of 41369
 
Cable Access Opened for AOL Canada
September 17, 1999
By the InternetNews.com Staff
International News Archives

[Westport, CT] Unlike its American parent firm, AOL Canada Inc. this week took steps to
enter the high-speed cable Internet access market by forming an alliance with Regional
Cablesystems Inc., a cable television company serving Canada's non-urban communities.

Regional Cablesystems provides cable television and telecommunications services to a
customer base of approximately 250,000 located in 1,000 non-urban communities in British
Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland.

The agreement calls for AOL Canada to provide its AOL Plus service to Regional's users,
enabling them to experience broadband-enhanced multimedia, streaming video, music and
other upgrade features. Service is set to begin this fall with customers in Sturgeon Falls,
Ontario, with further expansion planned in the future. No pricing terms of the service were
released.

The deal follows a ruling earlier this week by the Canadian Radio-television and
Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) that said cable operators have 90 days to resell
their services to ISPs for 25 percent off their retail prices. The commission is promoting open
access cable Internet, while in the U.S. the subject is still being debated.

"We kind of view that as phase one of the ultimate goal -- providing true, wholesale third party
access to the infrastructure," Stephen Bartkiw, CEO, AOL Canada told InternetNews. "You'd
have full AOL Plus brand product that is installed, serviced, provision and supported by AOL.

The agreement "reinforces our commitment to find new ways to offer our members broadband
upgrade options on all emerging high speed platforms as they become ready for the mass
market," he added.

Bartkiw also said that AOL Canada hopes to work with telecommunications firms for a digital
subscriber line (DSL) package, but that goal is being impeded by a lack of standards for DSL.

AOL Canada currently serves more than 130,000 households.

Related stories: