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Telecom Order CRTC 2007-395
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Ottawa, 26 October 2007
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TBayTel
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Reference: Tariff Notices 135 and 135A
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Transfer of inside wire
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1.
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The Commission received an application by TBayTel, dated 26 September 2007 and amended on 3 October 2007, proposing revisions to items of its General Tariff, under sections TB70, TB80, TB90, TB100, TB110, TB130 and TB850, in order to transfer responsibility for all installations, additions, moves, and rearrangements of inside wire, and maintenance and repair of existing inside wire to single-line residential subscribers.
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2.
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TBayTel proposed, among others, the following:
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- telecommunications transmission facilities would be provided by TBayTel as part of the provision of service to a single-line residential subscriber up to and including a demarcation point on the subscriber's premises;
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- subscribers would be responsible for installations, additions, moves, rearrangements, repairs and maintenance of single-line inside wire on the residential subscriber's side of the demarcation point, except for those subscribers who still have hard wired telephone connections (inside wire of these subscribers will continue to be treated under the existing tariff);
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- the option for premises owners to obtain single-line inside wire from suppliers other than TBayTel; and
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- the installation, movement, addition, rearrangement, repair and/or maintenance of single-line wire by TBayTel at already existing tariffed rates.
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3.
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TBayTel also proposed to introduce in its General Tariff under section TB850, item 9 - Wire Care (Wire Care service), a maintenance plan for single-line residential subscriber's inside wire at a proposed rate of $2.00 per month. The plan would also include a $24.00 cancellation fee should this subscriber cancel the plan prior to the end of the initial 12-month period.
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4.
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TBayTel noted that it had already advised its single-line residential subscribers that the transfer of inside wire to its single-line residential subscribers would take place in the spring of 2008. TBayTel indicated that it would conduct an extensive communications program to ensure these subscribers were aware of the changes. In particular, TBayTel indicated that it would make a wiring guide booklet available upon request from TBayTel's Business Offices following the approval date of the proposed revisions. TBayTel noted that this booklet would provide specifications, instructions, and helpful advice to enable single-line residential subscribers to conduct their own installation, maintenance, and repair of inside wire.
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5.
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TBayTel sought approval of its application by 30 October 2007, and an effective date of 30 April 2008. The public record of this proceeding is available on the Commission's website at www.crtc.gc.ca under "Public Proceedings".
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6.
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The Commission notes that transferring the responsibility for inside wire to TBayTel's single-line residential subscribers would permit competitive entry into markets for inside wire installation and for maintenance/repair services in TBayTel's serving territory.
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7.
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Based on the record, the Commission considers TBayTel's proposals to be appropriate. In the Commission's view, the wiring guide should be made available at least six months before the implementation date of the proposals. Further, the Commission considers that TBayTel's communications program should take place at least six months before the implementation date of the proposals, and should describe both the new regime (including the effective date) and the wiring guide, and how single-line residential subscribers may obtain the guide.
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8.
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In TelecomDecision 2006-14, the Commission assigned residential primary exchange services (PES) to the First Basket, business PES to the Second Basket, and 9-1-1 service, message relay service, and toll restriction to the Third Basket. The Commission determined that the Fourth Basket of capped services would comprise all other services offered by the small incumbent local exchange carriers, such as optional services, multi-element service categories, special facilities tariffs, and competitor access tariffs. The Commission also determined that rates for these services would generally be permitted to increase up to any already approved rate for the same service without being accompanied by a supporting economic study.
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9.
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The Commission finds that TBayTel's Wire Care service should be assigned to the Fourth Basket of capped services. The Commission notes that a similar maintenance plan offered at the same rates proposed by TBayTel for its Wire Care service was approved for NorthernTel, Limited Partnership in Telecom Order 2004-89.
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10.
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In light of the above, the Commission approves on an interim basis TBayTel's application.
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11.
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The Commission directs TBayTel, as part of its communications program, to inform its single-line residential subscribers that (a) the company will make the wiring guide available upon request, (b) the company will install, extend, move, or repair inside wire at the tariffed rates in effect as of the date of this Order for all single-line residential subscribers' requests up to the effective date of these tariffs, even if the work is not completed until a later date, (c) subscribers will be responsible for and have authority over inside wire, whether installed by TBayTel, another supplier, a landlord or the subscriber, and may perform any work related to installation, maintenance, repair, additions, moves, and rearrangements themselves, or have it performed by TBayTel or a contractor, and (d) inside wire for single-line residential subscribers who still have hard wired telephone connections will continue to be treated under the existing tariff.
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12.
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The tariff pages issued pursuant to this Order are to be effective no earlier than six months following the issue date of the notification to customers, and any inside wire ordered up to the effective date of these tariffs is to be subject to currently approved rates and be treated as pre-existing inside wire.
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Secretary General
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Related documents
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Revised regulatory framework for the small incumbent local exchange carriers,Telecom Decision CRTC 2006-14, 29 March 2006
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WireCare, Telecom Order CRTC 2004-89, 18 March 2004
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This document is available in alternative format upon request, and may also be examined in PDF format or in HTML at the following Internet site: www.crtc.gc.ca
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Date Modified: 2007-10-26
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