iristel-kenya

Iristel Furthers Global Expansion with Service Introduction in Kenya

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 03:57:23 GMT

As a leading telecommunications company with Canadian roots, we at Iristel are excited to announce that we are officially entering the Kenyan market.

Kenya is a country with a rapidly growing economy and a large, tech-savvy population. With a population of over 50 million people, Kenya presents a massive opportunity for us to expand our reach and offer our high-quality telecommunications services to a new market.

One of the key factors that attracted us to Kenya is the country's impressive infrastructure. With a well-developed telecommunications sector and a high level of internet penetration, Kenya is well positioned for growth and innovation in the telecom industry.

As part of our initial launch, we will be focusing on wholesale services. With a strong network of partners and a commitment to delivering exceptional service, we believe we can make a significant impact in the Kenyan market. With a robust product offering and competitive rates, we aim to become the go-to choice for wholesale services.

In addition to wholesale services, we will also be offering a range of business communication solutions.

From hosted PBX systems to unified communication solutions like Webex and Microsoft Teams Calling, we have the expertise and technology to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes. Whether you are a small start-up or a large enterprise, we have the tools and resources to help you communicate more efficiently and effectively.

Overall, we believe that the Kenyan market presents a huge opportunity for Iristel to grow and expand our reach. We are excited to bring our innovative products and services to this dynamic and growing market, and we look forward to building long-lasting relationships with our customers in Kenya. We look forward to working with businesses in the region to help them grow and succeed. If you are interested in learning more about our products and services, please don't hesitate to contact us. We would be happy to discuss how we can help your business succeed in today's competitive market.

COVID-19 Update

Tue, 19 Jul 2022 22:34:55 GMT

As we continue to make fundamental shifts in our lifestyle to combat the Coronavirus, this has also entailed a drastic increase in data usage across Canada and the world. This instant spike in network load has created choke points that did not exist in the past, so we are working tirelessly to address to provide you with the best possible experience. There are several significant actions you can take to enhance your data speeds and reduce network load. We thank you for your patience in light of this unprecedented situation. Read more about it here .

Iristel and Ice Wireless Help Canadians with Improved Data Consumption as Governments Urge Canadians to Stay Home

Tue, 19 Jul 2022 22:32:11 GMT

Recent events have made us even more dependent on digital connectivity. In response, Iristel and Ice Wireless are temporarily removing the throttling of data usage above the allotted plan requirements on all unlimited wireless data plans (which was previously throttled after 10GB usage on the Home network). Iristel is committed to enabling the health and well-being of our users by providing this worry-free convenience. We are all in this together.

428: A New Area Code For New Brunswick

Tue, 19 Jul 2022 21:42:48 GMT

A new area code – “428” is coming to New Brunswick (NB) on November 21, 2020. The new area code will be added to the code for the region: 506.

Existing customers’ phone numbers will not be impacted. After November 21, 2020, area code “428” will start to be assigned by providers.

Suicide Prevention Hotline

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 16:14:19 GMT

Soon, you will be able to dial 9-8-8 to reach a mental health crisis and suicide prevention hotline. This service will be available in the United States starting on July 16, 2022.

9-8-8 is not available yet in Canada, but help is still available. Adults can text 741741 and youth can text 686868. Quebec residents can text 1-855-957-5353. You can also call Canada’s suicide prevention service at 1-833-456-4566.

About Iristel

Iristel is Canada’s fastest-growing Competitive Local Exchange Carrier providing innovative communication services that are changing how consumers and businesses communicate. Founded in 1999, Markham-based Iristel operates Canada’s largest facilities-based local voice network extending Coast-to-Coast-to-Coast. It also owns Ice Wireless, an LTE-A carrier with operations in Canada’s northern territories and Quebec. Iristel also owns brands such as Sugar Mobile, an Over-the-Top (OTT) app where phone calls and text messages can be transmitted through data, and Télécommunications de l’Est (TDE), a company that operates a Nomad mobile network, a unique two-way radio digital trunking network built to meet the specific needs of Canada’s rural regions.

For more information:

www.iristel.com

pr@iristel.com

or call 416-800-0010

New Eastern Ontario Area Code (753)

Thu, 12 May 2022 15:56:39 GMT

A new area code – “753” is coming to Eastern Ontario on March 26, 2022. The new area code will be added to the codes for the region: 613/343. Existing customers’ phone numbers will not be impacted. After March 26, 2022, area code 753 will start to be assigned by providers.

About Iristel

For more information:

www.iristel.com

pr@iristel.com

or call 416-800-0010

New Area Code 368

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 16:53:52 GMT

A new area code – “368” is coming to Alberta (AB) on April 23, 2022. The new area code will be added to the codes for the region: 403/587/780/825. Existing customers’ phone numbers will not be impacted. After April 23, 2022, area code “368” will start to be assigned by providers.

About Iristel

For more information:

www.iristel.com

pr@iristel.com

or call 416-800-0010

Cyberattack on Iristel

Sun, 21 Nov 2021 16:35:47 GMT

Iristel is committed to maintaining the integrity and security of our network and in full transparency, wanted to make customers aware of the issue at hand that was impacting our network.

On Monday, November 15th at approximately 11:00 (EST), Iristel had a cyber-attack attempt (known technically as DDoS) on a network element, specifically a port on an element. The port establishes connection to and from the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). This caused a packet loss (electronic method of transporting conversations over the internet) to our Core Network that hindered the ability to establish a voice call.

Our senior engineers, along with our partners were fully engaged and dedicated on resolving the issue at hand to restore service, which has now stabilized and is functioning without disruption, per our current data, after implementing the permanent fix.

On behalf of the entire Iristel Team, we sincerely apologize over this disruption of service as we are keenly aware of the frustration it has caused to your business. We are very proud in the trust that you have in our company to deliver your services and we continue to monitor the entire network. More information and updates can be found at https://status.iristel.com/

About Iristel

For more information:

www.iristel.com

pr@iristel.com

or call 416-800-0010

Cyberattack on Iristel

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 16:52:00 GMT

To Our Valued Customers and Partners,

On Monday, November 15th, as you already know, Iristel became the latest in Canada’s VoIP community to come under cyber attack. It was a network-level large scale Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack that attempted to make our services unavailable by overwhelming the network with traffic from multiple sources.

The Russian-based “REvil” group – short for “Ransomware-Evil” – claimed responsibility and demanded a ransom payment. REvil is known as one of the world's most prolific ransomware gangs and has staged several attacks this year against major companies and organizations around the world.

I am pleased to report Iristel beat back the attack and our network was fully restored to optimum levels in record time, fewer than 48 hours, and no ransom was paid.

Although Iristel is not the household telecom brand, we touch countless businesses and consumer lives with every minute we carry voice and data across the largest VoIP network in Canada. As such, you felt the impact of this paralyzing event. We work for you, and we take pride in connecting people, that is why we countered this with full force.

It’s only during these times – a crisis – that one truly realizes and fully appreciates the positive impact of our services, our customers, and our team.

You, our partner, have chosen us to support your customers. We strive to create a partnership built on quality, survivability, and trust. We take great pride in the integrity and security of our network.

I have spoken to many of you during this time. I heard you loud and clear. The vulnerability feeling caused by these attacks is very unsettling, but I refuse to be a victim. That is why we will tirelessly monitor and make our ecosystem even smarter, driven both by machine learning and human engineering excellence to prevent such attacks.

I want to thank those carrier partners who have offered their support during these difficult times.

We know this is not over for the VoIP industry as a whole. The DDoS threat will rear its ugly head again. Now we need to be an active part of the solution. We have already contacted cyber law enforcement agencies and will also share our experience with our carrier community as we feel being good stewards will help defeat these criminals and secure our communications’ future.

I have seen firsthand our team step up, work around the clock, and face this crisis head on with leading edge and outside-the-box solutions to restore services. I was reminded once again of Iristel’s immense strength and higher vocation to keep everyone connected no matter where they are.

I truly appreciate all of you who trust us to deliver your services. We will remain vigilant and defend our network.

Sincerely,

Samer Bishay

CEO & Founder - Iristel

About Iristel

For more information:

www.iristel.com

pr@iristel.com

or call 416-800-0010

New Area Code (742)

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 16:34:33 GMT

A new area code – “742” was released for the Southern area of Ontario (ON) on October 16, 2021. The new area code will be added to the codes for the region: 905/289/365.

Existing customers’ phone numbers will not be impacted. As of October 16, 2021, area code “742” started to be assigned by providers.

About Iristel

For more information:

www.iristel.com

pr@iristel.com

or call 416-800-0010

When to Migrate Your Contact Center to the Cloud

Sat, 21 Aug 2021 20:48:58 GMT

While the many benefits of a cloud-based call center may be tantalizing, it isn’t uncommon for call centers to put off migration to a virtual solution until some issue forces their hand. While these situations may seem unfortunate at first, they could actually be an opportunity to improve your contact center’s performance and bottom-line. In this third part of our series, we’ll explore when it’s time to migrate your on-premise call center system to the cloud.

Legacy Call Center End-of-Life

First-generation legacy on-premise call centers are aging and sooner or later will have to be replaced. Expanding or upgrading on-premise equipment is expensive, and while your existing vendor may be pressuring you to buy a whole new system, this is the perfect time to look into cloud-based solutions. While these next-generation systems offer many benefits, whether on-premise or in the cloud, you need confidence a new contact center will be relatively easy to install, will perform well, and will make a decent ROI.

Cloud-based call centers are easy to deploy, because it’s just a matter of getting a browser to connect to the system; the provider has already got the infrastructure ready and waiting for you to use. A traditional call center can be upgraded to an omni-channel contact center in a matter of weeks (depending on size).

Call Center Hardware and/or Software Upgrades

Even if your on-premise call center is not yet at the end of its’ productive life, it may be time to upgrade, perhaps to keep the call center software up to date, to add new features, or to integrate with other channels or systems. If you are maintaining different contact center systems at different sites, you may need to juggle upgrades between sites to minimize downtime.

If you are questioning whether the benefits of upgrading your old system are worth the risk, hassle, and cost, you could consider a hybrid solution, which can provide all the latest features and channels, in addition to unified cloud routing, predictive analytics-based routing, and a graceful migration path to the cloud. This is particularly valuable to multi-site, multi-system contact centers.

Moving or Relocating Call Centers

There are many reasons why a business needs to relocate – more space, a better location, financial necessity among them. Whatever the case for the move, it might be a good time to leave your old call center system with your old address.

Since cloud-based systems are easy to deploy, and much less expensive in terms of up-front capital expenditures, it might actually be cheaper and/or easier to have your new cloud-based call center ready and waiting for you in your new digs.

Growing and Scaling Your Call Center

If you must have a problem, growth is a relatively good problem to have. At the same time, if your call volume, number of agents, distributed sites, or outsource partners are increasing, it can lead to other problems that aren’t so good to have, such as difficulty scaling your old system, and difficulty controlling and managing the needed expansion. If you upgrade a traditional call center, you have a big capital expense up front for licenses and equipment, and you may still be limited by the number of ports you have.

With a virtual call center, the upfront cost is considerably less, and you will never have to worry about managing and maintaining equipment going forward. In addition, the better cloud-based solutions are scalable from small, middle, and up through large enterprises.

New Contact Center Features

With all the advances in communications and contact center technology, there will be times you need to add new features to stay competitive. While you may be able to get the features you need from your legacy on-premise contact center vendor, how much more will it cost? Does that include the cost of the people implementing the new features?

Virtual call center solutions allow you to get the latest innovations, features, and upgrades faster and at a lower cost. Going forward, you won’t have to manage upgrades, because the cloud service provider does that for you.

Integrating Your Call Center With Other New Systems

Even if you haven’t migrated your on-premise call system to the cloud, other SaaS platforms, such as a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) can enter the scene at your company. While software such as Salesforce might easily integrate with a cloud-based call center, it might not integrate so easily with an old on-premise system.

Modern cloud-based contact center software provides a unified solution that uses open standards to easily integrate your data, voice, applications, and databases.

Contact Center Service Quality

Customers respond negatively to unreliable situations. Maintaining reliability requires managing uptime and service levels across systems and sites, knowing when things are working and not, and having insight into peak times, loads, and other analytics across all systems. This can be challenging with on-premise equipment.

If your reliability and service levels are suffering, you can migrate to a cloud-based solution, which can provide up to 99.99% uptime while balancing call loads and ensuring the most efficient use of agents in multiple locations.

Contact Center Business Performance

10 years ago the priority was cost reduction, but in today’s competitive environment the focus is on improving business performance through key performance indicators (KPIs). Today’s disparate and distributed systems are not delivering the needed collaboration and integrated views to improve the two categories of KPIs: operational and business.

A cloud solution with predictive analytics-driven routing can improve business performance, as well as operational efficiency and costs. The unified user experience and centralized performance data across channels and systems some cloud contact center systems provide allow agents to provide better service, and managers to better understand and manage operations and business performance.

Combining Call Centers Due to Acquisition or Merger

We’ve all been through it – a company gets bought or sold, and not only do departments have to merge functions across the new enterprise, but call center systems that were originally not designed to work together now have to. You can try to keep the original systems and teams working separately, but it’s difficult to manage and optimize in real-time with no unified view or control of multiple sites or systems.

An alternate solution is to create a hybrid cloud contact center, which overlays some of your existing systems to unify and correlate metrics from the multiple systems and sites. The more sophisticated cloud-based contact centers have the capability of displaying cross-system, channel, and site operational and performance metrics – in real-time. These next-generation cloud call center systems can also drive the behavior of on-premise systems, letting you create centralized routing rules across sites and technologies. In time, you can gradually migrate some sites to the cloud.

In summary, challenging situations can arise that are really opportunities for you to take stock of your existing call center and improve your business by migrating to the next generation of contact center functionality.

$6/mth Number Porting

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 15:26:50 GMT

$6-a-month Seamless Phone Number Portability Service Offered by Iristel Across North America

The new “Mobifi” Service Means Canadian Phone Numbers Can Be Used With Far Cheaper U.S. Wireless Plans

TORONTO, ON – June 14, 2021 – Iristel Inc., Canada’s fast-growing telecom services provider, will this month offer a new portability service allowing Canadian phone numbers to be used with far less expensive plans offered by U.S. telecom companies.

The $6-a-month “Mobifi” service is ideal for entrepreneurs re-locating in the United States and Snowbirds who spend half the year in the U.S. and Mexico or Canadians at home looking for value from services offered by T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint or other U.S. telecom services companies.

“Canadians pay some of the highest wireless rates in the world and consumers and small business want relief,” says Samer Bishay, Iristel President and CEO.

Typically, when south of the border for extended periods, price-conscious entrepreneurs and Snowbirds suspend their Canadian wireless service and use U.S. SIM cards (subscriber identification module) in their phones; temporarily losing both their Canadian number and contacts in the phone. Others pay $8-a-day roaming fees to Canada’s oligarchy phone companies.

“Our new Mobifi service will forward both voice and data from a person’s Canadian number to their phone with the American SIM card and contacts will remain in the phone,” Mr. Bishay says. “It’s seamless, easy to set up and will save Canadians money every month.”

Historically, the Canadian Radio-Telecommunications Commission has sided with big incumbent telcos and against service-based competition and lower prices for consumers. And in two CRTC decisions this year, the commission blatantly states it is partial to “facilities-based carriers” and against real competition, innovation and consumers’ choice.

“Mobifi is carrier agnostic,” Mr. Bishay says. “Customers with Canadian phone numbers, regardless which phone company, can use any U.S. carrier’s SIM cards. Our solution is great for people travelling to the U.S. for extended periods, or any consumer or business that wants to keep Canadian phone numbers but pay lower rates from U.S. phone companies.”

Adds Mr. Bishay: “And it works in reverse, too. As an industry first, Canadians with a U.S. number while back in Canada don’t have to miss out on any of their communications if they wish to have a Canadian number as a primary number.”

Mr. Bishay says he has a T-Mobile phone with unlimited voice and data, no long-distance charges anywhere in Canada, U.S. and Mexico for US$35 a month. “Transferring one of my Canadian phone numbers to that plan, even if I charged myself $6 a month, would still be a lot cheaper than a similar plan from Canadian wireless oligarchs.”

The simple, self-service Mobifi app will be available on Iristel.com website later in June.

About Iristel

For more information:

www.iristel.com

pr@iristel.com

or call 416-800-0010

Iristel Wins 5G Spectrum for Rural Canadians News

Wed, 09 Jun 2021 15:32:32 GMT

Iristel Wins 8 Blocks of 3500 MHz Spectrum for 5G Rollout for Rural Canadians

Malicious CRA audit limits the facilities-based carrier’s capacity to invest further in the wireless auction to help bridge the digital divide for rural Canadians, especially f or Indigenous communities

CORNER BROOK, NL and WHITEHORSE, YK – July 29, 2021 – Despite being held back by a groundless and drawn-out Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) hindrance, Iristel Inc. has been awarded eight blocks of the coveted mid-band spectrum at 3500 Megahertz by the Federal Government.

“While we’re delighted with these eight blocks, the CRA has deprived us of potentially landing 80 other blocks that would serve hundreds more rural communities, many of which are Indigenous,” says Samer Bishay, President and CEO of both Iristel and Ice Wireless. “We laud Ottawa for setting aside spectrum for competitors by preventing the Big Three wireless oligarchs from bidding on it, but we question the CRA’s draconian tactics. On the one hand, the Federal Government is wisely setting policy to bolster competition, and on the other hand, its tax department is doing the opposite.”

Spectrum is radio frequencies needed for smartphones. It is divided into three ranges: low-band, mid-band and high-band. The higher the range, the more devices it can handle; however, it has a smaller coverage area. The lower the range, the fewer devices it can handle but the coverage area is larger. Iristel already holds licenses for multiple low-band blocks of spectrum in Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, rural Ontario, rural Quebec and all of Newfoundland and Labrador.

This mid-band spectrum at 3500 MHz is ideal for 5G, the critical ingredient to launching the economy into the future with mega-fast data download speeds. Iristel paid for and was awarded a block in western Newfoundland, one in Labrador, two in Nunavat, two in Northwest Territories and two in Yukon.

“All through the pandemic, the CRA has waged an unjustified war against us and withheld more than $80 million of our money. This currently tied up money in the CRA’s coffers could have been used to invest more heavily in spectrum to bring stronger competition and affordability to rural communities in Canada,” Mr. Bishay says.

Iristel and its wireless subsidiaries reach 1.2 million Canadians and the 3500 MHz spectrum will dramatically increase network capacity. With 5G, rural tourist operators, retailers, business consultants and more will potentially have the same digital opportunities as urban Canadians. Also, with 15 million Iristel telephone numbers in service, every Canadian has used Iristel’s advanced Internet-based telecommunications networks in some form.

Iristel is a proven Canadian telecom player with more than 20 years in business, not some fly-by-night operator that the CRA should punitively withhold its money as the case grinds on for years.

“We’ve written senior government officials, including Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne, Revenue Minister Diane Lebouthillier and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, to outline our case and to seek the release of our funds from the CRA, which have been held almost two years,” Mr. Bishay says. “We’re not looking for political favours, merely fairness. In the letter, I called upon the Government of Canada to respond positively and promptly for the benefit of all Canadians to demonstrate the government's commitment to genuine competition, diversification and fairness in the telecommunications sector.”

In the 2021 budget, the Federal Government said Ottawa will spend $2.75 billion to bring more rural Canadians high-speed Internet with the ultimate goal of making high-speed access available to all of Canada by 2030. If the CRA was not holding Iristel’s money, the company could have bid on many more 3500 MHz spectrum licenses in Northern and Eastern Quebec, Newfoundland, New Brunswick and rural Ontario.

About Iristel

For more information:

www.iristel.com

pr@iristel.com

or call 416-800-0010

Healing Wings

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 15:19:03 GMT

Healing Wings with support of Ice Wireless & Huawei provide

Internet-connected Mobile Devices to Emergency Shelters in Canada’s North

IQALUIT, NU, June 8, 2021 – In an effort to continue providing support and connectivity to those most at risk during this pandemic, the Healing Wings Foundation, is delighted to make a donation of Huawei tablets and laptops powered by free and unlimited internet access from Ice Wireless to clients at four emergency shelters.

The 25 tablets and laptops will be divided up for communal use at Kaushee’s Place, a women’s transition home in Whitehorse; Side Door, an emergency shelter in Yellowknife; YWCA Agvik Nunavut Society in Iqaluit; and Isuarsivik Regional Recovery Centre in Kuujjuaq in Northern Quebec.

“Many residents in these communities do not have access to the technology that many of us take for granted,” says Healing Wings President Mireille Dahab. “Equipment such as computers, mobile devices and tablets are needed to help facilitate connections with family and friends, and enable access to important information for housing, job search, research and education.”

The Healing Wings Foundation has focused heavily on the so-called “digital divide” between Canada’s North and South. This very real disparity translates into fewer employment opportunities as well as challenges to learning especially during this pandemic.

On top of that, a lack of connectivity and access to technology can also have more dire ramifications.

“Often women do not have access to a phone, or it is shared with their abusers,” says Healing Wings Vice-President Samer Bishay, who is also President and CEO of Ice Wireless. “Communications is important for their safety and security, as well as their ability to search for long-term accommodation, social services and support for their children.”

Dr. Ashraf Salib, also a Healing Wings Vice-President, points out that technology is vital for the youth at these shelters; who are either there on their own or with mothers.

“Laptops and tablets enable homework and research for these at-risk youths who are supposed to keep up with studies during such troubling times,” Dr. Salib says. “And with schools open only half days or not at all, the laptops and tablets help reduce the sense of isolation and helplessness.”

All the Huawei devices have will soon be delivered to the four shelters in Iqaluit, Yellowknife, Whitehorse, and Kuujjuaq in Northern Quebec where they will be connected to Ice Wireless internet service.

“Healing Wings, Ice Wireless and Huawei believe in the power of connectivity. We also believe that every Canadian deserves access to a fast, reliable network, no matter which part or where in Canada they call home,” says Huawei Canada President Haiwen (Tom) Wang. “We are proud to help our partners connect those living in rural and remote communities, bringing people together from coast to coast to coast.”

Healing Wings Foundation Background:

Founded in 2020 during the pandemic, the Healing Wings Foundation has four main goals: provide connectivity and access to infrastructure to those living in remote arctic communities; provide subsidized accommodation for Armed Forces, Police Officers, Fire Fighters and Veterans and/or their families as they receive medical treatment within the Greater Toronto Area; provide a variety of subsidized or donated social services to those of needs; and collaborate with other local charities and not-for-profit organizations to support their objectives by aiding and providing supplementary programs.

For more information or to make a donation, visit https://www.healingwings.org/

Media contact:

Norry Satov

info@healingwings.org

About Iristel

Huawei Background:

Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices. With integrated solutions across four key domains – telecom networks, IT, smart devices, and cloud services – we are committed to bringing digital to every person, home and organization for a fully connected, intelligent world.

Huawei's end-to-end portfolio of products, solutions and services are both competitive and secure. Through open collaboration with ecosystem partners, we create lasting value for our customers, working to empower people, enrich home life, and inspire innovation in organizations of all shapes and sizes.

At Huawei, innovation focuses on customer needs. We invest heavily in basic research, concentrating on technological breakthroughs that drive the world forward. We have more than 194,000 employees, and we operate in more than 170 countries and regions. Founded in 1987, Huawei is a private company wholly owned by its employees.

Established in 2008, Huawei Canada ranks amongst the top corporate R&D investors in the country and is committed to connecting Canadians for a better, brighter future.

For more information, please contact:

Peter Akman

Huawei Canada

peter.akman@huawei.com

Sugar Mobile Disappointed; CRTC is Again Putting Big Telco & Cable Ahead of Consumers

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 15:15:30 GMT

TORONTO – April 15, 2021 – Sugar Mobile – long blocked from offering affordable wireless services to consumers – is disheartened with the federal regulator’s decision to side with Big Telco and regional cable players ahead of promoting competition, affordability, consumer interests, and innovation.

“Canadians are paying some of the highest wireless rates in the world,” says Samer Bishay, President and CEO of Sugar Mobile. “The proposed takeover of Shaw by Rogers will only make things worse and the CRTC explicitly stated today that they did not take into account the Rogers/Shaw merger in this decision because it was announced after the record closed on the MVNO proceeding. Today’s CRTC decision provides little, if any, relief for wireless customers. Indeed, the decision is based on facts that are already obsolete because they don't take the Rogers/Shaw merger into account.”

The CRTC – Canadian Radio-Television Telecommunications Commission – has effectively banned Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) in Canada unless they invest in network infrastructure and spectrum, which is counter to the notion of a “virtual” network operator. MVNOs have long been a staple for healthy wireless competition in the United States and other wireless markets around the world.

“This decision is really an anti-MVNO decision. It provides access to regional wireless players like cable companies Videotron, Cogeco and EastLink, and Ice Wireless in Canada’s Far North, to roam on Bell, Telus and Rogers for seven years while they build duplicate wireless networks,” Mr. Bishay says. “The concept of MVNO and true consumer choice and fair pricing has been squashed in Canada.”

Sugar Mobile, an MVNO owned by Iristel Inc., a Canadian facilities-based network operator, spurred this regulatory battle after launching a consumer-friendly $19-a-month wireless voice-and-data service in 2015, only to be shut down several months later by the CRTC at the behest of Rogers, Bell and Telus. The federal government then asked the CRTC to take another look at the wireless industry and its regulations.

“This decision will stifle innovation and competition in Canada,” Mr. Bishay says. “In markets all over the world, we’ve seen MVNOs stimulate competition and choice for consumers without damaging incumbent phone companies. Indeed, many incumbents experience growth as their network usage becomes optimized.”

In its news release, the CRTC “puts measures in place to spur more mobile wireless competition for Canadians” and its decision will offer “Canadians more choice and affordable options”, but the devil is in the details, not how the story is spun, Mr. Bishay adds.

“For whatever reason, the CRTC is hanging its hat on regional players – cable companies – to provide meaningful wireless competition, and banning real MVNOs which have brought actual and sustainable wireless competition to other countries,” Mr. Bishay says.

“Talk is cheap – unless it’s on a Bell, Telus or Rogers wireless phone,” he says. “It looks like it will be the same on other cable companies’ wireless phones, too.”

For more information:

Sugar Mobile Media Relations

416.800.0010

pr@iristel.com

15 Million Numbers

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 16:11:43 GMT

Iristel Tops 15 Million Phone Numbers in Canada

Offers customers choice from East to West; North to South

TORONTO, ON – February 1, 2021 – Iristel Inc., Canada’s fastest-growing telecom services provider, today exceeded 15 million phone numbers across the country; offering Canadians choice and strong competition to the telecom oligopolists.

“As a wholesaler, our brand may not be as well known as other phone companies, but our cloud communications and fully redundant platform for voice, messaging and emergency services are best-of-breed. We provide the connectivity fabric on most calls that every Canadian experiences on a daily basis,” says Samer Bishay, Iristel President and CEO. “Vaulting past 15 million numbers is a milestone and strong telecom competition means more benefit for Canadians. We’re powering businesses and empowering people.”

Iristel’s advanced, all-IP network reaches more than 97 per cent of Canada’s population – including the most robust network in Canada’s remote Far North – covering more than 2,500 rate centers across the country.

Iristel’s advanced powerful APIs and self-service portal are easy-to-use and provide an efficient way for customers to order, manage and control land line, SIP trunks and wireless numbers individually or in bulk.

“Our company started as a VoIP network and over the last 22 years we have grown and evolved into one of the most advanced communications networks in Canada that is relied upon by businesses, Tier 1 carriers and millions of Canadians for things like 911 emergency calls, industrial Internet of Things, machine-to-machine, gaming on mobile devices, and a lot more” Bishay says. “You might say we provide the technological plumbing that makes millions of mobile devices work seamlessly regardless of the communications provider.”

To learn more about Iristel services, visit www.iristel.com .

About Iristel

Iristel Collaborates with ENCQOR 5G

Fri, 02 Oct 2020 14:08:11 GMT

IRISTEL ENTERS INTO A COLLABORATION AGREEMENT WITH ENCQOR 5G

ENCQOR 5G (Evolution of Cloud Services in the Quebec-Ontario Corridor for Research and Innovation) is a transformational Canada-Quebec-Ontario partnership focused on innovation in 5G technologies.
The project brings together industry, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the public sector, innovation centers and academia to realize the technological promise of 5G in the short term and stimulate long-term economic growth.
ENCQOR 5G has five innovation centers located in Ontario and Quebec offering a 5G platform where SMEs can develop and test new solutions.

Montreal, Quebec, October 9, 2020 - ENCQOR 5G is pleased to announce the signing of a new collaboration agreement with Iristel, an innovative player in the telecommunications sector based in Markham, Ontario, with operations across Canada.

Through this agreement, Iristel will have access to ENCQOR's 5G test bed to perform various technology development work and test new solutions using 5G technology.

Iristel joins the ranks of ENCQOR 5G along with six other telecommunications companies: Bell, Cogeco, Ecotel (Ambra Solutions), Rogers, Telus and Videotron. These companies also signed memorandums of understanding in February to use ENCQOR 5G's infrastructures for technological development purposes.

"We are pleased that the reach of the ENCQOR 5G program continues to expand in Canada's key telecommunications sector. By partnering with players of Iristel's quality, just as we did with the other six telecommunications companies earlier this year, ENCQOR 5G can directly contribute to the emergence of a robust and dynamic 5G ecosystem in Canada, capable of competing on a global scale," said Mr. Pierre Boucher, General Manager of ENCQOR 5G.

"Iristel is pleased to sign this MOU with ENCQOR 5G. It will provide us with easy and simple access to state-of-the-art 5G infrastructure to test, if necessary, different solutions using this technology. ENCQOR 5G will thus be a useful lever in our technological development efforts in the future,” said François Picard, Vice-President, Wireless Networks at Iristel.

ENCQOR is the only 5G test bench in Canada to offer access to all 5G frequency ranges through an interconnected network of 5 innovation centers based in Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Waterloo. ENCQOR's state-of-the-art infrastructure allows researchers and developers to use the full potential of 5G in their development work.

About Iristel:

Iristel is Canada’s fastest-growing carrier providing innovative communication services, including cybersecurity, that are changing how consumers and businesses communicate. Founded in 1999, Markham-based Iristel operates Canada’s largest facilities-based local voice network extending Coast-to-Coast-to-Coast. It also owns Ice Wireless, an LTE-A carrier with operations in Canada’s northern territories and Quebec. Iristel also owns brands such as Sugar Mobile, an Over-the-Top (OTT) app where phone calls and text messages can be transmitted through data, and TDE, a company that offers sale, rental and repair services of telecommunication equipment in Eastern Quebec and Northern New Brunswick.

About ENCQOR 5G:

The ENCQOR 5G initiative is funded by the governments of Canada, Quebec and Ontario, as well as key industry players: Ericsson, Ciena, Thales, CGI and IBM. ENCQOR 5G is coordinated by ENCQOR Innovation. It is issued in Ontario by OCE and in Quebec by Innovation ENCQOR, Prompt and ADRIQ. The program's mandate is to bring together SMEs and the academic community to contribute to the advancement of research, innovation and application demonstration through a 5G pre-commercial testbed.

Iristel Partners with dotmobile

Tue, 22 Sep 2020 14:06:42 GMT

TORONTO, ON – September 22, 2020 – dotmobile™, a Full Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), is pleased to announce its first network wholesale agreement. It is with Iristel, Canada’s only coast-to-coast-to-coast telecommunications network.

Dotmobile is an independent wireless service provider seeking access to multiple Canadian radio access networks to complement its own cloud-based core network. Both dotmobile and Iristel are a part of Competitive Network Operators of Canada.

“We see the importance of investing in network infrastructure, as well as optimizing the use of what exists today” says Algis Akstinas, CEO of dotmobile. “Our goal is to bring our innovative, all-digital wireless service to all Canadians, no matter who they are or where they live. Iristel’s radio access network covers some of the least densely populated areas in not only Canada, but the world. Network agreements like this are critical to achieving our goal.”

Beyond building its national facilities-based VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) network and a wireless network in Canada’s far North, Iristel and its affiliates have also built networks in Africa and Eastern Europe.

“We know how to build robust networks using innovative technologies that offer customers advanced communications services at fair prices,” says Samer Bishay, President and CEO of Iristel. “Interestingly, with every network we’ve built around the world, we’ve found benefits by allowing competitors on our networks, something Canada’s big telecoms do not understand.”

The CRTC is currently deciding on the fate of fixed and wireless connectivity in Canada for the next five years. Canada has some of the highest wireless prices in the world. Smaller players such as MVNOs like dotmobile can offer innovative new services and serve niche segments while generating good returns for host networks to ensure continued network investment.

“Having our own core-network is paramount to offering differentiated service, having both cost and speed-to-market advantage. It unleashes real wireless service innovation,” says Mr. Akstinas. “dotmobile is following a low-cost high-tech business model. Modern cloud infrastructure, simple connectivity options and reduced operational complexity will bring significant savings and improved wireless experience to our members at an optimal cost.”

Data On Tap Inc., parent of dotmobile, was founded by two former WIND Mobile product architects. dotmobile™ was a registered “Proposed Full MVNO” (Mobile Network Code - 302 100) from August 29th, 2019 to September 17th, 2020. According to rules set by the Canadian telecom regulator - the CRTC - an agreement with the core network provider is one of the three essential requirements needed to become a Full Mobile Virtual Network Operator.

About dotmobile:

Data on Tap Inc. is building dotmobile™, a smart tiny telecom with a simple goal - to make wireless more affordable and awesome for youth, seniors, students, newcomers, visitors to the country, small businesses, and families that want to save. Data On Tap™, dotmobile™, dot.™ and the dotmobile logo are trademarks of Data On Tap Inc.

About Iristel:

Media inquiries: media@dotmobile.app and pr@iristel.com

Iristel CEO Makes A Splash News

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 14:05:16 GMT

Samer Bishay named Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Entrepreneur in 2020 by the RBC

Tuesday, September 15, 2020 (Toronto, Canada) - Samer Bishay, President and CEO of Iristel and Ice Wireless, is pleased to accept recognition as one of Canada’s top 25 named immigrant entrepreneurs in 2020 by the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). The award celebrates the inspiring achievements of Canadian business immigrants.

Egyptian-born Canadian, Samer Bishay, has built one of Canada’s largest and fastest-growing telecommunications companies. Founded by Samer in 1999, Iristel operates facilities-based voice networks extending coast-to-coast-to-coast and operates internationally. For his industry and wider-community efforts, Samer is also recognized by the Canadian Armed Forces and holds the title of an Honorary Colonel of 34 Signal Regiment.

“As a Canadian entrepreneur in the telecommunications industry, I am grateful to accept this award on behalf of my family and me. The Canadian-dream is available to anyone who can take the risk of starting a business and remaining committed to it over the long run. I chose to dedicate my life to helping other people connect through affordable and accessible telecommunications products and services. I am thankful to everyone who voted for me and for recognizing the great work we have done at Iristel and Ice Wireless.”

About the Award:

The COVID-19 pandemic has proven that we are all interconnected despite race, culture or country of origin. This award symbolizes diversity, resilience, and the importance of coming together as Canadians during challenging times. Hundreds of nominations were received, from which a panel of past recipients shortlisted 75 finalists. The 25 winners were chosen based on a combination of nationwide online voting and judge’s scores. The RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award winners, will receive a commemorative plaque and ceremonial gift package. Winners will also be featured online at www.canadianimmigrant.ca/rbctop25 and in the September print edition of Canadian Immigrant magazine. The awards program is supported by the Toronto Star, Metro, Omni, City TV and Sing Tao.

Facts About Iristel:

Iristel is the largest privately-owned telecommunications company in Canada representing approximately 10% of the telecommunications market.
Over 7 million Canadian subscribers rely on Iristel for a variety of collaboration and telecommunication needs under many household brands that Iristel enables exclusively on its infrastructure.
Iristel provides competitive pricing and telecommunications services to specialized locations across Canada not covered by the three largest market companies.

Anti-Spam Tool

Tue, 16 Jun 2020 14:03:59 GMT

Iristel enables more than 7 million phone numbers for thousands of telecom and technology companies around the world. And in the wake of higher volumes in unwanted telemarketing and spam phone calls, the CRTC and Canada’s telecom service providers have begun to take some more hard-hitting measures to protect Canadians. In a first-of-its-kind move against unwanted calls, Iristel has created a system in which users of Iristel phone numbers can report and block other Iristel-provided phone numbers.

“We are the first Telco in Canada to specifically block an abuser from contacting a user when the abuser is using a service provided by Iristel,” [CEO] Mr. Bishay added. “We hear from exasperated and angry Canadians all the time about these annoying calls and that’s why we’ve launched this new, easy-to-use, anti-spam website.”

Here’s how it works: to report unwanted calls, go to iristel.com/antispam and report the number by filling out the form and we will investigate, take action, if appropriate, and report back on what we did.

Read the full press release here: https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/new-iristel-service-stops-spam-phone-calls-891505941.html

Iristel and Ice Wireless Double Network Capacity in Iqaluit News

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 13:59:02 GMT

The new network architecture uses a combination of multiple satellite technologies that include traditional C-band fixed satellite services and combines Ka-band fixed satellite capacity made available through the open access component of Innovation, Science and Industry Canada’s Connect to Innovate program. Click here to learn more .

Iristel Strengthens Ties With WiFi-based Text+

Fri, 21 Feb 2020 23:29:07 GMT

In Iristel's push to make wireless communications more accessible and more affordable, the company has made financial investments in California-based textPlus which has over 100 million worldwide downloads with 7 million being in Canada. This service allows users to talk, text and share for free or cheaply and will also power Iristel's Sugar Mobile. Read the story further on Newswire .

Universal Call Blocking

Tue, 04 Feb 2020 23:27:42 GMT

Iristel has implemented the Universal Call Blocking (UCB) feature. It is an automated feature – free of charge to consumers – designed to protect Canadians at home and while roaming internationally. This new system operates on a specific set of rules which block malformed numbers that do not comply with international numbering plan standards. Examples of this include international numbers with more than 15 digits, North American numbers that have either more or less than 10 digits (long distance calls that begin with the number 1 and 310-XXXX calls), and numbers with unassigned North American area codes. There are few exceptions to these rules, which can be found here: https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2018/2018-484.htm

A spoofed number can appear as a string of digits, such as 000-000-0000, a random number, or the number of a company, person, or government entity. Telemarketers who make sales calls to customers in Canada have an obligation to identify themselves. Callers who use technology to spoof their caller ID information with inaccurate, false, or misleading information violate this requirement. Spoofed calls are not necessarily illegitimate under the Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules.

Iristel is proudly committed to adhere to the standards set out by the CRTC in order to protect and satisfy all Canadian consumers. If you have any further questions, please call us at 1 833 IRISTEL.

$470,000 Donation

Tue, 14 Jan 2020 23:26:22 GMT

Founder and CEO of Iristel, Samer Bishay has made a generous donation of $470,000 to the Faculty of Science at York University. As a graduate from the Space and Communications program in 1998, Bishay aims to give back and create real impact for the young minds attending York U.

Read the article on their official website: https://yfile.news.yorku.ca/2020/01/07/new-gift-brightens-learning-research-opportunities-for-optical-physics-students/

Legalweek New York 2020

Mon, 13 Jan 2020 23:24:48 GMT

Iristel’s second annual appearance at Legal week in New York will begin on February 3rd! This event hallmarks the symbiotic relationship between the legal field and technological solutions, of which cybersecurity plays an ever more important role.

Intelligent Managed Detect & Response

Fri, 03 Jan 2020 23:21:00 GMT

Iristel Cybersecurity operates at the nervous system of your business. Artificial intelligence locks down your endpoints and sensitive data at the hint of suspicious activity, while human assistance is on call 24x7 for fast intuitive action.

Fighting Cancer

Fri, 03 Jan 2020 22:54:09 GMT

Iristel is proud to support, in this time of need, to the Fondation Québecoise du Cancer ( Québec Cancer Foundation), with a donation of over 12,000 dollars . Thanks to this cash donation along with ongoing savings put forth on their telecommunications services, they will be able to offer Québecors , affected with cancer and going through treatments, expanded telephony services.

Staying connected is an important piece to the healing process and we are pleased to help out cancer patients in residences at the FQC facilities, throughout Québec, to keep in close touch with their loved ones, wherever they may be.

We would like to wish all of them a strong return to health and a happy new year.

Iristel Steps Up Bold Quebec Expansion, Buys Télécommunications de l’Est (TDE)

Fri, 12 Apr 2019 21:40:59 GMT

Rimouski, P.Q. – October 11, 2018 – Iristel Inc., Canada’s fastest-growing telecom provider and owner of a mobile network operator in Canada’s North, is speeding up its expansion with the purchase of Télécommunications de l’Est (TDE), a digital mobile radio operator covering 1 million square kilometres in Quebec and northern New Brunswick.

“TDE owns a lot of valuable infrastructure in North East Quebec, much of it overlapping the serving area of I-Mobileca and its spectrum,” says Iristel President and CEO Samer Bishay. “By acquiring them, we can complete our Quebec build out faster and move one step closer to becoming a national wireless operator offering Canadians innovative services and real choice that has been stymied by Canada’s big three wireless oligopolists for too long.”

Established 40 years ago, TDE operates across a vast territory, including the Bas-Saint-Laurent, Gaspésie, North Shore and northern New Brunswick. Many of these areas have mountainous and rugged terrain, resulting in limited cellular coverage.

TDE serves industries like forestry, mining, shipping and others operating in remote areas. To serve customers better, TDE augmented its traditional analog VHF radio systems with a digital trunking network offering additional services like GPS-tracking, telephone calls and push-to-talk over cellular.

“We’ve established this company as a leader in the field of communication technology over recent decades and joining Iristel is the next evolution for TDE,” says Daniel Gignac, general manager of TDE. “Like other SMR’s (Specialized Mobile Radio network operators), TDE is constantly faced with the challenge of providing its users with a reliable radio network that is also feature rich and easy to operate. Working with an innovator like Iristel – one that will continue to invest in our network – makes us even stronger.”

Indeed, all 55 TDE employees will be retained under the new ownership structure. Financial terms of the acquisition are not being publicly disclosed for competitive reasons.

But adds Mr. Bishay: “Beyond the synergies with our recently acquired I-Mobileca, we see even more opportunities with our Ice Wireless in Canada’s North. TDE’s NOMAD digital radio system technology can and will be deployed in the Arctic.”

One of the key features is full duplex calling on the NOMAD network. Traditional push to talk radio is based upon simplex or half duplex voice calling, meaning that each party takes turns speaking like traditional ship-to-shore radios. In today’s advanced digital world, this limitation makes it difficult to integrate telephone users across the network.

But with NOMAD, TDE is able to offer a seamless experience to customers regardless of the method of communication they are using. Telephone users are able to share conversations with radio users both in an individual and group capacity.

In May, Iristel announced it had taken majority control of I-Mobileca and its spectrum covering an area with a population of 535,000 mostly in rural Quebec and Ontario. Cellular connectivity has begun on a wireless 3G-4G/LTE network and TDE infrastructure will be used throughout the rollout.

I-Mobileca is a licensed Canadian wireless mobile telecommunications enabler and operator, headquartered in Trois Rivières, Quebec. Currently, it focuses on wireless data for machine-to-machine (M2M) applications. The company has Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada issued spectrum licenses that allows it to provide wireless services covering the regions of Kirkland Lake, Ontario and Eastern Quebec (in the Lower Saint-Lawrence, the Gaspésie, the North Shore and certain areas of the Beauce).

About Iristel and TDE

Iristel is Canada’s fastest-growing carrier providing innovative communication services that are changing how consumers and businesses communicate. Founded in 1999, Markham-based Iristel operates Canada’s largest facilities-based local voice network extending Coast-to-Coast-to-Coast as well as Ice Wireless, a GSM carrier with operations in Canada’s Far North. TDE has 9 branches and more than 100 telecommunications sites and towers offering products and services for consumers and businesses in the fields of radiocommunication, cellular, business phone systems, paging, Internet and satellite communications.

www.iristel.com pr@iristel.com +1-416-800-0010

Nunavik Getting Full Cellular and Mobility Data, One of the Few Areas in Canada Still Without News

Tue, 29 May 2018 21:37:00 GMT

Kuujjuaq, Québec, May 28, 2018 – All 14 of Nunavik’s communities in the northern third of Quebec, will soon be getting cellular and mobility data services thanks to an important agreement between the Kativik Regional Government (KRG) and Ice Wireless.

The more than 14,000 residents – almost all Inuit – live in one of the very few remote areas in Canada still without cellular and mobility data services. Taken for granted by most Canadians, this service will be available beginning in May as KRG-owned Tamaani Internet teams up with Ice Wireless.

“The KRG, through Tamaani Internet, is continuously working towards strengthening telecommunications infrastructure in the region. This new agreement with Ice Wireless for cellular and mobility data services keeps us moving in this direction. The KRG remains strongly committed to reducing the digital shortfall between Nunavik and southern Quebec,” says KRG Chairperson Jennifer Munick.

With 3G/LTE technology, customers will have services comparable to other Canadians like texting, apps, voice and Internet surfing on their smartphones, says Samer Bishay, President of Ice Wireless.

“It’s difficult to understand how a segment of Canadian society still does not have access to cellular services in 2018. We have made it our mission to end the Digital Divide that contributes to the isolation of northern communities and we will do this in Nunavik by demonstrating that, through innovative partnerships between socially conscious private-sector companies like Ice Wireless and forward-thinking government organisations such as the KRG, we can achieve together what individually we cannot,” Bishay says.

“This deployment of cellular services will allow Nunavimmiut to stay connected with family and friends, regardless of where they may be in one of the region’s 14 communities, or while in the south during business or personal travel,” Munick says.

For this agreement, Ice Wireless is providing its expertise, access to spectrum, national and international roaming and access to its parent company Iristel’s extensive Canada-wide telephone network. The KRG, through its Tamaani Internet, is providing bandwidth and access to its telecommunication infrastructure.

All the smartphone plans include unlimited calls, texts and roaming throughout Canada, United States and Mexico starting from $59. Ice Wireless is the first Canadian carrier to eliminate roaming charges without daily or monthly add-on charges. Voice and text only plans start as low as $19 per month.

More about the Partners

The KRG is a non-ethnic public organization created in 1978, under the James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement. The organization has jurisdiction over nearly the entire territory of Québec north of the 55th parallel in areas such as municipal matters, transportation, the environment, policing, employment, labour training, income security, childcare services, telecommunications, renewable resources, land-use planning, civil security and economic development.
The KRG’s Tamaani Internet delivers Internet and IP network solutions across Nunavik.
Ice Wireless is a facilities-based regional mobile network operator (MNO) that delivers state-of-the-art 3G/LTE technology to rural and remote areas of Canada.
Iristel is one of the largest competitive local exchange carriers and VoIP providers in the country.

Information:

Jean Barcelo
Communications Officer
Kativik Regional Government
Tel. 819-964-2961, ext. 2400
media@krg.ca | www.krg.ca

Jean-Francois Dumoulin
VP Regulatory & Government Affairs
Ice Wireless / Iristel
Tel.: 514-800-1577
jdumoulin@iristel.com www.icewireless.com

Iristel to offer facilities-based wireless competition in Eastern Quebec and Northern Ontario

Mon, 28 May 2018 21:32:01 GMT

Quebec City – May 28, 2018 – Iristel Inc., Canada’s fastest-growing telecom provider and owner of a mobile network operator in Canada’s North, has acquired I-Mobileca and its licensed spectrum and will begin offering real choice to consumers and business in Eastern Quebec.

“This is really exciting for us to provide excellent cellular services at better prices for both residents and industries in this huge region from Quebec City eastward,” says Iristel President and CEO Samer Bishay. “The big three wireless oligopolists have done their best to keep our competitive and innovative wireless operations contained in the North, but no more. This is just the beginning.”

Iristel has taken majority control of I-Mobileca and company founder Dr. Hing-Sang Hum will retain a significant equity position and remain chairman of I-Mobileca. Mr. Bishay will assume the title of President and CEO of I-Mobileca Inc. Mobile services will be under the Iristel brand.

“This partnership means we can begin to deploy services almost immediately while the new extended network is being in assembled,” Dr. Hum says. “At the end of the day, clients will be better served at a lower price. We’re excited to work with Iristel, a partner with the same vision on how the market should be served.”

The spectrum owned by I-Mobileca covers an area with a population of 535,000 mostly in rural Quebec and Ontario. Rural service is an expertise that Ice Wireless, an Iristel affiliate, has acquired in serving in Canada’s North.

“This is more than simply offering the latest smart phones,” Mr. Bishay says. “With Dr. Hum’s medical expertise, we envision many other applications such as enhanced telemedicine services to people in remote areas of northeastern Quebec and advanced IoT (Internet of Things) applications.”

Cellular connectivity will begin in June 2018 and operating on an efficient and cost effective wireless 3G-4G/LTE network.

About I-Mobileca Inc.

I-Mobileca Media Relations, Nagui Naoum nnaoum@iristel.com. +1-438-863-1093

About Iristel and Ice Wireless

www.iristel.com pr@iristel.com +1-416-800-0010

Putting a Stop to Phone Scammers

Wed, 13 Dec 2017 22:30:02 GMT

Every year there seems to be a new phone scam aimed at taking money from unsuspecting, often vulnerable, people. For the last several years, the CRA scam has been making the rounds, but there are countless others that are featured less prominently in the news. Through our customer support center, we’ve probably been asked about all of them, and while we don’t have all the answers, hopefully we can shed some light on some the most frequently asked questions.

Who’s Calling Me?

That’s the big question, and unfortunately, one we can’t answer. With most phone scams, the number used to make the call has been assigned to a reseller. Meaning, that it was purchased from us and then sold to someone else whose information we can’t access. In other cases, the number may be “spoofed,” so what you see on your display isn’t actually where the call originated. These calls may not even be routed through our network, or made from within Canada.

Can’t You Just Block the Number?

Assuming we knew where the call was coming from, unfortunately it still wouldn’t be that simple. There are countless laws and regulations that prevent us from blocking or disabling a number, or even providing information about who a number was assigned to. For example, regulations require that we notify a customer before suspending service. Scammers change numbers so quickly, that as soon as the process begins, they’re operating under a new one. It’s like playing whack-a-mole – as soon as you get one, a new one pops up.

With that said, if we could, we would. In addition to the millions of dollars taken from innocent Canadians, telephone frauds cost Iristel thousands of dollars every year in support costs; the CRA scam is the number one reason for calls to our abuse and security hotline.

Is There Any Way I Can Block the Number?

You can call your personal telephone provider and ask them to block the number. Likewise, if you are an Iristel customer, we will gladly block the number for you, and provide you with self-serve tools that allow you to manage your account. Please keep in mind that if the number is spoofed we may not be able to help. The difference is that because it only affects you personally, it doesn’t violate the same laws and regulation that prevent us from universally blocking the caller.

What is Iristel Doing?

We work with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) to help prevent and disrupt phone scams. In 2016, we received over 200 requests from the CAFC, who has the authority to obtain information from resellers and investigate criminal activity.

What Should I Do if I Receive a Call?

The safest thing to do is hang up immediately. Don’t engage with the caller, and never give out personal or financial information over the phone. If you are the victim of a phone scam or suspect that you were targeted, please do one of the following:

File a complaint with the CRTC by calling 1-877-249-2782
Report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Center online or by calling 1-888-495-8501

Otherwise, the best way to stop a scam is to spread awareness. Tell your family, friends and neighbours.

This isn’t something that will go away overnight, but if you still have any questions or concerns, please email us at feedback@iristel.com and we will be glad to help in any way we can.

Iristel Presents Contact! Unload in Support of Our Troops

Fri, 13 Oct 2017 21:27:45 GMT

TORONTO, ON – October, 3, 2017 – Iristel, Canada’s fastest-growing carrier, proudly sponsored Contact! Unload, a theatre piece featuring Canadian Armed Forces veterans who share their stories as they transition home post-deployment.

More than 150 guests attended the performance at the Moss Park Armoury, including speakers Don Cherry and former veterans affairs minister Erin O’Toole.

The play has been performed over 20 times and highlights the sacrifices of men and women in the armed services as well as educating audiences of the support they require when returning home. It was co-written, directed, and performed by Canadian Veterans who served overseas in Afghanistan.

“Iristel is very proud to have sponsored Contact! Unload, we truly believe in this program and the positive impact it has on its audiences,” said Samer Bishay, CEO of Iristel. “It is imperative to have these services available for veterans – something that this performance makes very clear. We will surely continue to support these types of initiatives.”

Each performance offers an expressive vehicle for veterans to publicly examine their struggles and experiences in transitioning from active service to civilian life. Six military veterans, alongside an actor and a musician are featured in the moving and eye-opening performance.

(Don Cherry gives his patented “Thumbs Up” to the military, along with performers and other participants of Contact! Unload. Iristel CEO Samer Bishay is standing far left.)

"Iristel showed tremendous leadership tonight,” said Stephen Gregory of Canada Company, a charitable, non-partisan organization that builds bridges between community and business leaders and members of the Canadian military. It’s one thing to sponsor these performances, but it’s another thing to bring more than 100 business leaders out to support the troops.”

The performance and mural are the result of collaboration between Theatre Director Dr. George Belliveau, Art Director Foster Eastman, and Lead Clinician Dr. Marvin Westwood. Contact! Unload provides veterans an active medium to support one another upon returning home from war. The Veterans Transition Program uses a therapeutic enactment group counselling model to better communicate challenges in order to overcome them.

Tim Laidler, Contact! Unload performer as well as Canadian veteran and community advocate (pictured above right with Samer Bishay and Steve Gregory) commented: “It makes me proud to be a Canadian seeing all the support for the military community through the Invictus Games and especially at the performance of Contact! Unload. The veterans that preform each night do it so that anyone in need of support feels more able to reach out when they struggle. With the help of Iristel, that message came through loud and clear!”

After the performance, Iristel hosted a cocktail reception where guests and performers were treated to hors d’oeuvres and live jazz music. It was here that Samer Bishay was “coined” by current and former members of the military. Under military tradition, coins are given as gifts of honor, respect, gratitude and loyalty.

About Iristel

Iristel is Canada’s largest and fastest growing carrier. We’re committed to changing the way people communicate, and improving the way they work — connecting employees, devices and applications, to support greater collaboration and better performance.

Founded in 1999, Iristel operates one of Canada's largest facilities-based voice networks extending coast to coast to coast. Iristel offers a host of communication services, such as, cloud voice and carrier services, as well as a suite of services both domestically and internationally. These include wholesale voice, data, 911, SMS and platform services that are supported by Iristel’s unified VoIP and GSM networks. It is the majority owner of Ice Wireless, a facilities-based mobile network operator that delivers state-of-the-art 3G/4G/LTE-A technology to rural and remote areas in Canada’s North.

Kepler and Iristel Partner for M2M Services

Tue, 03 Oct 2017 18:20:28 GMT

Iristel Presents Contact! Unload in Support of Our Troops

More than 150 guests attended the performance at the Moss Park Armoury, including speakers Don Cherry and former veterans affairs minister Erin O’Toole.

(Don Cherry gives his patented “Thumbs Up” to the military, along with performers and other participants of Contact! Unload. Iristel CEO Samer Bishay is standing far left.)

About Iristel

Ice Wireless Selects Metaswitch for Virtualized VoLTE Deployment

Thu, 23 Feb 2017 15:42:54 GMT

Network transformation helping to close the digital divide, bringing high speed coverage and high quality voice services to Arctic regions of northern Canada

LOS ALTOS, CA–(Marketwired – February 22, 2017) – Cloud native communications software leader Metaswitch today announced that Iristel and its subsidiary Ice Wireless have selected Metaswitch solutions as the basis of a virtualized VoLTE deployment that brings high speed wireless services to previously underserved areas of northern Canada.

“The virtualization is key for us,” said Samer Bishay, CEO of Iristel. “We wanted something that was agile and compact that allows us to layer services as software rather than being tied to proprietary hardware deployments. It’s very expensive to fly somebody up to do a remote deployment in the Arctic, versus creating a service layer that can be provisioned remotely, instantaneously, with no disruption of service. This is going to be exciting, not just for us, but also for the people living up there who are now able to tap into services that they could have only dreamed of just a few months back.”

As the industry’s only real cloud native communications software solution, Metaswitch’s mobile portfolio couples breakthrough economic advantages with the reliability, performance and agility that service providers need to quickly innovate and launch VoLTE services, and beyond.

Key components of the solution include:

Clearwater vIMS Core – a cloud-native virtual IMS core built on a microservices architecture and open source framework that runs on any cloud infrastructure.
Rhino Telecom Application Server (TAS) – an extensible carrier-grade TAS designed for cost-effective, agile delivery of consumer and enterprise MMTel services for LTE and 5G.
Perimeta Session Border Controller (SBC) – a virtualized SBC that distributes signaling and media functionality across commodity hardware in the cloud.

Founded in 1999, Iristel and Ice Wireless, its mobility brand, were the first GSM-based networks in Canada, and the first 3G network among the indigenous people of the far north, who had no prior smartphone access. The companies have spectrum licenses in the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Northern Quebec — all rural communities that you can only get to via ice roads, plane, or boat in summer months.

The Ice Wireless VoLTE network doubles throughput on the available spectrum, and gives users the ability to make a call and surf the Internet or watch a video simultaneously. The network is used by residents, businesses and schools, enabling levels and types of communications that were previously unavailable, including distance learning, unified communications, telemedicine and others.

“Innovative providers like Iristel and Ice Wireless are using virtual network functions to truly transform communications in the communities they serve, cost-effectively bringing advanced services to remote locations where they previously wouldn’t have been available,” said Metaswitch Chief Marketing Officer, Ian Maclean. “This deployment demonstrates our commitment to cloud native communications and to helping our customers realize the benefits that NFV ‘done right’ can bring to them and their users.”

About Iristel
Founded in 1999 and licenced by the CRTC, Markham-based Iristel is Canada’s only carrier with facilities in all 10 provinces and three territories with a network extending Coast-to-Coast-to-Coast. It is the majority owner of Ice Wireless, a facilities-based mobile network operator that delivers state-of-the-art 3G/4G HSPA+ technology to rural and remote areas in Canada’s North with LTE coming in Q1 2017. For more information, please visit www.iristel.com .

About Metaswitch
Metaswitch is the world’s leading cloud native communications software company. The company develops commercial and open-source software solutions that are constructively disrupting the way that service providers build, scale, innovate and account for communication services. By working with Metaswitch, visionary service providers are realizing the full economic, operational and technology benefits of becoming cloud-based and software-centric. Metaswitch’s award-winning solutions are powering more than 1,000 service providers in today’s global, ultra-competitive and rapidly changing communications marketplace. For more information, please visit www.metaswitch.com .

Copyright © 2017 Metaswitch Networks. “Metaswitch” and “Metaswitch Networks” are registered trademarks. Brands and products referenced herein are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Landmark CRTC Internet ruling opens door to innovation, says Canada’s fastest-growing telecom firm

Thu, 22 Dec 2016 15:37:17 GMT

But Iristel Inc. warns public investment must go beyond ‘the same old players’ to companies committed to competition and enhanced services for Canadians

Markham, ON, December 22, 2016 – Iristel Inc., Canada’s largest and fastest-growing Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) with operations in all 10 provinces and three territories, applauds the regulator’s ruling that high-speed Internet is a basic service and must be available to all Canadians.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission also set bold targets for upload and download speeds and a new fund that will invest up to $750 million over the next five years to expand broadband, especially in rural and remote areas of the country.

“It is refreshing to see that the CRTC acknowledges the status quo is not working and that it is serious about helping to bridge the Digital Divide in this country,” said Iristel President Samer Bishay. “But it is critically important that the money – coming from customers’ bills and taxpayers – be invested wisely and not simply doled out to the same old players who often aim to stifle competition instead of enhance innovation.

“The Digital Divide is more than geography. It’s also incumbent complacency. One need only look at Canada’s most remote regions in the North where Bell and its subsidiary have squandered hundreds of millions of dollars of subsidies over the years and customers receive worse telecom services than many people in Africa,” Bishay says.

He points to a company he co-founded, Toronto-based Kepler Communications Inc., that is launching mini-satellites the size of footballs within the year for enhanced data communications anywhere in Canada, especially rural and remote areas. Wall Street investors recently ponied up $5 million to Kepler.

“It’s companies like Kepler that can really kick start the CRTC’s goals, not incumbent phone companies with their bloated bureaucracies and anti-competitive tendencies,” Bishay said.

About Iristel

Founded in 1999 and licensed by the CRTC, Markham-based Iristel is Canada’s only carrier with facilities in all 10 provinces and three territories with a network extending Coast-to-Coast-to-Coast. It is the majority owner of Ice Wireless, a facilities-based mobile network operator that delivers state-of-the-art 3G/4G HSPA+ technology to rural and remote areas in Canada’s North with LTE coming in 2017.

For more information, please visit www.iristel.com .

Iristel’s Rapid Growth Accelerates With Two Acquisitions

Tue, 22 Nov 2016 20:29:12 GMT

Toronto-based Trutel and Montreal’s Exelia join fold of Canada’s fastest-growing telecommunications company

Markham, ON, November 22, 2016 – Iristel Inc., Canada’s largest and fastest-growing Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC), is pleased to announce the dual acquisition of dynamic telecommunications firms Trutel Inc. in Toronto and Montreal-based Exelia Inc.

“Iristel is committed to providing Canadians with the most advanced Internet-based solutions that deliver reliable and cost-effective voice and data services and both Trutel’s suite of products and services and Exelia’s excellence in serving the SMB market enhance our ability to do so,” said Iristel President Samer Bishay. “Our culture is not one filled with ‘old phone guys’ and neither is Trutel’s or Exelia’s. These two companies are strong strategic fits.”

Terms of the deals between the privately-held companies were not disclosed, but Trutel President Frank Auciello will be joining Iristel as VP Networks and Infrastructure, and Exelia founders Dimitri Stathis and Harry Villeneuve come on board as VP Enterprise Strategy and Operations, and VP Enterprise Sales, respectively. Stathis will also be responsible for managing Iristel’s Montreal office.

“My team and I are excited to be joining such a forward-looking organization that is the only carrier in Canada with facilities stretching from the Atlantic to Pacific to Arctic oceans,” Mr. Auciello said. “Trutel opened its doors in January 2000 and we’ve evolved over the years from a professional services firm to a Managed Services Provider to a CRTC-licensed, facilities-based CLEC. Joining Iristel is the next phase of the evolution in getting to the next level and leveraging the latest technologies to benefit customers.”

Mr. Stathis said Exelia was created to address the growing challenges and frustrations that small and medium-sized businesses face when dealing with information and communication technologies. “We’re excited to be teaming up with Iristel, a rapid-growing entrepreneurial company that understands the needs of SMB owners and managers. Throughout our careers, both Harry and I have delivered services to tens of thousands of small businesses in Canada and found they need more than just service providers. They need responsive partners offering real enterprise solutions to their business challenges. Iristel understands this and if the big, stodgy telco incumbents aren’t already looking over their shoulders, they should be,” Mr. Stathis says.

In the 21st century digital world of cloud-based VoIP technologies, geography means nothing when delivering services. “But building up our presence further in the Toronto-Montreal corridor, the heart of corporate Canada, is important because dealing with customers face to face when needed remains good, sound business,” Mr. Bishay says.

About Iristel

Founded in 1999 and licenced by the CRTC, Markham-based Iristel is Canada’s only carrier with facilities in all 10 provinces and three territories with a network extending Coast-to-Coast-to-Coast. It is the majority owner of Ice Wireless, a facilities-based mobile network operator that delivers state-of-the-art 3G/4G HSPA+ technology to rural and remote areas in Canada’s North with LTE coming in 2017.

For more information, please visit www.iristel.com .

iristel-kenya

Iristel Furthers Global Expansion with Service Introduction in Kenya

As a leading telecommunications company with Canadian roots, we at Iristel are excited to announce that we are officially entering the Kenyan market.

COVID-19 Update

Iristel and Ice Wireless Help Canadians with Improved Data Consumption as Governments Urge Canadians to Stay Home

428: A New Area Code For New Brunswick

Suicide Prevention Hotline

New Eastern Ontario Area Code (753)

New Area Code 368

Cyberattack on Iristel

Cyberattack on Iristel

New Area Code (742)

When to Migrate Your Contact Center to the Cloud

$6/mth Number Porting

$6-a-month Seamless Phone Number Portability Service Offered by Iristel Across North America

The new “Mobifi” Service Means Canadian Phone Numbers Can Be Used With Far Cheaper U.S. Wireless Plans

Iristel Wins 5G Spectrum for Rural Canadians News

Iristel Wins 8 Blocks of 3500 MHz Spectrum for 5G Rollout for Rural Canadians

Malicious CRA audit limits the facilities-based carrier’s capacity to invest further in the wireless auction to help bridge the digital divide for rural Canadians, especially f or Indigenous communities

Healing Wings

Sugar Mobile Disappointed; CRTC is Again Putting Big Telco & Cable Ahead of Consumers

15 Million Numbers

Iristel Tops 15 Million Phone Numbers in Canada

Offers customers choice from East to West; North to South

Iristel Collaborates with ENCQOR 5G

Iristel Partners with dotmobile

Iristel CEO Makes A Splash News

Anti-Spam Tool

Iristel and Ice Wireless Double Network Capacity in Iqaluit News

Iristel Strengthens Ties With WiFi-based Text+

Universal Call Blocking

$470,000 Donation

Legalweek New York 2020

Intelligent Managed Detect & Response

Fighting Cancer

Iristel Steps Up Bold Quebec Expansion, Buys Télécommunications de l’Est (TDE)

Nunavik Getting Full Cellular and Mobility Data, One of the Few Areas in Canada Still Without News

Iristel to offer facilities-based wireless competition in Eastern Quebec and Northern Ontario

Putting a Stop to Phone Scammers

Who’s Calling Me? ﻿

Can’t You Just Block the Number?

Is There Any Way I Can Block the Number?

What is Iristel Doing?

What Should I Do if I Receive a Call?

Iristel Presents Contact! Unload in Support of Our Troops

Kepler and Iristel Partner for M2M Services

Iristel Presents Contact! Unload in Support of Our Troops

Ice Wireless Selects Metaswitch for Virtualized VoLTE Deployment

Network transformation helping to close the digital divide, bringing high speed coverage and high quality voice services to Arctic regions of northern Canada

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Landmark CRTC Internet ruling opens door to innovation, says Canada’s fastest-growing telecom firm

But Iristel Inc. warns public investment must go beyond ‘the same old players’ to companies committed to competition and enhanced services for Canadians

﻿

Iristel’s Rapid Growth Accelerates With Two Acquisitions

Toronto-based Trutel and Montreal’s Exelia join fold of Canada’s fastest-growing telecommunications company

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Who’s Calling Me?