TORONTO -- The big telephone companies continued to provide 93.7% of local phone lines in Canada last year, with smaller competitors making little progress, the CRTC reported yesterday. Competition in this segment of the Canadian telecommunications market was primarily confined to the major urban centres, the federal regulator said in its annual report on the telecommunications industry.
By John Mangalonzo/The Reporter News Editor
Nolan County Commissioners approved the technology plan proposal for the County-City Library during its meeting this week.
Library director Becky Brock laid out the e-rate discount plan proposal to the panel, which provides libraries with discounted telecommunications services.
Brock reported that she already secured city commissioners’ approval regarding the plan.
The discount is based on the participation in the national free/reduced lunch program for the school district, which the library is under.
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A lot of people told me they chose to opt out of having their personal information shared after I wrote the other day about SBC’s plans to open customer files to its «family of companies.»
But many also said that SBC is making privacy protection a costly goal.
It turns out that the company will take away discounts for popular offerings like high-speed Internet service if customers say they don’t want their info being shared among subsidiaries. The result is higher monthly bills.
SBC says this is necessary to ensure that conditions for bargain-priced service packages are met on a monthly basis.
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It’s holiday time and Best Magazine Senior Editor, David Gregg has got some gift ideas and tips for the season.
Mini Cartoon cartridges for GameBoy Owners
For the over 24-million Nintendo GameBoy Advance owners, a company called Majesco just introduced a product that converts the GameBoy Advance into a personal Video player. Its new Game Boy Advance Video mini cartridges make great stocking stuffer. Each cartridge holds 45-minutes of cartoons complete with on screen controls (FF, Rewind < etc) with a library of content from the likes of Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and more. With big-name titles like Sponge Bob, Dora the Explorer Yu Gi Oh! And more the Mini Cartridges are sure to keep the kids entertained on the long trip back from Grandmas. Best of al they sell for only ($20: www.majesco.com)
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By JENNIFER McKEE
Gazette State Bureau
HELENA — Long-distance phone rates for men incarcerated at Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge are nearly 16 times higher than those charged outside the prison system.
Although rates vary depending on where in the state an inmate wishes to call, a typical 15-minute phone call from the prison to Billings costs $16.41, said Gary Willems, manager of the Department of Corrections contracts division. The fee consists of a $3.95 connection fee, which includes the first minute of the call, and 89 cents a minute after that.
A long-distance call using Qwest long distance outside the prison system costs 7 cents a minute with a basic plan, according to company information. That means a 15-minute phone call from Deer Lodge to Billings costs $1.05.
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