VANCOUVER – Independent cable companies Cable TV of Camrose (Alta.) and Pemberton Cable (B.C.) both recently launched local telephony in their communities.
Since launch, says Camrose’s operations manager Brian McNary in a press release, "we’ve seen many new customers come to us for VOIP services. We’ve bundled premium cable, high speed Internet and digital phone service into our new ‘triple play’ package, all for $99.95/month. They love it!”
Richard Hazell, general manager of Pemberton’s owner, Coast Mountain Communications, says cable companies like his are in a unique position to compete directly with the local ILEC. “We are already offering cable TV and high-speed Internet access to our subscribers, so we have a great relationship with them already. All we are doing now is asking them to plug their telephones into the Internet, which is not a big stretch… but by making the change they will immediately reduce their monthly telephone costs, and enjoy the convenience of having all services on one bill.”
Both companies are using Telconomics’ NetCall, an outsourced VOIP service exclusive to Canadian Cable Systems Alliance and National Cable Television Co-operative members.
"Cable operators like (Pemberton and Camrose) are in a unique position with their ability to offer telephony services to their subscriber base, as they are likely the only true competition for residential services that can compete with the local telecommunications provider for bundling services that are delivered via that IP network," said Peter Wiggans, Telconomics’ CEO, in a release. "Cable companies have the most promising subscriber base for delivery of VOIP services. Strategies exist for the deployment of VOIP services, some of which are more treacherous than others, but it is abundantly clear that cable operators are beginning to act, to avoid letting the competition cherry-pick their subscribers.”
Telconomics Services Corporation was created as a result of an agreement between Galaxy Multimedia Corporation of Vancouver, Canada (www.galaxytelecom.net) and Peter Wiggans, who was a Galaxy founder and, up to the date of the agreement on April 21st, Galaxy’s chief operating officer. The purpose of the agreement was to enable Galaxy to focus on VOIP technology development and deployment and large customers, while giving Telconomics the opportunity to create, manage and grow a North America-wide network of independent cable company operators and ISPs who will deliver a range of VoIP products and services to their residential and commercial customers.
Growth forecasts for VOIP telephony indicate huge growth in the industry. Market research firm OVUM predicts that by 2008, nearly 200 million people in North America will be using VOIP phones, generating sales revenue of well over US$15 billion every year
