ARCHIVED -  Telecom Order CRTC 99-1225

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Telecom Order CRTC 99-1225

  Ottawa, 23 December 1999
  On 18 June 1999, the Ontario Telephone Association (OTA) filed an application on behalf of its members for approval of tariff revisions introducing a billing and collection service for interexchange carriers.
  File No.: Tariff Notice 44
  1. OTA noted that the proposed billing and collection service was filed in accordance with Review of contribution regime of independent telephone companies in Ontario and Quebec, Telecom Decision CRTC 99-5, 21 April 1999 (Decision 99-5).
  2. In Decision 99-5, the Commission directed the independent telephone companies (independents) in Ontario and Quebec to file tariffs unbundling their billing and collection services.
  3. The Commission noted that the direct toll portion of the independent Carrier Access Tariff (CAT) rates included expenses related to billing and collection services the independents were carrying out on behalf of Bell. The Commission concluded that unbundling the direct toll component, to the extent of removing those services which can be provided by alternate providers of long distance services (APLDS) themselves, such as billing and collection, would reduce the independents' CAT rates and help to reduce the barriers to competitive entry.
  4. In Decision 99-5, the Commission recognized that the independents were already in the process of working on developing the costs required to set the unbundled billing and collection rates and stated that the companies would be allowed flexibility in submitting their costing proposals.
  5. Call-Net Enterprises Inc. (Call-Net) opposed the application stating the OTA had failed to meet the directives of Decision 99-5 inasmuch as the proposed billing and collection service did not include provisions for billing of casual calling and alternately billed calls. Further Call-Net was of the view that the proposed minimum monthly charge, taken in the context of casual and alternately billed calls, was excessive.
  6. In reply, OTA noted that the intent of unbundling billing and collection from the direct toll component of the CAT was to reduce that portion of the CAT in order to stimulate the entry of APLDS into the independents' territories. The OTA was of the view that Decision 99-5 did not require the companies to develop billing and collection service for casual calling or alternately billed calls.
  7. The Commission confirms the OTA's understanding of the intent of the billing and collection requirement set out in Decision 99-5.
  8. The Commission notes that no other comments were received with respect to the application. Further, the Commission is satisfied that the proposed rates are just and reasonable.
  9. In light of the foregoing, the Commission approves Tariff Notices 44 and 44A.
  Secretary General
  This document is available in alternative format upon request and may also be viewed at the following Internet site: www.crtc.gc.ca
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