ARCHIVED - Letter
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Our reference: 8650-P8-201215913
BY EMAIL
Mr. Phillippe Gauvin
Senior Counsel, Regulatory Law & Policy
Bell Canada
Floor 19, 160 Elgin Street
Ottawa, Ontario K2P 2C4
bell.regulatory@bell.ca
Re: Part 1 Application - Billing of calls placed from Bell Canada payphones which contravene the Telecommunications Act and are inconsistent with directives issued by the CRTC
Dear Mr. Gauvin:
On 14 November 2012, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) on its own behalf and as counsel to Canada Without Poverty (CWP), collectively PIAC/CWP, filed the above-noted application.
On 11 February 2013, Bell Canada filed an answer to the application and on
23 February 2013 PIAC/CWP filed a reply.
Commission staff has reviewed the information on the record and determined that additional information is required to properly assess the application. Accordingly, Bell Canada is requested to provide by 2 April 2013, responses to the requests for further information set out in the Attachment, serving a copy on PIAC/CWP.
PIAC/CWP may file comments solely in relation to the responses filed by Bell Canada by
8 April 2013, serving a copy on Bell Canada. Bell Canada may file reply comments by
12 April 2013, serving a copy on PIAC/CWP.
Where a document is to be filed or served by a specific date, the document must be actually received, not merely sent, by that date.
Sincerely,
Original signed by K. Wardle for
Mario Bertrand
Director, Dispute Resolution and Decisions,
Telecommunications
cc: PIAC/CWP piac@piac.ca
Attachment
Attachment
1. Provide a copy of any and all agreement(s) between Bell Canada and WiMacTel Inc. (WiMacTel) in relation to the provision of operator services and the provision of long distance services from pay telephones.
2. At paragraph 19 of its answer, dated 11 February 2013, Bell Canada stated that it engaged WiMacTel to process all operator-assisted and card swipe calls at its pay telephones, excluding Bell Canada calling card calls.
(a) Confirm that operator-assisted calls do not include card swipe calls.
(b) Explain in detail what types of cards are classified as swipe cards.
(c) Confirm that swipe cards include credit cards.
(d) Could a caller require operator-assistance for a swipe card?
(e) Describe in detail the types of operator-assisted calls.
3. At paragraph 22 of its answer, dated 11 February 2013, Bell Canada states “[C]alls processed by WiMacTel include non-cash local and long distance calls.
(a) Confirm that WiMacTel provides long distance services at Bell Canada’s pay telephones only for operator assisted and card swipe calls but excluding Bell Canada calling card calls.
(b) For long distance cash calls, indicate the name of the long distance service provider(s) for calls made from Bell Canada’s pay telephones.
4. At paragraph 23 of its answer, dated 11 February 2013, Bell Canada states “All operator-assisted calls processed by WiMacTel are routed through either the WiMacTel IVR or through a live operator. Through these calling platforms, a caller may select the appropriate option from the automated IVR to obtain applicable rates or may simply ask a live operator for rate information.”
(a) At what point in the call is a customer advised of the option to obtain appropriate rate information on the WiMacTel IVR platform? Identify each option or notification presented to the customer, in order of presentation. Provide the number of seconds between each option or notification that is presented.
(b) Specify the number of seconds from the beginning of the call to the time when a customer is advised of the rate information option.
(c) Explain how card swipe calls are routed by WiMacTel.
(d) Is a caller using a swipe card able to obtain rate information? If so, explain in detail the manner in which the caller is informed of the option to obtain rate information and the manner in which the caller is able to obtain such information.
5. (a) A caller uses a Bell Canada pay telephone to place a long distance call. Indicate in which of the following eight scenarios the rates and charges for the long distance call would be the same. For those scenarios where the rates would not be the same, rank from lowest total charges (rates plus charges) to highest total charges:
1. the caller uses cash to pay for the call;
2. the caller uses a credit card to pay for the call;
3. the caller uses a Bell calling card to pay for the call; and
4. the caller uses operator–assistance to establish the call and the call is to be paid by
(i) cash
(ii) credit card
(iii) the called party i.e., a collect call
(iv) third party billing, and
(v) a calling card billing.
Assume in each of the above scenarios that the caller is attending the same Bell Canada pay telephone, the call is placed at the same time of the day, the number to be called is the same, i.e., the location of the number called is the same, and the length of time the call is the same.
(b) Explain in detail any differences in the rates and charges that are billed in the above scenarios.
6. For each scenario in question 5(a), provide the rates and charges for a five minute long distance call made from a Bell Canada pay telephone in Toronto to Ottawa at 10:00 a.m. on 24 May 2011, 25 June 2011 and on the day of the date of this letter.
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