ARCHIVED - Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2012-656

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Ottawa, 29 November 2012

Establishment of a CISC ad hoc committee for relief planning for area codes 403, 587, and 780 in Alberta

File number: 8698-C12-201214915

With this notice, the Commission announces the establishment of a CRTC Interconnection Steering Committee ad hoc relief planning committee (RPC) to examine options and make recommendations for providing numbering relief to area codes 403, 587, and 780 in Alberta. The Commission invites members of the public and telecommunications service providers to participate in the RPC’s activities.

Introduction

1. On 17 October 2012, the Canadian Numbering Administrator (CNA) advised the Commission that, based on the results of the latest numbering resource utilization forecasts,¹ area codes 403, 587, and 780 are now projected to exhaust by June 2018. Area code 403 consists of 142 exchanges, including Calgary, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Banff, and High River, located in the southern part of the province of Alberta, while area code 780 consists of 195 exchanges, including Edmonton, Bonnyville, Sherwood Park, Drayton Valley, and St. Albert in the northern part of Alberta. Area code 587 covers the whole province of Alberta. You can consult the area code map on the CNA website.

2. The Commission-approved Canadian NPA [Numbering Plan Area] Relief Planning Guidelines (the Guidelines) provide the framework for addressing area code exhaust in Canada. The Guidelines establish a step-by-step process to be followed by the CNA and relief planning committees (RPCs). The Guidelines require relief planning activities to begin if an area code is projected to exhaust within the next 72 months.

3. The telecommunications industry conducts area code relief planning in a public manner through an ad hoc RPC under the CRTC Interconnection Steering Committee (CISC). Part of the role of an RPC is to encourage public awareness and participation in the RPC’s activities.

RPC for area codes 403, 587, and 780

4. With this notice, the Commission establishes the ad hoc RPC for area codes 403, 587, and 780 (the 403/587/780 RPC) under CISC and directs the CNA to chair this committee.

5. The scope of the 403/587/780 RPC’s relief planning activities is limited to the consideration of solutions for introducing new numbering resources within Alberta. Since area code relief planning does not affect local or long distance calling patterns or rates, these issues are outside the scope of the 403/587/780 RPC’s relief planning activities.

6. In rendering its decision on the relief measures to be adopted, the Commission will consider all relief options identified and recommendations made by the 403/587/780 RPC.

7. In developing its recommendations, the 403/587/780 RPC is directed to set aside seven central office (CO) codes for initial code assignments for carriers already providing service in the areas served by area codes 403, 587, and 780, and ten CO codes for initial code assignments exclusively for new entrants.

8. The Commission notes that the 403/587/780 RPC may contemplate relief measures that would require some customers to change their telephone numbers. The Commission therefore encourages members of the public to participate in the 403/587/780 RPC’s activities.

Procedure

9. The CNA is to announce the location and time of the 403/587/780 RPC’s meetings and is to make all related documentation available on its website at www.cnac.ca. Members of the public who wish to participate in the 403/587/780 RPC’s activities may also reach the CNA by telephone at 613-563-7242.

Important notice

10. All information provided as part of this public process, except information granted confidentiality, whether sent by postal mail, facsimile, email, or through the Commission’s website at www.crtc.gc.ca, becomes part of a publicly accessible file and will be posted on the Commission’s website. This includes personal information, such as full names, email addresses, postal/street addresses, telephone and facsimile numbers, and any other personal information provided.

11. The personal information provided will be used and may be disclosed for the purpose for which the information was obtained or compiled by the Commission, or for a use consistent with that purpose.

12. Documents received electronically or otherwise will be posted on the Commission's website in their entirety exactly as received, including any personal information contained therein, in the official language and format in which they are received. Documents not received electronically will be available in PDF format.

13. The information provided to the Commission as part of this public process is entered into an unsearchable database dedicated to this specific public process. This database is accessible only from the web page of this particular public process. As a result, a general search of the Commission’s website with the help of either its search engine or a third-party search engine will not link directly to the information provided as part of this public process.

Location of CRTC offices

14. Submissions may be examined or will be made available promptly upon request at Commission offices during normal business hours.

Toll-free telephone: 1-877-249-2782
Toll-free TDD: 1-877-909-2782

Central Building
Les Terrasses de la Chaudière
1 Promenade du Portage, Room 206
Gatineau, Quebec J8X 4B1
Tel.: 819-997-2429
Fax: 819-994-0218

100 – 4^th Avenue SW, Suite 403
Calgary, Alberta T2P 3N2
Tel.: 403-292-6660
Fax: 403-292-6686

Secretary General

Date modified:

2012-11-29