ARCHIVED - Telecom Decision CRTC 2010-742

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Ottawa, 6 October 2010

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

File number: 8640-T66-201012137

In this decision, the Commission approves TCC’s request for forbearance from the regulation of business local exchange services in 17 exchanges in Alberta and British Columbia. The Commission denies TCC’s request for forbearance in three other exchanges in these provinces.

Introduction

1. The Commission received an application by TELUS Communications Company (TCC), dated 30 July 2010, in which the company requested forbearance from the regulation of business local exchange services[1] in 20 exchanges in Alberta and British Columbia. A list of these 20 exchanges is set out in Appendix 1 to this decision.

2. The Commission received submissions and/or data regarding TCC’s application from Bell Canada, MTS Allstream Inc. (MTS Allstream), and Shaw Communications Inc. (Shaw). The public record of this proceeding, which closed on 2 September 2010, is available on the Commission’s website at www.crtc.gc.ca under “Public Proceedings” or by using the file number provided above.

Commission’s analysis and determinations

3. 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.

a) Product market

4. The Commission received no comments with respect to TCC’s proposed list of business local exchange services.

5. The Commission notes that TCC is seeking forbearance from the regulation of 51 tariffed business local exchange services. The Commission also notes that in Telecom Decision 2008-107, it found 49 of these services to be eligible for forbearance. The other two were included in the list of services set out in Telecom Decision 2005-35, but have since been transferred to a different tariff and, accordingly, have new item numbers. In addition, the two IntelliRoute services in Alberta and British Columbia were aggregated into one and given a new tariff number. A list of the 50 approved services, including those with new item numbers, is set out in Appendix 2 to this decision.

b) Competitor presence test

6. The Commission notes that for the exchanges listed in Appendix 3, information provided by parties confirms that there is, in addition to TCC, at least one other independent facilities-based, fixed-line telecommunications service provider[2] that offers local exchange services in the market and is capable of serving at least 75 percent of the number of business local exchange service lines that TCC is capable of serving.

7. Accordingly, the Commission determines that the exchanges listed in Appendix 3 meet the competitor presence test.

8. The Commission also notes that, for the exchanges of Drumheller and Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, and Ladner, British Columbia, there is no other facilities-based, fixed-line telecommunications service provider capable of serving 75 percent of the number of business local exchange service lines that TCC is capable of serving in these three exchanges.

9. Accordingly, the Commission determines that the exchanges of Drumheller and Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, and Ladner, British Columbia, do not meet the competitor presence test.

c) Competitor quality of service (Q of S) results

10.   The Commission notes that TCC submitted competitor Q of S results for the period of December 2009 to May 2010. The Commission has reviewed these results and finds that TCC has demonstrated that during this six-month period it

i)   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

ii)   did not consistently provide any of those competitors with services that were below those Q of S standards.

11.   Accordingly, the Commission determines that TCC meets the competitor Q of S criterion for this period.

d) Communications plan

12.   The Commission notes that in lieu of filing a communications plan, TCC submitted that its communications plan specific to the exchanges listed in Appendix 1 would conform to the Commission’s determinations as set out in Telecom Decision 2008-107.

13.   The Commission notes that TCC submitted a communications plan in the proceeding leading to Telecom Decision 2008-107 that complies with the Commission’s requirements set out in Telecom Decision 2006-15.

14.   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 material to its customers, in both official languages where appropriate.

Conclusion

15.     The Commission determines that TCC’s application regarding the exchanges listed in Appendix 3 meets all the local forbearance criteria set out in Telecom Decision 2006-15.

16.     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 of the business local exchange services listed in Appendix 2 and future services that fall within the definition of local exchange services set out in Telecom Public Notice 2005-2 as they pertain to business customers only, in these exchanges, would be consistent with the Canadian telecommunications policy objectives set out in section 7 of the Act.

17.     Pursuant to subsection 34(2) of the Act, the Commission finds as a question of fact that these business local exchange services are subject to a level of competition in these exchanges sufficient to protect the interests of users of these services.

18.     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 business local exchange services in these exchanges would be unlikely to impair unduly the continuance of a competitive market for these services.

19.     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 and future services that fall within the definition of local exchange services set out in Telecom Public Notice 2005-2, as they pertain to business customers only, in the exchanges listed in Appendix 3, 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 file revised tariff pages with the Commission within 30 days of the date of this decision.

Secretary General

Related documents

Appendix 1

TCC requested forbearance from the regulation of its business local exchange services in the following 20 exchanges:

Alberta

Drumheller
Fort Saskatchewan
Olds
Ponoka
Rocky Mountain House
Sherwood Park
Spruce Grove
St. Albert

British Columbia

 Chemainus
Ganges
Ladner
Lakeview Heights
North Kamloops
Okanagan Falls
Okanagan Mission
Rutland
Saanich
Sooke
Summerland
White Rock


Appendix 2

Local exchange services eligible 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

Reserved Telephone Number Service

1005

153

Optional Hunting Arrangements

1005

157

Suspension of Service

1005

161

Call Guardian

1005

164

Dual Tone Multi-Frequency/Multi-Frequency Services

1005

168C

Voice Messaging Options Service

1005

169

Universal Messaging

1005

200

Terminal Attachment Program

1005

405

Internet Call Director

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

230

Voice Messaging Options Service

18001

235

Calling Features

18001

240

Extended Area Service (EAS)

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

18001

520

Universal Messaging

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

301

Voice Mail Services (VMS)

21461

307

Special Number Search

21461

311

Dual Line Call Manager

21461

314

Remote Call Forwarding

21461

316

900 Blocking

21461

1000

Chargeable Call Intercept Service


Appendix 3

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

Alberta

Fort Saskatchewan
Olds
Ponoka
Sherwood Park
Spruce Grove
St. Albert

British Columbia

Chemainus
Ganges
Lakeview Heights
North Kamloops
Okanagan Falls
Okanagan Mission
Rutland
Saanich
Sooke
Summerland
White Rock



Footnotes:
[1]   In this decision, “business local exchange services” refers to local exchange services used by business customers to access the public switched telephone network and any associated service charges, features, and ancillary services.

[2]   This competitor is either Shaw, or Bell and Shaw.

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