Telecom Decision CRTC 2017-134

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Ottawa, 5 May 2017

File number: 8640-T66-201612268

TELUS Communications Company – Application for forbearance from the regulation of business local exchange services

The Commission approves TCC’s request for forbearance from the regulation of business local exchange services in 79 exchanges in Alberta, British Columbia, and Quebec. The Commission denies TCC’s request for forbearance from the regulation of business local exchange services in 1 exchange in British Columbia and 16 exchanges in Quebec.

Introduction

  1. The Commission received an application from TELUS Communications Company (TCC), dated 30 November 2016, in which the company requested forbearance from the regulation of business local exchange servicesFootnote 1 in 96 exchanges in Alberta, British Columbia, and Quebec. A list of these exchanges is set out in Appendix 1 to this decision.
  2. The Commission received submissions regarding TCC’s application from Bell Canada; Bragg Communications Incorporated, operating as Eastlink (Eastlink); Câble-Axion Digitel inc.; CityWest Cable & Telephone Corp. (CityWest); Cogeco Communications Inc. (Cogeco); CoopTel; DERYtelecom inc.; Distributel Communications Limited; Groupe Maskatel LP; Iristel Inc. (Iristel); Shaw Telecom G.P. (Shaw); and Quebecor Media Inc., on behalf of Videotron G.P. (Videotron). The public record of this proceeding, which closed on 6 March 2017, is available on the Commission’s website at www.crtc.gc.ca or by using the file number provided above.

Commission’s analysis and determinations

  1. Pursuant to the Commission’s requirements in Telecom Decision 2006-15, TCC provided evidence to support its forbearance request, including competitor quality of service (Q of S) results for the period of April to September 2016. The Commission has assessed TCC’s application based on the local forbearance test set out in Telecom Decision 2006-15 by examining the four criteria set out below.

Product market

  1. TCC is seeking forbearance from the regulation of 43 tariffed business local exchange services. In Telecom Decision 2015-362, the Commission found that all of these services are eligible to be considered for forbearance. The 43 services are set out in Appendix 2 to this decision.
  2. The Commission received no comments with respect to TCC’s proposed list of business local exchange services.

Competitor presence test

  1. Information provided by parties demonstrates that there is, in addition to TCC, at least one independent, facilities-based, fixed-line telecommunications service provider operating in 79 of the exchanges in question.Footnote 2 Each of these service providers is capable of serving at least 75% of the number of business local exchange service lines that TCC is capable of serving.
  2. With respect to the 17 remaining exchanges in question,Footnote 3 TCC acknowledged in its reply comments that it failed to meet the competitor presence test.
  3. Based on the evidence provided during this proceeding, the Commission finds that only the 79 exchanges listed in Appendix 3 to this decision meet the competitor presence test.

Competitor Q of S results

  1. TCC submitted its competitor Q of S results for the period of April to September 2016. The Commission has reviewed these results and finds that TCC has demonstrated that during this six-month period it
    1. met, on average, the Q of S standards for each indicator set out in Appendix B of Telecom Decision 2006-15, as defined in Telecom Decision 2005-20, with respect to the services provided to competitors in its territory; and
    2. did not consistently provide any of those competitors with services that were below those Q of S standards.
  1. Accordingly, TCC meets the competitor Q of S criterion for this period.

Communications plan

  1. TCC submitted that its communications plan specific to the exchanges listed in Appendix 1 to this decision would conform to the Commission’s determinations set out in Telecom Decision 2008-107. In the proceeding leading to that decision, TCC had submitted a communications plan that complied with the Commission’s requirements set out in Telecom Decision 2006-15.
  2. The Commission has reviewed the communications plan submitted by TCC in the proceeding leading to Telecom Decision 2008-107, and finds that it is appropriate for the company to use in this case. Accordingly, the Commission approves, for the purpose of the current application, the use of the communications plan that TCC submitted in the proceeding leading to Telecom Decision 2008-107. The Commission directs TCC to provide the resulting communications materials to its customers, in both official languages where appropriate.

Conclusion

  1. TCC’s application regarding the 79 exchanges in Alberta, British Columbia, and Quebec that are listed in Appendix 3 to this decision meets all the local forbearance criteria set out in Telecom Decision 2006-15.
  2. Pursuant to subsection 34(1) of the Telecommunications Act (the Act), the Commission finds as a question of fact that to refrain from exercising its powers and performing its duties, to the extent specified in Telecom Decision 2006-15, in relation to the provision, by TCC in these 79 exchanges, of the businesslocal exchange services listed in Appendix 2 of this decision and of future local exchange services (as defined in Telecom Public Notice 2005-2 and as they pertain to businesscustomers only) would be consistent with the Canadian telecommunications policy objectives set out in section 7 of the Act.
  3. Pursuant to subsection 34(2) of the Act, the Commission finds as a question of fact that these businesslocal exchange services are subject to a level of competition in these exchanges sufficient to protect the interests of users of these services.
  4. Pursuant to subsection 34(3) of the Act, the Commission finds as a question of fact that to refrain from exercising its powers and performing its duties, to the extent specified in Telecom Decision 2006-15, in relation to the provision by TCC of these businesslocal exchange services in the 79 exchanges would be unlikely to unduly impair the continuance of a competitive market for these services.
  5. In light of the above, the Commission approves TCC’s application for forbearance from the regulation of the local exchange services listed in Appendix 2 to this decision and future local exchange services (as defined in Telecom Public Notice 2005-2), as they pertain to business customers only, in the 79 exchanges listed in Appendix 3 to this decision in Alberta, British Columbia, and Quebec, subject to the powers and duties that the Commission has retained as set out in Telecom Decision 2006-15. This determination takes effect as of the date of this decision. The Commission directs TCC to issue revised tariff pagesFootnote 4 within 30 days of the date of this decision.

Secretary General

Related documents

Appendix 1 to Telecom Decision CRTC 2017-134

Exchanges for which TCC requested forbearance from the regulation of its business local exchange services

Alberta

Ardrossan

Banff

Blackfalds

Bonnyville

Cardston

Clairmont

Claresholm

Cold Lake

Cowley

Crossfield

Edson

Edmonton Intl Airport

Fort Macleod

Fox Creek

Granum

Hinton

Innisfail

Langdon

Morinville

Namao

Nisku

Pincher Creek

Sexsmith

Stettler

Sylvan Lake

Taber

Trochu

Vegreville

Wembley

Whitecourt

British Columbia

Armstrong

Aspen Park

Cranbrook

Creston

Dallas

Fernie

Gibsons

Grand Forks

Hope

Kimberley

Kitimat

Lumby

Merritt

Pemberton

Pender Harbour

Pineview

Port Hardy

Powell River

Revelstoke

Rosedale

Sparwood

Tofino

Westbank

Westsyde

Whonnock

Williams Lake

Willow Point

Winfield

Quebec

Amqui

Bonaventure

Cap Saint-Ignace

Cap-Des-Rosiers

Carleton

Causapscal

Chandler

Chute-Aux-Outardes

Donnacona

Esprit-Saint

Forestville

Gaspé

Havre-St-Pierre

L’islet

New Carlisle

New Richmond

Percé

Pointe-à-La-Croix

Pont-Rouge

Saint-Agapit

Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade

Saint-Anselme

Saint-Apollinaire

Saint-Augustin

Saint-Charles

Sainte-Claire

Saint-Côme

Saint-Édouard-De-Lotbinière

Saint-Flavien

Saint-Henri-De-Lévis

Saint-Joseph

Saint-Marc-Des-Carrières

Saint-Michel

Saint-Paul-de-Montminy

Saint-Raymond

Saint-Tite

Sayabec

Vallée-Jonction

Appendix 2 to Telecom Decision CRTC 2017-134

Local exchange services eligible to be considered for forbearance from regulation in this decision (for business customers only)

Tariff Item List of services
1005 25 Exchange Classification and Rates
1005 26 Business and Residence Service
1005 27 Base Rate Areas
1005 32 Exchange Rates
1005 122 Foreign Central Office Service – Voice
1005 122A Foreign Central Office Service – Data
1005 132 Service to Ships and Trains
1005 150 Reserve Telephone Number Service
1005 153 Optional Hunting Arrangement
1005 157 Suspension of Service
1005 161 Call Guardian
1005 164 Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) / Multi-Frequency (MF) Services 
1005 200 Terminal Attachment Program
1005 465 Integrated Services Digital Network – Basic Rate Interface (ISDN-BRI) Service (formerly Microlink)
1005 470 Integrated Services Digital Network – Primary Rate Interface (ISDN-PRI) Service (formerly Megalink)
1005 470A Integrated Services Digital Network – Primary Rate Interface (ISDN-PRI) Monthly Non-Contracted Services
1005 490 DataDial Service
1005 495 Digital Exchange Access
18001 165 Digital Exchange Access (DEA)
18001 215 Dataline Service
18001 235 Calling Features
18001 240 Extended Area Service (Centrex)
18001 295 Inbound Data Access (IDA) Service
18001 305 Denial Services
18001 310 Toll Restriction Services
18001 380 Temporary Disconnect
18001 425 Exchange Service
18001 430 Deductions – Churches, Community Centres and Senior Citizen Drop-In Centres
18001 485 Integrated Services Digital Network – Basic Rate Interface (ISDN-BRI) Service (formerly Microlink)
18001 495 Integrated Services Digital Network – Primary Rate Interface (ISDN-PRI) Service (formerly Megalink)
18001 505 Switched 56 Digital Service
21461 129 Directory Listings
21461 202 Individual Line Service (ILS)
21461 209 Local Calling Area (LCA) Expansion
21461 213 Centrex Service
21461 215 Direct In Dial Service
21461 216 IntelliRoute Service
21461 217 Reserved Telephone Number Service
21461 300 Call Management Services
21461 307 Special Number Search
21461 314 Remote Call Forwarding
21461 316 900 Blocking
21461 1000 Call Intercept Service

Appendix 3 to Telecom Decision CRTC 2017-134

Exchanges that meet all the local forbearance criteria set out in Telecom Decision 2006-15

Alberta

Ardrossan

Banff

Blackfalds

Bonnyville

Cardston

Clairmont

Claresholm

Cold Lake

Cowley

Crossfield

Edson

Edmonton Intl Airport

Fort Macleod

Fox Creek

Granum

Hinton

Innisfail

Langdon

Morinville

Namao

Nisku

Pincher Creek

Sexsmith

Stettler

Sylvan Lake

Taber

Trochu

Vegreville

Wembley

Whitecourt

British Columbia

Armstrong

Aspen Park

Cranbrook

Creston

Dallas

Fernie

Gibsons

Grand Forks

Hope

Kimberley

Kitimat

Lumby

Merritt

Pemberton

Pender Harbour

Pineview

Port Hardy

Powell River

Revelstoke

Rosedale

Sparwood

Westbank

Westsyde

Whonnock

Williams Lake

Willow Point

Winfield

Quebec

Amqui

Cap Saint-Ignace

Cap-Des-Rosiers

Causapscal

Chandler

Donnacona

Forestville

Gaspé

L’islet

New Carlisle

Saint-Agapit

Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade

Saint-Apollinaire

Saint-Charles

Sainte-Claire

Saint-Édouard-De-Lotbinière

Saint-Flavien

Saint-Henri-De-Lévis

Saint-Michel

Saint-Paul-de-Montminy

Saint-Tite

Sayabec

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