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Telecom Public Notice CRTC 98-16
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Ottawa, 14 July 1998 |
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TÉLÉPHONE GUÈVREMONT INC. - CARRIER ACCESS
TARIFFS FOR THE YEARS 1995, 1996 AND 1997 |
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File No.: 8692-G1-01/98 |
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I BACKGROUND |
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1. In Regulatory Framework for the
Independent Telephone Companies in Quebec and Ontario (except Ontario
Northland Transportation Commission, Québec-Téléphone and Télébec ltée),
Telecom Decision CRTC 96-6, 7
August 1996 (Decision 96-6), the Commission directed Téléphone Guèvremont
Inc. (Guèvremont) to show cause within 30 days of the date of that Decision
as to why its 1995 and 1996 Carrier Access Tariffs (CATs) should not be
finalized at the levels proposed in the filings of the Société
d'administration des tarifs d'accès des télécommunicateurs (SATAT). |
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2. On 6 September 1996, Guèvremont filed its
response stating that those CATs should not apply to it. Its argument
essentially was based on the fact that a dispute with Bell Canada (Bell)
has been unresolved since 1985. The dispute concerns the determination of a
revenue settlement between Guèvremont and Bell, in which Bell refuses to
include in the rate base the asset write-up resulting from Le Téléphone
Guèvremont Inc.'s purchase of Le Téléphone Bon-Conseil Inc. |
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3. By letters dated 14 February 1997, the
Commission established interim CATs for 1995, 1996 and 1997 and postponed
finalizing the CATs until the conclusion of the proceeding, which is
initiated today, on the accounting treatment of the write-up for regulatory
purposes. |
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4. In Regulatory Treatment of the Asset
Write-Up resulting from the Purchase of Le Téléphone Bon-Conseil Inc. by Le
Téléphone Guèvremont Inc., Telecom Decision CRTC
98-3, 17 March 1998, the
Commission denied the request to include the write-up in the rate base. |
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5. The Commission hereby initiates a
proceeding to finalize the Guèvremont CATs for 1995, 1996 and 1997. |
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II CONTRIBUTION REQUIREMENTS |
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6. Having made a determination with respect to
the regulatory treatment of the write-up, the Commission again directs
Guèvremont to show cause as to why its 1995 and 1996 CATs should not be
finalized at the levels proposed in the SATAT filings. Guèvremont is to
file its evidence by 14 September 1998. |
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7. Notwithstanding Guèvremont's response
pursuant to the above paragraph, the Commission directs it to file, by the
same date, its Phase III results for 1997 and those derived from the
methodology it proposes for 1995 and 1996, and to explain any changes
resulting from significant changes to methodology and variances in
revenues, investment or expenses from the previous year's results. |
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8. By the same date, Guèvremont is to file the
proposed CAT for each of 1995, 1996 and 1997. The 1997 CAT is to be derived
from the contribution requirement and direct toll charges based on Phase
III results and the company's contribution-eligible minutes for 1997. It is
to reflect the local rate increases approved in Decision
96-6. The CATs for 1995 and
1996 are to be derived from the contribution requirement and direct toll
charges using the methodology proposed by Guèvremont and its
contribution-eligible minutes for those years. |
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9. Guèvremont is to provide its minutes for
contribution-eligible services as defined in Decision
96-6. |
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10. The Commission directs Bell, which
originates and terminates contribution-eligible traffic in the Guèvremont
territory, to file its contribution-eligible minutes for each of 1995, 1996
and 1997 as defined in Decision
96-6 by 14 September 1998. |
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11. On 14 July 1998, the Commission addressed
interrogatories to the parties to this proceeding. |
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III PROCEDURE |
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12. Guèvremont and Bell are made parties to
this proceeding. |
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13. Other persons wishing to participate in
this proceeding must notify the Commission of their intention to do so by
writing to Mrs. Laura M. Talbot-Allan, Secretary General, CRTC, Ottawa,
Ontario, K1A 0N2, Fax: 819-953-0795, by 29 July 1998. Parties are to
indicate their email address, if available. If parties do not have access
to the Internet, they are to indicate whether they wish to receive disk
versions of hard copy filings. The Commission will issue a list of parties
and their mailing addresses (including email addresses if available),
identifying those parties who wish to receive disk versions. |
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14. As indicated above, Guèvremont and Bell
are to file information, serving copies on all parties, by 14 September
1998. |
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15. Guèvremont is directed to file tariff
pages by 14 September 1998, setting out the proposed CAT for each of 1995,
1996 and 1997. Underlying calculations are to be provided by the same date. |
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16. Parties may file requests with the
Commission for public disclosure of information for which confidentiality
has been claimed, setting out the reasons for disclosure, by 21 July 1998,
serving the party asserting confidentiality. |
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17. Replies to requests for public disclosure
are to be filed with the Commission and served on the party making the
request by 27 July 1998. |
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18. The Commission will issue a determination
with respect to any requests filed pursuant to paragraph 16 as soon as
possible. The Commission intends to direct that any information to be
released pursuant to that determination be placed on the public record and
served on all parties by 17 August 1998. |
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19. Any party may address interrogatories to
any party who files information pursuant to paragraphs 14 or 15 above. Any
such interrogatories must be filed with the Commission and served on the
party or parties in question by 24 August 1998. |
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20. Responses to interrogatories addressed
pursuant to paragraph 19 are to be filed with the Commission and served on
all parties by 21 September 1998. |
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21. Requests by parties for further responses
to their interrogatories, specifying in each case why a further response is
both relevant and necessary, and requests for public disclosure of
information for which confidentiality has been claimed, setting out the
reasons for disclosure, must be filed with the Commission and served on the
party or parties in question by 28 September 1998. |
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22. Written responses to requests for further
responses to interrogatories and for public disclosure must be filed with
the Commission and served on the party making the request by 5 October
1998. |
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23. The Commission will issue a determination
with respect to requests for disclosure and for further responses as soon
as possible. It intends to direct that any information to be provided
pursuant to that determination be filed with the Commission and served on
all parties by 23 October 1998. |
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24. All parties may file comments with the
Commission on any matter raised in this proceeding, serving copies on all
other parties, by 2 November 1998. |
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25. Any party may file replies to any
comments, serving copies on all other parties, by 12 November 1998. |
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26. 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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27. The record of this proceeding may be
examined at the CRTC offices at the following addresses: |
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Central Building
Les Terrasses de la Chaudière
1 Promenade du Portage
Room 201
Hull, QuebecPlace Montreal Trust
1800 McGill College Avenue
Suite 1920
Montreal, Quebec |
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28. The application may also be examined
during normal business hours at any of the company's business offices. |
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29. In addition to hard copy filings, parties
are encouraged to file with the Commission electronic versions of their
submissions in accordance with the Commission's Interim Telecom
Guidelines for the Handling of Machine-Readable Files, dated
30 November 1995. The Commission's Internet email address for
electronically filed documents is
public.telecom@crtc.gc.ca. Electronically filed documents can be
accessed at the Commission's Internet site at
http://www.crtc.gc.ca. |
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This document is available in alternative
format upon request. |
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La secrétaire générale
Laura M. Talbot-Allan |