Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Symbol of the Government of Canada

Letter

Sent by email: ted.woodhead@telus.com  

 

Ottawa, 21 July 2009

 

Reference:  8665-C12-200807943

 

Mr. Ted Woodhead
Vice-President
Telecom Policy & Regulatory Affairs
TELUS Communications Company
215 Slater Street
Ottawa ON   K1P 0A6

 

Re: Accessibility of Telecommunications and Broadcasting Services, Regulatory Policy CRTC 2009-430

 

Dear Mr. Woodhead:

 

In Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2009-430, the Commission reviewed its relay services policy framework. The Commission extended the existing message relay services requirement to include a requirement to provide IP Relay Service. The Commission also determined that further investigation into the cost of providing Video Relay Service (VRS) in Canada is required. In this regard, the Commission considered that information resulting from the Video Relay initiatives (trials), as approved in Telecom Decision 2008-1, will be vital to determining whether a follow-up proceeding on VRS is warranted.

The Commission notes that as part of the Decision 2008-1 process, TELUS is to file information with the Commission, on an annual basis, on the progress of its VRS initiative.The Commission requests that TELUS provide the following information when submitting its next update on its VRS trial:

•  Whether TELUS is providing the VRS directly or through a third-party provider. If using a third-party, provide the name of the third party;

•  The number of trial users/participants;

•  The number of VRS minutes provided per each month;

•  The total amount ($) spent for each month to support the VRS trial; 

•  The number of ASL and/or LSQ translators required to support the number of users/minutes in the trial;

•  The cost of the sign language translators (per minute, hour, or month);

•  The cost of the Internet bandwith required to support the trial.

Please contact Martine Vallee ( martine.vallee@crtc.gc.ca ) at 819-997-9254 should you have any questions in regard to this letter.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Original signed by:

 

Robert A. Morin
Secretary General