ARCHIVED - Telecom Order CRTC 97-229
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Telecom Order |
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Ottawa, 20 February 1997
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Telecom Order CRTC 97-229
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IN THE MATTER OF an application filed by Québec-Téléphone under Tariff Notice 145 dated 13 December 1996, for approval of tariff revisions to: (1) allow the payment of service charges related to the provision of residence primary exchange service in monthly installments over a period of up to six months, (2) provide for the removal of all charges related to the provision of Toll Restriction service in the residence market, and (3) provide for the introduction of a $10 service charge to reactivate toll service.
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WHEREAS these modifications were filed pursuant to Local Service Pricing Options, Telecom Decision CRTC 96-10, issued 15 November 1996 (Decision 96-10);
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WHEREAS Québec-Téléphone proposed that interest charges be applied to the unpaid balance of the installment payment plan;
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WHEREAS the Commission notes that the proposed tariff does not state or include a reference to the interest rate to be paid;
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WHEREAS the Commission considers that the installment payment plan tariff should either identify the applicable charges or make a reference to the pertinent tariff provisions;
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WHEREAS Québec-Téléphone indicated that Toll Restriction service will not prevent any person at the customer's premise from accepting collect calls or third number calls;
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WHEREAS BC TEL, Maritime Tel & Tel Limited, The Island Telephone Company Limited and The New Brunswick Telephone Company, Limited proposed to introduce Call Guardian( service, providing customers choosing Toll Restriction with the option of also blocking collect calls and/or third number calls;
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WHEREAS the Commission is of the view that the customers of Toll Restriction service should be given the option of blocking collect calls and/or third number calls at no additional charge;
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WHEREAS Decision 96-10 directed the companies to show cause why the interest rate applicable to late payment charges should not be based on a formula such as that approved by the Commission for Bell Canada (Bell) and BC TEL;
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WHEREAS, by letter dated 16 December 1996, Québec-Téléphone stated that the elimination of the $1 surcharge for late payments would result in a significant decrease in its revenues;
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WHEREAS Québec-Téléphone submitted that most of the Stentor member companies were able to budget for the elimination of the surcharge in the second phase of the rate rebalancing initiated by Implementation of Regulatory Framework - Splitting of the Rate Base and Related Issues, Telecom Decision CRTC 95-21, 31 October 1995;
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WHEREAS Québec-Téléphone requested that the implementation of the formula be postponed to 1 January 1998 in order to allow the company the same benefit;
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WHEREAS the Commission notes that Decision 96-10 addressed only the question of interest-related charges associated with late payment provisions;
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WHEREAS the Commission is of the view that Québec-Téléphone should implement by 1 May 1997 the interest rate formula for late payment charges approved for Bell and BC TEL;
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WHEREAS the Commission notes that this will not affect the company's $1 surcharge; and
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WHEREAS the Commission notes that only the interest rate component of the late payment charge provisions is to apply when a customer prearranges with the company to spread the payment of service charges -
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IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:
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1. The proposed tariff revisions are approved subject to the following modifications to Item 2.14.07 b. being implemented:
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(a) the applicable rate of interest or a reference to the tariff where that rate is specified is to be included; and
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(b) if a reference is made to the tariff for late payment charges, it is to be specified that only the interest rate component of the provisions applies.
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2. Québec-Téléphone is to adopt by 1 May 1997 the interest rate formula for late payment charges approved by the Commission for Bell and BC TEL.
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3. Québec-Téléphone is to issue revised tariff pages reflecting the modifications in 1 and 2 above, within 30 days of the date of this Order.
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4. Québec-Téléphone is to:
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(a) provide customers with the option of blocking collect calls and third number calls at no additional charge when this becomes technically feasible;
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(b) file the appropriate tariff revisions when it is able to do (a) above; and
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(c) notify the Commission, within 30 days of the date of this Order, of when it expects to be able to satisfy (a) above.
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Allan J. Darling
Secretary General |
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- Date modified: