Telecom Order CRTC 2017-239

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Ottawa, 7 July 2017

File number: Tariff Notice 7536

Bell Canada – Local Network Interconnection and Component Unbundling

Application

  1. The Commission received an application from Bell Canada, dated 19 May 2017, in which the company proposed revisions to its Access Services Tariff item 105 – Local Network Interconnection and Component Unbundling.
  2. Specifically, the company proposed to add five exchanges to the list of exchanges where unbundled local loops (ULLs) are available pursuant to its tariff. Bell Canada submitted that in Telecom Order 2015-541, the Commission approved on a final basis the list of exchanges where ULLs would be available, but the company subsequently became aware that five exchanges were omitted in error. Bell Canada stated that no competitor was denied access to ULLs in those exchanges, and that ULLs remain available for ordering by competitors.
  3. Bell Canada indicated that the rates charged for those ULLs were consistent with those set out in its tariff, but that they were not set out in an approved tariff. Therefore, Bell Canada requested that the Commission ratify the charging of the rates for those ULLs, for the period from 21 September 2015 to the approval date of its application, pursuant to subsection 25(4) of the Telecommunications Act (the Act).
  4. The Commission approved Bell Canada’s Tariff Notice 7536 on an interim basis in Telecom Order 2017-185, effective 19 June 2017.
  5. The Commission received no interventions regarding Bell Canada’s application. The public record of this proceeding, which closed on 19 June 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. The Commission considers that Bell Canada’s request to add the five exchanges is reasonable. With respect to Bell Canada’s rate ratification request, pursuant to subsection 25(4) of the Act, the Commission may ratify the charging of a rate by a Canadian carrier otherwise than in accordance with a tariff approved by the Commission if it is satisfied that the rate was charged because of an error or other circumstance that warrants the ratification.
  2. The Commission is satisfied that Bell Canada charged the rates in question without an approved tariff due to an administrative error. In the circumstances, the Commission finds it appropriate to ratify the charging of the rates as requested by the company.
  3. Accordingly, the Commission approves on a final basis Bell Canada’s application, effective the date of this order. The Commission also ratifies the charging of the rates by the company for the above-mentioned ULLs for the period from 21 September 2015 to 19 June 2017.

Secretary General

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