ARCHIVED -  Telecom Public Notice CRTC 1991-13

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Telecom Public Notice

Ottawa, 11 March 1991
Telecom Public Notice CRTC 1991-13
BRITISH COLUMBIA TELEPHONE COMPANY -INTRODUCTION OF CALL MANAGEMENT SERVICE
Reference: Tariff Notices 2264, 2271 and 2314
The Commission has received applications from British Columbia Telephone Company (B.C. Tel) requesting approval of tariff revisions providing for the introduction of Call Management Service (CMS). CMS provides customers with a number of network control features based on the identification of the telephone number of the party placing the call. These features include:
(1) Call Again, an automatic redial feature whereby customers are notified, by a distinctive ring,
when a call can be completed to a previously busy telephone number;
(2) Call Return, which allows a customer to return a call to the last incoming number by dialing
an access code;
(3) Call Screen, which allows customers to block calls originating from up to 12 different
telephone numbers and divert them to a standard announcement;
(4) Call Trace, which allows customers to record and store details of the last incoming call (this
information would only be available to B.C. Tel's security department who, upon the
customer's request, would forward it to an appropriate law enforcement agency, e.g., in the
case of obscene or threatening calls); and
(5) Call Number Display, which, when used with a compatible device, provides a visual display of
a calling party's telephone number.
B.C. Tel stated that these features would allow single-line CMS subscribers to screen and manage incoming and outgoing local calls, to identify unwanted and annoying calls and to trace harassing or obscene calls. B.C. Tel also stated that telephone numbers of calling parties, including unlisted telephone numbers, would be provided to a called party who subscribes to certain CMS features.
B.C. Tel stated that CMS would be provided, subject to availability, to Touch-Calling residence and business subscribers located in areas serviced by a CMS-equipped switch. Until the end of 1993, CMS would be available to first-time CMS customers on a one-month free trial basis. The monthly rates proposed for an initial feature are $3.50 for residence customers and $5.50 for business customers. Each additional feature would be priced at $2.50 per month for residence and $4.50 per month for business customers.
CMS requires a special telephone set or clip-on display unit in order to display the calling party's telephone number. B.C. Tel proposes to make a display unit available at monthly rates of $3.95 for residence subscribers and $4.50 for business subscribers.
In Bell Canada - Introduction of Call Management Service, Telecom Decision CRTC 90-10, 9 May 1990 (Decision 90-10), the Commission approved the introduction of CMS in the operating territory of Bell Canada (Bell), subject to certain safeguards designed to take into account the impact of CMS on the privacy of persons placing calls and of persons receiving calls. B.C. Tel stated that it would comply with the four directions issued to Bell in Decision 90-10 with respect to those safeguards. In Decision 90-10, Bell was directed:
(1) to file revised proposed tariffs for CMS, along with supporting rationale, providing for the
blocking of calling number display by means of a local operator-assisted dialing service
available to all subscribers in areas where CMS is offered;
(2) to meet with representatives of shelters for victims of domestic violence to develop a
procedure for certifying such shelters and, having developed a proposed procedure, to file a
tariff proposal for the waiving of local operator-assisted dialing charges for calls placed from
certified shelters;
(3) to issue to subscribers, at the time CMS is introduced in their area, a billing insert explaining
how CMS and local operator-assisted dialing function, and to describe the availability and
purpose of local operator-assisted dialing in its promotional campaigns for CMS; and
(4) to notify representatives of organizations that operate distress lines, etc., at the time CMS is
introduced in their area, of the implications of CMS.
In connection with its efforts to meet these directions, B.C. Tel proposes to introduce Local Operator-Assisted Dialing Service (LOADS). This service would be available in all areas where CMS is offered, and would provide customers with the option of using a local operator to block the display of their telephone numbers for a proposed fee of $1.00 per call.
The Commission notes that on 6 June 1990, the Association coopérative d'économie familiale du Centre de Montréal, the Fédération nationale des associations de consommateurs du Québec, and the Ligue des droits et libertés (ACEF) filed an application pursuant to section 66 of the National Telecommunications Powers and Procedures Act requesting that the Commission review and vary Decision 90-10. On 9 July 1990, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, on behalf of the Consumers Fight Back Association (CFBA), also applied to the Commission for a review and variance of Decision 90-10. In their applications, ACEF and CFBA argued, among other things, that the Commission had made several errors of law in approving Bell's introduction of CMS. Specifically, they raised concerns with respect to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Quebec Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Part VI of the Criminal Code, the Privacy Act, and Bell's Terms of Service.
In Introduction by Bell Canada of Call Management Service - Applications to Review and Vary, Telecom Decision CRTC 91-4, 7 March 1991, the Commission concluded that it had not made the errors of law cited by ACEF and CFBA. Accordingly, the Commission denied these applications to review and vary Decision 90-10.
In support of its applications to introduce CMS, B.C. Tel has submitted economic information for which it has claimed confidentiality. It has provided an abridged version of this information for the public record.
By letter dated 15 January 1991, the Commission addressed questions to B.C. Tel in connection with the economic information filed in support of the company's applications. B.C. Tel responded to the Commission's questions by letter dated 1 February 1991.
In Telecom Order CRTC 91-364, 11 March 1991, the Commission granted interim approval to B.C. Tel's proposed tariff revisions, effective 26 March 1991. However, prior to a final disposition of the proposed tariff revisions, the Commission invites public comment on the appropriate rates, terms and conditions for CMS, the CMS display unit and LOADS.
1. The applications and related documents may be examined at any of the company's business
offices or at the offices of the CRTC, Room 201, Central Building, Les Terrasses de la
Chaudière, 1 Promenade du Portage, Hull, Quebec, or at 800 Burrard Street, Suite 1380,
Vancouver, British Columbia. A copy of the applications, the Commission's letter of 15
January and B.C. Tel's response of 1 February may be obtained by any interested person
upon request directed to the company at the address shown below.
2. Persons wishing to participate in this proceeding (interveners) may address interrogatories to
B.C. Tel. Any such interrogatories must be filed with the Commission and served on B.C. Tel
by 8 April 1991.
3. Interveners who do not wish to address interrogatories to B.C. Tel, but who wish to receive
copies to interrogatory responses, should notify B.C. Tel in writing, filing a copy with the
Commission, by 29 April 1991.
4. B.C. Tel's responses to interrogatories must be filed with the Commission by 6 May 1991. By
the same date, B.C. Tel is to serve copies of its responses on all interveners who either
addressed interrogatories or filed a notice pursuant to paragraph 3.
5. Interveners may file comments with the Commission, serving a copy on B.C. Tel, by 3 June
1991.
6. B.C. Tel may file a reply to any comments, serving copies on all interveners, by 17 June 1991.
7. Where a document is to be filed or served by a specific date, the document must be actually
received, not merely mailed, by that date.
8. The addresses to be used in connection with this proceeding are:
Mr. Allan J. Darling
Secretary General
CRTC
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0N2
and
Ms. Dorothy E. Byrne
Vice-President - Legal & Regulatory Matters
British Columbia Telephone Company
3777 Kingsway
Burnaby, B.C.
V5H 3Z7
Allan J. Darling
Secretary General

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