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Telecom Order CRTC 2025-369

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Reference: 2025-256

Gatineau, 19 December 2025

Public record: Tariff Notice 593

Bell Aliant Regional Communications, Limited Partnership – Service overlap

Summary

The Commission received an application from Bell Aliant Regional Communications, Limited Partnership (Bell Aliant) proposing to add one new service overlap for a customer in Hampton, New Brunswick, under Item 308 of its General Tariff.

To minimize any disruptions to the customer, the customer will retain their current telephone number and will not be affected until they move, disconnect, or make certain changes to their service. Accordingly, the Commission approves, on a final basis, Bell Aliant’s application.

Application

  1. The Commission received an application dated 29 August 2025 from Bell Aliant Regional Communications, Limited Partnership (Bell Aliant) proposing to add one new service overlap for a customer in Hampton, New Brunswick, under Item 308 of its General Tariff.
  2. Bell Aliant explained that the customer has been mistakenly provisioned with local telephone service from the neighbouring exchange of Norton, New Brunswick. To minimize any disruptions to the customer affected by this error, Bell Aliant proposed to permit the customer to retain their current telephone number until they move, disconnect, or make another change to their service, by introducing the service address as a service overlap. When the customer contacts Bell Aliant to make a change to their service, Bell Aliant will explain the requirement for them to change their telephone number to the correct exchange telephone number, at no charge to the customer. New services connected at the customer’s address will then be provisioned correctly from the proper exchange.
  3. Bell Aliant requested an effective date of 13 September 2025.
  4. The Commission received one intervention from an individual regarding the application.

Positions of parties

  1. The intervener indicated that these types of requests from Bell Aliant result in customers losing their telephone numbers, possibly numbers they have had for decades. The intervener was of the view that a telephone number is an important piece of identity. Further, they noted that forcing a customer to change their telephone number puts the burden on the customer.
  2. The intervener was also concerned by the lack of specificity regarding what might constitute a change to a customer’s service. They wondered if Bell Aliant could force a customer to change their phone number if, for example, they only want to add another authorized user to the account.
  3. Bell Aliant replied that inter-exchange portability is currently not permitted under the Commission’s local number portability rules except in one limited area,Footnote 1 and that all telephone numbers must otherwise respect the established incumbent local exchange carrier’s exchange boundaries. As such, it noted that without the service overlap, the customer would be required to change their telephone number immediately to conform with the established exchange boundaries.
  4. Bell Aliant confirmed that it can process most, if not all, service change requests without triggering a number change, such as adding or removing a calling feature, changing a long-distance plan, or making administrative changes to directory listings or authorized persons on the account. However, if the customer does request a change that could affect the serving terminal of their service (for example, adding a new Internet service plan on a different technology than the technology over which their home phone is provisioned), Bell Aliant would discuss the need to change the customer’s telephone number with them, and the customer could then decide whether to proceed with the change or not.
  5. Bell Aliant added that it considers that the intervener’s concern has been addressed since it was in fact proposing the service overlap to prevent the customer from having to change their telephone number, even though Bell Aliant’s regulated terms of serviceFootnote 2 permit the company to change the customer’s telephone number in certain circumstances.

Commission’s analysis

  1. This service overlap was requested as a result of a customer being assigned a telephone number from the wrong exchange. To minimize any disruptions, the customer will retain their telephone number and will not be affected until they move, disconnect, or make certain changes to their service.
  2. The Commission acknowledges Bell Aliant’s confirmation that it can process most, if not all, service change requests without triggering a number change, and notes that wireline telephone service subscribers may keep their telephone number by porting it intermodally to a mobile or nomadic voice over Internet Protocol service. These services are not tied to porting within a specific local calling area.
  3. The Commission considers that Bell Aliant’s request is reasonable.

Conclusion

  1. In light of the above, the Commission approves, on a final basis, Bell Aliant’s application.
  2. Revised tariff pages are to be issued within 10 calendar days of the date of this order. Revised tariff pages can be submitted to the Commission without a description page or a request for approval; a tariff application is not required.

Secretary General

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