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ARCHIVED -  Telecom Order CRTC 98-1212

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Telecom Order

Ottawa, 2 December 1998
Telecom Order CRTC 98-1212
On 4 November 1998, Northern Telephone Limited (Northern) filed an application under Tariff Notice (TN) 88, amended by TN 88A dated 6 November 1998, for approval of tariff revisions to conduct an Internet High Speed Market Trial for residential and business customers of the Timmins and New Liskeard exchanges.
File No.: TN 88
1.The proposed market trial provides customers with a high speed connection to the Internet using Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) technology.
2.Northern's proposal, as amended by TN 88A, would make the Internet High Speed Market Trial available to both residential and business subscribers in the New Liskeard and Timmins exchanges.
3.Northern submitted that a market trial is necessary to gather information regarding price and demand relationships for high speed Internet in the North.
4.Northern noted that customers who participate in the trial will be advised that the trial concludes on 28 February 1999 and that the service will be withdrawn at that time.
5.Comments were received from O.N. Tel.
6.O.N. Tel was concerned that Northern had not yet made the necessary arrangements to ensure that competitors who wish to provide their own ADSL services have equitable access to the necessary underlying facilities.
7.O.N. Tel was concerned that, if Northern is allowed to offer ADSL service to end-users before the issue of equitable access by all competitors is resolved, competitors of Northern would be severely disadvantaged.
8.O.N. Tel claimed that Northern would obtain a foothold in the ADSL market and brand recognition that would be difficult for competitors to overcome later.
9.O.N. Tel previously raised issues of equitable access in its comments to Northern TN 87. In TN 87, Northern proposed to introduce ADSL Access Service on residential lines.
10.ADSL Access Service allows a service provider to access a Northern subscriber's line at the company's central office.
11.Northern argued that O.N. Tel's intervention was a reiteration of comments made in the context of TN 87. Northern argued that O.N. Tel's TNs 88 and 88A intervention was an effort to delay the trial of new technology that would ultimately benefit subscribers.
12.The Commission notes that TN 87 was approved by CRTC Telecom Order 98-1158, 20 November 1998. The Commission is of the view that the Order approving TN 87 addresses O.N. Tel's concerns regarding equitable access to residential lines.
13.The Commission is concerned with the issue of equitable access to business lines and is of the view that Northern should make ADSL Access Service available on business lines.
14.The Commission is, however, of the view that delaying the proposed market trial pending the resolution of access to business lines is not warranted.
15.In light of the foregoing, the Commission orders that:
a) The proposed tariff revisions filed under TNs 88 and 88A are approved effective the date of this Order.
b) Northern is directed to file for approval, within 30 days of this Order, an application making ADSL Access Service available on business lines.
Secretary General
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