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Ottawa, 10 February 1994
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Telecom Public Notice CRTC 94-7
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BRAVO TECHNOLOGIES SWITZERLAND - PROVISION OF ALTERNATIVE PAY TELEPHONE SERVICE
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I BACKGROUND
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The Commission has received an application from Bravo Technologies Switzerland (Bravo), dated 28 October 1993, for approval to conduct a field trial of pre-paid cardphones at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, British Columbia. In addition, the application requests approval for the subsequent placement of pre-paid cardphones at other locations in British Columbia.
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The Commission has addressed the provision of Pay Telephone Service in past decisions, including: Resale to Provide Primary Exchange Voice Services, Telecom Decision CRTC 87-1, 12 February 1987 (Decision 87-1); Alternate Operator Services, Telecom Letter Decision CRTC 91-7, 6 August 1991 (Letter Decision 91-7); and Competition in the Provision of Public Long Distance Voice Telephone Services and Related Resale and Sharing Issues, Telecom Decision CRTC 92-12, 12 June 1992 (Decision 92-12).In Decision 87-1, the Commission identified certain concerns related to resale for the purposes of the provision of Pay Telephone Service. Among other things, the Commission noted the potential for (1) revenue erosion, (2) a reduction in the level of service provided in unprofitable locations, and (3) increased regulatory involvement.
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In Letter Decision 91-7, the Commission declined to establish alternate operator services safeguards, noting that (1) competition in Pay Telephone Service was not permitted, (2) no agreements existed with the telephone companies with respect to billing and collection, and (3) resale and sharing was permitted only in the operating territories of Bell Canada (Bell) and BC Tel.
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In Decision 92-12, the Commission determined that, prior to the connection of pay telephones by Unitel Communications Inc. or any other interexchange carrier, Commission approval of operator services tariffs would be required.
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In light of the above, the Commission requests comment on:
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(1) the extent to which the general concerns identified in Decision 87-1 and Letter Decision 91-7 with respect to the competitive provision of Pay Telephone Service and operator services apply in the specific case of pre-paid cardphones; and
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(2) the merits of allowing the provision of Pay Telephone Service using pre-paid cards, as proposed in Bravo's application.
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II PROCEDURE
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1. AGT Limited, BC Tel, Bell, The Island Telephone Company Limited, Manitoba Telephone System, Maritime Telegraph and Telephone Company Limited, The New Brunswick Telephone Company Limited, Newfoundland Telephone Company Limited and Bravo are made parties to this proceeding. Bravo's application of 28 October 1993 is made part of the record of this proceeding.
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2. Bravo's application may be examined at the offices of the CRTC in the following locations:
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Central Building
Les Terrasses de la Chaudière
1 Promenade du Portage
Room 201
Hull, Quebec
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Bank of Commerce Building
1809 Barrington Street
Suite 1007
Halifax, Nova Scotia
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Place Montréal Trust
1800 McGill College Avenue
Suite 1920
Montréal, Quebec
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Standard Life Centre
121 King Street West
Suite 820
Toronto, Ontario
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275 Portage Avenue
Suite 1810
Winnipeg, Manitoba
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800 Burrard Street Suite 1380
Vancouver, British Columbia
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3. Other persons wishing to participate in this proceeding must notify the Commission of their intention to do so by writing to Mr. Allan J. Darling, Secretary General, CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0N2, fax: 819-953-0795, by 17 March 1994. The Commission will issue a complete list of parties and their mailing addresses.
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4. Parties may file comments with the Commission, serving copies on all other parties, by 31 March 1994.
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5. Parties may file reply comments with the Commission, serving copies on all other parties, by 14 April 1994
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6. 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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