ARCHIVED - Telecom Order CRTC 2012-566
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Ottawa, 16 October 2012
Amtelecom Limited Partnership and People’s Tel Limited Partnership – Pay telephone rates
File numbers: Amtelecom Tariff Notice 73 and People’s Tel Tariff Notices 77 and 77A
1. The Commission received applications from EastLink, dated 20 July 2012, on behalf of Amtelecom Limited Partnership (Amtelecom) and People’s Tel Limited Partnership (People’s Tel).1 The Commission also received an amendment, dated 15 August 2012, to EastLink’s application on behalf of People’s Tel.
2. In its applications, EastLink proposed to increase Amtelecom’s and People’s Tel’s public pay telephone service rates for originating local calls from $0.25 to a maximum of $0.50. EastLink noted that the Commission had approved the same rate increase for Northwestel Inc. (Northwestel) in Telecom Decision 2009-455.
3. In response to the Commission’s request for information, EastLink indicated that certain pay telephones would be removed from service due to lack of use, and that some were the last pay telephone in a community.
4. The Commission received no comments regarding these applications. The public records of these proceedings, which closed on 17 September 2012, are available on the Commission’s website at www.crtc.gc.ca under “Public Proceedings” or by using the file numbers provided above.
Commission’s analysis and determinations
5. The Commission notes that EastLink’s proposed $0.50 rate is consistent with the rates that have been approved for a number of other incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs), including Northwestel in Telecom Decision 2009-455 and Télébec, Limited Partnership in Telecom Decision 2007-60.
6. The Commission notes that pay telephone services are assigned to the fourth service basket of the price cap framework for the small ILECs2 set out in Telecom Decision 2006-14. The Commission further notes that rates for services in the fourth basket are allowed to increase up to any already approved rate for the same service.
7. The Commission also notes that, in Telecom Decision 2004-47, it established a notification process for the large ILECs3 in relation to the removal of pay telephones. In instances where the last pay telephone in a community is scheduled for removal, the large ILECs are to
- provide in writing a 60-day notification to the location provider and to the local government,
- post a notice on the pay telephone scheduled for removal for at least 60 days prior to removal, and
- place a notice in the local newspaper at least 60 days prior to removal.
8. In Telecom Decision 2004-47, the Commission stated that such notices must clearly indicate, at a minimum, (a) the date of removal, (b) the ILEC’s name, address, and toll-free number and directions to, and location of, the nearest pay telephone. The Commission also indicated that such notices would help raise consumer awareness within a specific community, allowing customer concerns to be addressed on a timely basis.
9. The Commission notes that EastLink stated as part of its response to the Commission’s request for information that it would abide by the above-noted requirements where the last pay telephone in a community is scheduled for removal.
10. In light of the above, the Commission approves the proposed increase to Amtelecom’s and People’s Tel’s rates for a local call made from a pay telephone, and expects that EastLink will proceed with notifications in relation to the removal of the last pay telephone in the communities according to the requirements set out in Telecom Decision 2004-47.
Secretary General
Related documents
- Northwestel Inc. – Pay telephone rates, Telecom Decision CRTC 2009-455, 29 July 2009
- Follow up to Decision 2007-27 ‑ Show cause submission related to the application of the price cap regime to Télébec, Limited Partnership, Telecom Decision CRTC 2007-60, 30 July 2007, as amended by Telecom Decision CRTC 2007-60-1, 10 August 2007
- Revised regulatory framework for the small incumbent local exchange carriers, Telecom Decision CRTC 2006-14, 29 March 2006
- Access to pay telephone service, Telecom Decision CRTC 2004-47, 15 July 2004
Footnotes:
[1] Amtelecom and People’s Tel are operating as EastLink.
[2] There are currently 35 small ILECs in Canada. Most of these companies are dispersed throughout Ontario and Quebec with one located in British Columbia.
[3] The large ILECs include Bell Aliant Regional Communications, Limited Partnership; Bell Canada; MTS Inc.; Saskatchewan Telecommunications; Télébec, Limited Partnership; and TELUS Communications Company.
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