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Telecom Public Notice
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Ottawa, 24 September 1990
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Telecom Public Notice CRTC 1990-89
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BELL CANADA AND BRITISH COLUMBIA TELEPHONE COMPANY - REVISIONS TO MONOPOLY TOLL SERVICE AND VOICECOM RATES AND INTRODUCTION OF ADVANTAGE CANADA SERVICE
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Reference: Bell Tariff Notices 3616 and 3616AB.C. Tel Tariff Notice 2161 and 2161A
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The Commission has received applications from Bell Canada (Bell) and British Columbia Telephone Company (B.C. Tel), both dated 25 July 1990 and amended 10 September 1990. The applications request approval of various revisions to rates for monopoly toll services and Voicecom Service.
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The revisions proposed under Bell Tariff Notices 3616 and 3616A include:
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(1) average rate reductions of approximately 15% for TransCanada Message Toll Service (MTS) and 6% for Canada-U.S. MTS;
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(2) average rate reductions of approximately 15% for Canada Wide Area Telephone Service (WATS) and 13% for Canada 800 Service, for non-intra WATS and 800 Service zones;
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(3) an average rate reduction of approximately 19% for Canada-U.S. 800 Service;
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(4) an average rate reduction of 16% for the Canada & U.S. Plan of Between Friends Service;
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(5) a restructuring of the rates for Canada-Northwest MTS, resulting in an average rate reduction of approximately 26%;
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(6) an average rate reduction of approximately 26% for Canada-Alaska MTS;
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(7) an average rate reduction of approximately 22% for Canada-Hawaii MTS; and
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(8) an average rate reduction of 16% for Voicecom calls of more than 1,000 miles.
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Under Tariff Notices 2161 and 2161A, B.C. Tel proposes rate revisions corresponding to those noted in paragraphs 1, 3, 4, 6 and 7, above. In addition, B.C. Tel proposes:
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(1) a restructuring of its intraB.C. MTS rates, resulting in an overall average increase of 0.1%;
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(2) an average reduction of approximately 3.7% for B.C.-Alberta MTS;
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(3) the elimination of the $0.20 message charge and the introduction of a $0.27 minimum charge for the Short Haul Message Toll schedule;
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(4) an average rate reduction of 5.1% for High Volume 800 Service;
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(5) an average rate reduction of 9.8% for 10 hour Canada WATS; and
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(6) an average rate reduction of 5.7% for Canada Basic 800 Service.
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In addition to the above, both companies propose the introduction of Advantage Canada, a form of MTS. Advantage Canada would provide subscribing customers with volume-based discounts on eligible customer-dialed station-to-station calls to locations in Canada.
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For calling within Ontario, Quebec and its operating territory in the Northwest Territories, Bell proposes to apply discounts to calls placed between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. For calling within its operating territory, B.C. Tel proposes to apply discounts to calls placed between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For calling from Bell or B.C. Tel territory to other locations within Canada, discounts would apply to calls placed between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
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Under the proposed service, subscribing customers would be billed at regular MTS rates up to and including $200 per month. Thereafter, the following discounts would apply to eligible monthly charges: 15% on charges over $200 up to and including $1,500; 17% on charges over $1,500 up to and including $3,500; 20% on charges over $3,500 up to and including $10,000; and 30% on charges over $10,000. Customers would be required to pay a minimum monthly bill of $200 for each account. A charge of $50 would apply for subscribing to the service.
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In support of their applications, Bell and B.C. Tel have submitted economic information for which they have claimed confidentiality. Abridged versions of this information have been provided for the public record.
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The Commission addressed interrogatories to Bell and B.C. Tel in connection with their applications. The companies filed their responses on 22 August 1990 and 31 August 1990. The applications and the responses to the Commission's interrogatories may be examined at the offices of the CRTC in the following locations:
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Room 201
Central Building
Les Terrasses de la Chaudière
1 Promenade du Portage
Hull, Quebec
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Complex Guy-Favreau
East Tower
200 René-Lévesque Blvd. West
6th Floor
Montréal, Quebec
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800 Burrard Street
Suite 1500
Vancouver, British Columbia
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Each company's application and responses may also be examined at any of its business offices. Copies may be obtained by any interested person upon request directed to the company in question. Addresses are indicated below.
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If you wish to comment on the applications, please write to Mr. Alain-F. Desfossés, Secretary General, CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0N2, by 24 October 1990. A copy of your letter should be sent, as appropriate, to Mr. Peter J. Knowlton, Assistant General Counsel, Bell Canada, 25 Eddy Street, 4th Floor, Hull, Quebec, J8X 4B5, or to Ms. D. E. Byrne, Vice-President, Legal and Regulatory Matters, British Columbia Telephone Company, 3777 Kingsway, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5H 3Z7.
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In Telecom Orders CRTC 90-1000 and 90-1001, 24 September 1990, the Commission granted the applications interim approval. The Commission will make a final determination after comments received in response to this public notice have been considered.
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Alain-F. Desfossés
Secretary General
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