ARCHIVED -  Telecom Public Notice CRTC 99-20

Telecom Public Notice

Ottawa, 1 September 1999

Telecom Public Notice CRTC 99-20

Abitibi-Consolidated and Cochrane Public Utilities Commission - 2000 Carrier Access Tariff

File No.: 8695-C12-09/99

Introduction

1.In Regulatory Framework for Abitibi-Consolidated and Cochrane Public Utilities Commission, Telecom Decision CRTC 98-13, 1 September 1998 (Decision 98-13), the Commission established the regulatory framework for Abitibi-Consolidated and the Cochrane Public Utilities Commission (Cochrane).

2.In Decision 98-13, the Commission stated that, in the absence of Phase III forecasts from Abitibi-Consolidated and Cochrane, Northern Telephone Limited's (Northern) Carrier Access Tariff (CAT) for the previous year was an appropriate benchmark to use as a proxy interim CAT for both companies. The Commission set an interim 1998 CAT for Abitibi-Consolidated and Cochrane based on Northern's final 1997 CAT.

3.Since Decision 98-13, the Commission has finalized Abitibi-Consolidated's 1998 CAT, Cochrane's 1998 and 1999 CATs and is in the process of finalizing Abitibi-Consolidated's 1999 CAT.

4.In Review of Contribution Regime of Independent Telephone Companies in Ontario and Quebec, Telecom Decision CRTC 99-5, 21 April 1999 (Decision 99-5), the Commission stated its intention to initiate a public process to consider the appropriateness of (i) setting the contribution rate for Abitibi-Consolidated and Cochrane at $0.02 per minute, effective 1 January 2000, (ii) using Northern's direct toll rate as a proxy direct toll rate for Abitibi-Consolidated and Cochrane, and (iii) allowing the companies to apply for any local rate increases which would be required by each company.

5.In view of the foregoing, the Commission hereby initiates a proceeding to consider the year 2000 CATs for Abitibi-Consolidated and Cochrane. The scope of the proceeding is set out in paragraph 6 of this Public Notice.

Scope of the Proceeding

6.In the absence of Phase III results, which would establish a cost-based CAT, and, in light of the above, the Commission invites submissions and comments on the following issues:

a) the appropriateness of setting the contribution rate for Abitibi-Consolidated and Cochrane at a maximum of $0.02 per minute, effective 1 January 2000 and beyond, with any local rate increases beyond those identified in part e) below, going to reduce the contribution rate below $0.02;

b) in the event that either company does not consider a $0.02 per minute contribution rate maximum to be appropriate, the company is to file its proposed alternative(s) for setting future contribution rates with supporting justification;

c) the appropriateness of using $0.0177 per minute, Northern's final 1998 direct toll rate, as a proxy for each company's direct toll rate, effective 1 January 2000 and beyond;

d) in the event that either company does not consider $0.0177 per minute to be an appropriate direct toll rate, the company is to file its proposed alternative(s) for setting future direct toll rates with supporting justification;

e) whether or not either company intends to apply for a local rate increase(s) to make up for the forgone contribution revenues associated with the contribution rate decreasing to $0.02, the proposed effective date(s) and how the amount of local rate increase(s) would be determined;

f) how, if appropriate, the above contribution and direct toll rates should be adjusted on the assumption that O.N. Tel were to do its own toll billing;

g) the appropriateness of making the company's previous year's CAT the interim CAT for the calendar year in question until the Commission approves, on a final basis, the company-specific CAT for that calendar year; and

h) any other related matters.

Procedure

7.Abitibi-Consolidated, Cochrane and O.N. Tel are made parties to this proceeding.

8.Other parties wishing to participate in this proceeding must notify the Commission of their intention to do so by writing to Secretary General, CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0N2, Fax: 819-953-0795, by 15 October 1999. Parties are to indicate in the notice their Internet email address, where available. If parties do not have access to the Internet, they are to indicate in their notice whether they wish to receive disk versions of hard copy filings. The Commission will issue a complete list of parties and their mailing addresses (including Internet email addresses if available), identifying those parties who wish to receive disk versions.

9.Abitibi-Consolidated and Cochrane are directed to file their evidence in this proceeding, serving copies on all parties, by 15 November 1999.

10.Other parties may file comments with the Commission on any matter raised in this proceeding, serving copies on all other parties, by 29 November 1999.

11.Abitibi-Consolidated and Cochrane may file reply comments, serving copies on all parties, by 6 December 1999.

12.The record of this proceeding may be examined, or will be made available promptly upon request, at the CRTC offices at the following addresses:

Central Building
Les Terrasses de la Chaudière
1 Promenade du Portage
Room G-5
Hull, Quebec

55 St. Clair Avenue East
Suite 624
Toronto, Ontario

275 Portage Avenue
Suite 1810
Winnipeg, Manitoba

13.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.

14.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 procedure.telecom@crtc.gc.ca. Electronically filed documents can be accessed at the Commission's Internet site at http://www.crtc.gc.ca.

Secretary General

This notice is available in alternative format upon request, and may also be viewed at the following Internet site: http://www.crtc.gc.ca.