ARCHIVED - Order CRTC 2000-905

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Order CRTC 2000-905

Ottawa, 4 October 2000
General Tariff approved on an interim basis with modifications for Cannect Communications Inc.
Reference: Tariff Notice 1
This order approves on an interim basis, with the changes listed below, Cannect Communications Inc.'s proposed General Tariff covering general terms and conditions and access services.

1.

Cannect filed an application for approval of its General Tariff (CRTC Tariff 21430) which includes general terms and conditions, and provisions and rates for access services for interconnection with local exchange carriers (LECs), interexchange service providers (IXSPs) and wireless service providers (WSPs). The application was filed on 6 July 2000.

2.

Bell Canada filed comments on 24 August 2000 on behalf of itself, and on behalf of Island Telecom Inc., Maritime Tel & Tel Limited, MTS Communications Inc., NBTel Inc. and NewTel Communications Inc. Cannect submitted reply comments on 25 August 2000.

3.

Bell Canada submitted that the definitions for the following terms require amendments: "Canada-U.S. circuit", "overseas circuit", "class A licensee", "dedicated service", "joint-use basis", "exchange", "LEC", "line-side access" and "local portability". Bell Canada noted that Cannect's tariff also requires definitions for the terms "competitive pay telephone service provider", "Internet access line", "Internet service provider", "IP data", "PC voice" and "PSTN voice".

4.

Bell Canada submitted that wording changes to the provisions pertaining to termination of traffic from exchanges within the local calling area are required.

5.

Bell Canada also submitted that wording changes, for the purpose of clarification, are required to the contribution provisions in Cannect's tariff.

6.

In its reply, Cannect generally stated that it would be willing to implement the changes suggested by Bell Canada.

7.

The Commission notes that Cannect's definitions for the terms "dedicated service" and "joint-use basis" are the same as those found in Bell Canada's Access Services Tariff and that the definitions for the term "exchange" and "LEC" are the same as those approved in other competitive local exchange carriers' (CLECs') tariffs.

8.

However, the Commission finds that the remaining changes to the definitions suggested by Bell Canada are appropriate and should be implemented by Cannect. In addition, the tariff requires definitions for the terms "sharing", "sharing group" and "standby circuits".

9.

The Commission is of the view that the amendments that Bell Canada has proposed with respect to termination of traffic from exchanges within the local calling area are unnecessary and notes that Cannect's provisions are identical to those found in the approved tariffs of other CLECs.

10.

Cannect's wireless access services tariff also requires amendments in order to reflect the Commission's determinations in Providing trunk-side access and common channel signalling #7 to wireless service providers, Order CRTC 2000-395.

11.

The Commission further considers that Cannect's tariff requires a number of other changes for the purpose of correcting and/or clarifying various references and provisions.

12.

In light of the foregoing, the Commission orders that:

1. The proposed tariffs are approved on an interim basis, with the following changes:

a) amend Item 101, Definitions:

i) in the definition for "Canada-U.S. circuit", delete the words "where the Class A Licensee controls the routing of the traffic carried on the circuit";

ii) in item (a) of the definition for "Class A licensee", add the word "basic" before the first occurrence of the words "international traffic";

iii) in the definition for "feature group D service", delete the dialling provision "1+800/877/888" and replace the dialling provisions "011- or 011" with "011+, 01+ or 1+950";

iv) in the definition for "line-side access" delete the words "or a Reseller";

v) in the definition for "local portability" add the word "number" between "local" and "portability";

vi) replace the definition for "overseas circuit" with the following:

A circuit that connects a service or a facility of an international service provider to a country other than the United States, directly or via an Overseas Carrier, for the purpose of providing overseas services;

vii) in the definition of "resale", add the words "an interconnecting carrier" after the term "IXSP";

viii) in the definition of "trunk-side access", add the dialling provision "1+950";

ix) add the following definitions of "competitive pay telephone service provider", "Internet access line", "Internet service provider", "IP data", "PC voice", "PSTN voice", "sharing", "sharing group" and "standby circuit":

Competitive pay telephone service provider

A company or individual which provides competitive pay telephone service for use by the general public. For the purpose of this tariff, the competitive pay telephone service provider is Cannect's customer.

Internet access line (IAL)

Refers to an access service provided by a Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) to an ISP which allows calls to be originated from or terminated to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). IALs typically connect to a "gateway" or server which provides the functionality to connect the caller to the Internet.

Internet service provider (ISP)

Is a service provider who provides dial access capability to connect customers to the Internet via an Internet gateway or server.

IP Data

Is traffic that includes all usage on the Internet except for PSTN Voice traffic and PC Voice traffic. Facilities used to carry IP Data traffic may be eligible for an exemption from contribution charges.

PC Voice

Is real-time voice communication via the Internet using a personal computer or other terminal equipment which is equipped with a modem, and the hardware and software required to perform voice compression and conversion to a form which can be transmitted to or from an ISP over IALs. At the IAL, PC Voice communication is effectively indistinguishable from other forms of communication between a modem-equipped personal computer and an ISP. Facilities used to carry PC Voice traffic may be eligible for an exemption from contribution charges.

PSTN Voice

Is real-time voice communications via the Internet to or from a telephone set or other equipment where the conversion for carriage on the Internet is performed at the service provider's (i.e., the ISP's) equipment. Unlike PC Voice, such communication can be accommodated using a normal telephone set, without requiring the user to be equipped with a modem or a computer with special hardware or software at the terminal location. Facilities used to carry PSTN Voice traffic attract contribution charges.

Sharing

The use of a telecommunications service purchased from Cannect or and Interconnecting Carrier by two or more persons in an arrangement not involving Resale.

Sharing Group

A group of persons engaged in sharing.

Standby Circuit

An interconnecting circuit with line-side or trunk-side access, which has be activated but rendered incapable, by Cannect, of carrying traffic.

b) amend Item 102, Terms of Service:

i) add the following sentence to the end of Article 1.1:

For greater certainty, these terms do not apply to services and facilities provided by Cannect to its end-customer.

ii) in Article 9.1, delete the second sentence which reads: With private line services, the refund shall be computed in a similar manner, provided the company is advised promptly of the problem.

iii) move the last sentence in new sub-item 14.3(f) to a new paragraph of the sub-item that is aligned with the first paragraph in 14.3.

c) amend Item 103, 9-1-1 Emergency Response Service (ERS):

i) in sub-item 2(c)(1), add the following as sub-paragraph (g):

(g) maintain and update the SAG subject to the receipt of the information required to be provided by the municipality pursuant to paragraph 2(c)(1)(c)(iii) and 2(c)(1)(c)(iv).

ii) replace sub-item 2(j)(3) with the following:

3) The municipality may designate a back-up Call Answer Centre to which 9-1-1 calls will be directed in the event that the primary Call Answer Centre is unable to accept the calls for any reason.

d) amend Item 200, Compensation for traffic termination:

i) in sub-item 200(1), add the following to the end of the first paragraph:

It is the responsibility of the party who is entitled to compensation to detect and apply the charges for imbalances.

ii) replace the monthly rates in Item 200(2)(a) with the following:

Trunk termination charge

Up to 24 trunks

$17.45

Up to 48 trunks

$27.40

Up to 72 trunks

$30.40

Up to 96 trunks

$31.95

Over 96 trunks

$32.75

e) in Item 300(1)(p), replace the term "IXSP" with the term "IXC";
f) in Item 301(1)(b), in the first sentence replace the dialling provision "1+800/888/877" with "1+950";
g) amend Item 304(1):
i) in the last sentence of the first paragraph, replace the words "by agreement with the Carrier" with the words "when there is an agreement between Cannect, the IXSP";
ii) in the first sentence of Note 2 in sub-item (a), replace the name "Cannect's" with the words "the applicable ILEC's"; and
iii) in sub-item (a), add the following as note 3:
Note 3: Where applicable the contribution charges specified in Item 304(1)(a), will be attributed to Cannect's interexchange traffic, where interexchange services are defined by the applicable ILEC's exchange boundaries.
h) amend Item 304(2):
i) in the last sentence of paragraph (a), replace the words "by agreement with the Carrier" with the words, "when there is an agreement between Cannect, the IXSP";

ii) in the table in sub-item (b)(2), replace the rate of $133 for circuit group 75-99 with $134.00; and

iii) in the first sentence of Note 1 in sub-item (b)(2), replace the name "Cannect's" with the words "the applicable ILEC's";

i) amend Item 304(3)(a):

i) in the first sentence of the paragraph, replace the words "in Items 304.1 and 304.2 apply at the domestic end and the contribution rates specified below apply at the international end of any call" with "below apply";

ii) delete the last sentence in the paragraph;

iii) in the title of the third column of the table, add the words "ILECs and" immediately prior to the term "IXSPs";

iv) replace the rates in the third column with the following:

Peak period $0.0066
Off-peak period $0.0033
v) add the following as Note 1:
Note 1: An attestation that a carrier or other service provider does not use DALs requires that the carrier or other service provider provide an affidavit to the applicable ILEC and the CRTC, sworn by a senior officer of the company, attesting to the fact that the carrier or other service provider does not use any DALs to originate or terminate traffic in the applicable ILEC's operating territory. The affidavit must be resubmitted on an annual basis and include a statement that if, during the year, the carrier or other service provider uses any DALs, the carrier or other service provider will notify the CRTC immediately, serving a copy on the ILEC, and the contribution rate applicable to the carriers and other service providers that do use DALs would immediately apply.

j) amend Item 304(3)(b):

i) in paragraphs (i) and (ii), remove the word "applicable" from the phrase "the applicable ILEC's territory";

ii) in sub-item (a) of paragraphs (i) and (ii), add the word "applicable" immediately prior to the term "ILEC";

iii) replace the text in paragraph (iii) with the following:

"with respect to contribution-eligible international traffic that the licensee converts from circuit-switched minutes originating in Canada to non-circuit-switched traffic, or from non-circuit switched traffic to circuit-switched minutes terminating in Canada, the licensee shall (a) report to the ILEC all contribution-eligible minutes as measured at the point of conversion to the ILEC in whose territory the conversion occurs, and (b) remit to the ILEC the applicable contribution charges as specified in the Cannect's tariffs"; and

k) in Item 304(5)(b), end sub-item (iii) after the word "network", and move the remaining sentences to a new line that is aligned with the first paragraph;

l) in Item 306(1), add the words "for calls" immediately after the word "processing";

m) amend Item 401.3(b):

i) in the first row of the table, replace the title with "Line-side access, each access channel";

ii) add a second table reflecting the following:

Trunk-side access, each access channel

Each access channel to a maximum of
24 channels, or

$24.30

Each access channel to a maximum of 48 channels, or

$38.20

Each access channel to a maximum of 72 channels, or

$42.35

Each access channel to a maximum of 96 channels, or

$44.50

Each access channel in excess of 96 channels


$45.65

IX contribution charges, per activated access channel


$23.23

n) amend Item 401(3)(c):

i) add the phrase "line-side access" immediately after the words "service charges" in the title for the table; and

ii) add a second table entitled "Service charges - Trunk-side access" and include the following information:

Service charges - Trunk-side access

Order processing, each order

British Columbia

$200

Interconnection trunk activation or change, per trunk
British Columbia

$22.05

o) add the following as Item 401(3)(d):

d. CCS7 Signalling Interconnection:
CCS7 interconnection will provide WSPs using trunk-side interconnection with the ability to interconnect their own CCS7 signalling network with Cannect's CCS7 signalling network in order to exchange the signalling information necessary to support the completion of calls between the two networks. The following rates and charges are applicable in addition to those applicable for trunk-side access specified in Item 401(3)(b).

CCS7 signalling charges

i) WSP STP to a Cannect gateway STP, multiples of 4 links, each link

British Columbia

Service charge $1,380
ii) Digital transport facilities between a WSP STP and Cannect's gateway STP are provided at the rates usually charged for such facilities.

iii) The charge specified below applies to the initial engineering, planning and testing activities associated with the WSP's initial request to develop network interfaces and to implement CCS7 network interconnection arrangements. The activities include engineering, operations and translations work required to provision initial CCS7 interconnection for WSP STP to Cannect's gateway STP connection.

Service charge $69,500
p) add the following as Item 401(4):
4. Seven-digit telephone numbers are provided as outlined below:
a. Rates and Charges
British Columbia
i. Each in-service telephone number

monthly rate

$0.14 (1)

service charge

$162 (2)

ii.Each reserved telephone number
monthly rate $0.04

Notes:
1. Applies whether the telephone numbers are located in either Cannect's and/or the WSP's switch.
2. A single service charge applies for all telephone numbers placed in service at one time in any one location.
a. The WSP is responsible for all charges levied in respect to all calls associated with any of the seven-digit telephone numbers assigned and placed in service.
b. The reservation or placing in service of seven-digit telephone numbers with outpulsing does not provide for a directory listing of such number. Should the WSP's customer want a directory listing for an assigned seven-digit telephone number, such listing will be arranged in accordance with Item 201 and any rates and charges levied on Cannect by the LEC providing the directory shall be payable by the WSP to Cannect.
2. Cannect is to issue forthwith revised tariff pages incorporating the changes set out above.
Secretary General
This document is available in alternative format upon request and may also be examined at the following Internet site: http://www.crtc.gc.ca
Date modified: