RIM released its quarterly results on Thursday, and exceeded analysts expectations for revenues and cost improvements, showing its efforts to reach into consumer markets have paid off, despite the challenging economy.

Consumer electronics have the challenge of often fickle demands, leading some analysts to continue to be cautious. Still, RIM has been able to broaden the array of products being offered and is doing so cost effectively.

RIM now has 25M subscribers, half of which are said to be from outside their traditional business base.

Co-CEO Jim Balsillie told analysts on a conference call:

RIM launched a record number of new products during the year, and the acceptance of these products outpaced our expectations and led to continued market share growth and record financial results

He also said that the “Storm” was helping to drive record levels of subscriber growth at carrier partners.

RIM’s co-CEO Mike Lazaridis will be a keynote speaker on June 15 at The 2009 Canadian Telecom Summit. Have you registered yet?

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Mike Lazaridis, RIM, Canadian Telecom Summit

As I mentioned earlier in the week, the CRTC opened up an on-line public consultation for its proceeding on Tuesday to enable citizen participation in the proceeding that is examining internet Network Management by Canada’s ISPs.

The comments are open for viewing, rating and reply and people should get involved to bring forward a diversity of viewpoints that are reflective of all sides of the discussion.

Independent ISPs have approached the consultation through their corporate regulatory groups and their industry association and by adding comments on the public consultation website. For example, consider the comment that starts with:

First off, I *am* an ISP. I’ve been in the business since 1996 – as such, my company was one of the pioneers of the internet in Canada. We’ve been doing this since well before the Cablecos, and Bell.

The consultation is open until the end of April. Get involved.

The 2009 Canadian Telecom Summit includes an in-depth look at many of these issues, with our net neutrality panel and our regulatory blockbuster. Have you registered yet?

Videotron announced that it is extending its TGV30 and TGV50 ultra-high speed internet services to additional areas in the greater Montréal viscinity. More than 400,000 households and businesses in 70 municipalities around Montréal will gain access to the 30 Mbps and 50 Mbps services.

Overall, more than 900,000 addresses in more than 100 municipalities will have access to Videotron’s industry leading speeds.

Videotron is also increasing the download caps for these services: for TGV30, residential customers will have a cap of 70 GB while business subscribers will have a 150 GB cap; and, for TGV50, the caps are 100 GB (residential) and 200 GB (business).

The press release quotes newly promoted EVP, Strategy and Market Development, Manon Brouillette:

Videotron continues to lead the way in Internet services with an advantageous offering: large download capacity at lightning speed for a competitive price

The services are priced at: TGV30 for $64.95 ($119.95 business) and TGV50 for $79.95 ($149.95 business).

Evidence of market forces at work, driving investment.

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Videotron, broadband

The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is planning to acquire Macquarie Communications, an operator of broadcast and telecom transmission infrastructure in Australia and the UK.

Industry Canada has mandated tower sharing in an effort to reduce the time to launch service for new mobile wireless carriers and minimize the aesthetic impact of tower proliferation in our communities.

Will Canadian carriers and cash-strapped Canadian broadcasters look to raise capital by monetizing their real estate assets, such as transmission towers?

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CPPIB, towers

The CRTC has opened up an on-line public consultation for its proceeding that is examining internet Network Management by Canada’s ISPs.

The e-consultation is open until April 30 and can be found at this website, which contains a welcome message from Namir Anani, the CRTC’s executive director for policy development and research.

The public is invited to discuss various topics and questions related to Internet traffic management practices, including:

• the impact of these practices on the user experience and on innovation
• the different approaches to Internet traffic management
• the role of the CRTC in relation to Internet traffic management practices, and
• the disclosure of Internet traffic management practices by ISPs.

A transcript of the discussion and threads will become part of the public record for the proceeding, which has oral hearings in early July.

The 2009 Canadian Telecom Summit includes an in-depth look at many of these issues, with our net neutrality panel featuring Mike Lee of Rogers, Chris Libertelli of Skype and Dave Caputo from Sandvine.

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network management, CRTC, net neutrality, Skype, Rogers, Sandvine