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Telecom Public Notice
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Ottawa, 9 October 1992
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Telecom Public Notice CRTC 92-62
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BELL CANADA - TRANSFER OF INSIDE WIRE TO PREMISES OWNERS
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Reference: Tariff Notice 4494
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The Commission has received an application from Bell Canada (Bell), dated 4 September 1992, proposing tariff revisions providing for:
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(1) the transfer of ownership of existing single-line business and residence inside wire, which includes jacks, to premises owners;
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(2) premises owners, at their option, obtaining single-line inside wire from Bell or from other suppliers;
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(3) the installation and maintenance by Bell of single-line inside wire at rates that reflect associated costs; and
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(4) the introduction of Line Guard, an optional maintenance plan for single-line inside wire.
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Bell also proposes to transfer ownership of two-party and four-party inside wire to premises owners. Bell stated that a program underway to be completed by July 1993 would enable customers with two-party service to own their terminal equipment. The company thus proposed that, upon approval of this application, two-party customers be treated the same way as individual line service customers. Bell stated, however, that until such time as the option of customer ownership of terminal equipment becomes available for four-party service, it would continue to maintain the inside wire for this service at no charge.
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Under the proposed tariff revisions, which Bell proposed should come into effect nine months following approval of its application, the company would transfer in-place single-line inside wire beyond its demarcation point to customers free of charge. Coincident with the transfer date, the company proposes to amortize its investment in single-line inside wire over a five-year period. As well, the company proposes to expense all future costs of installing inside wire.
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Bell stated that its proposal recognizes the change in attitude toward inside wire ownership by single-line customers who are, in increasing numbers, installing or rearranging wire during home construction and renovation. Bell also stated alarm and security companies and telemetry service providers wish to be able to install inside wire, and that these companies and service providers contend that the current requirement to rely on Bell increases their costs and decreases their efficiency.
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Bell submitted that its proposed approach is not new, since customer ownership and competitive supply and maintenance of inside-wire has been implemented in Alberta, Saskatchewan and most of the United States and has been proposed by British Columbia Telephone Company.
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Bell proposes to offer its Line Guard maintenance plan to any eligible customer, whether or not the inside wire is supplied to that customer by Bell. Customers with sub-standard inside wire wishing to subscribe to Line Guard would first be required to upgrade their wiring to an acceptable level. However, certain classes of customers would not be eligible for Line Guard, such as those in recreational vehicles, marine premises and hazardous locations.
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The proposed rates for Line Guard would consist of a administration charge of $18.75 for residence and $32.50 for business and a monthly rate of $1.50 per line. There would be a required minimum service period of one month. Customers requesting Line Guard would be eligible for a premium offering at an additional $1.00 per month under which the company would waive the Diagnostic Maintenance Charge. As well, Bell proposes to waive the administration charge for a period of three months after the introduction of the service.
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Bell submitted that approval of its proposal would reduce costs as well as produce new revenues.
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In support of its application, Bell has submitted economic information for which it has claimed confidentiality. An abridged version of this information has been provided for the public record.
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Procedure
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1. Bell's application 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 Suite 602, Complex Guy-Favreau, East Tower, 200 René-Lévesque Blvd. West, Montréal, Quebec. A copy of the application may be obtained by any interested person upon request directed to the company at the address shown below.
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2. The mailing addresses to be used in connection with this proceeding are:
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Mr. Allan J. Darling
Secretary General
CRTC
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0N2
Fax: 819-953-0795
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Mr. B.A. Courtois
Vice President
Law & Regulatory Affairs
Bell Canada
6th Floor
105 Hôtel-de-ville Street
Hull, Quebec
J8X 4H7
Fax: 819-778-3437
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3. Persons wishing to participate in this proceeding (interveners) must file a notice of intention to participate with the Commission by 9 November 1992. A copy of that notice is to be served on Bell by the same date.
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4. The Commission will address interrogatories to Bell by 9 November 1992. Interveners also may address interrogatories to the company. Any such interrogatories are to be filed with the Commission and served on Bell by 9 November 1992.
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5. Bell is to file responses to all interrogatories, serving copies on the interveners, by 30 November 1992.
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6. Interveners may file comments with the Commission, serving copy on Bell, by 21 December 1992.
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7. Bell may file a reply to any comments, serving copies on the interveners, by 31 December 1992.
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8. 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.
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Allan J. Darling
Secretary General
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