Telecom Public Notice CRTC 99-26
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Ottawa, 21 December 1999
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Depreciation methodology for the independent telephone companies (except Québec-Téléphone and Télébec ltée)
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File No.: 8630-C12-01/99
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1. The Commission has indicated in a number of depreciation orders that it intended to initiate a public process to develop a more simplified depreciation methodology to be used by the independent telephone companies.
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2. By letter dated 13 September 1999, the Commission stated that it would begin the process to review and assess the current depreciation practices of the independent telephone companies in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia, with the exception of Québec-Téléphone and Télébec ltée (Télébec) [the independents]. The intended goal of this process is to develop a more simplified and uniform approach to depreciation that the independents can easily implement while at the same time satisfying the objectives of the Commission's Phase I depreciation directives and the Telecommunications Act.
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3. As part of this first step, the Commission hired a consultant to hold discussions with a representative number of the independents and to prepare a report of his findings. The consultant's report: (a) identifies the limitations currently facing the independents in the preparation of depreciation filings and their ability to meet the Commission's Phase I depreciation directives; and (b) suggests alternatives that could be implemented in order to streamline the independents' approach to depreciation filings.
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4. The consultant's report is available at the offices of the CRTC listed at the end of this public notice, and on the CRTC's web site.
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5. In his report, the consultant outlines, among other things, three possible options on how to implement a more streamlined approach to the depreciation filings of the independents. Further, the consultant recommends adoption of the option which would modify and simplify the Phase I depreciation directives as they pertain to the independents.
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6. The Commission hereby sets out the remainder of the process to allow parties to address issues related to the appropriate depreciation methodology for the independents. The Commission intends to issue a determination on these matters in the second quarter of 2000.
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7. The Commission encourages, as much as possible, the different associations to file joint evidence on behalf of their respective members.
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Procedure
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8. The independents in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia are made parties to this proceeding. Québec-Téléphone is made a party to this proceeding as it interconnects with Le Téléphone de St-Éphrem Inc., La Compagnie de Téléphone de St-Victor and Sogetel inc. Bell Canada, BC TEL, AT&T Canada Corp. and Call-Net Enterprises Inc. are also made parties to this proceeding.
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9. Other interested parties wishing to participate in this proceeding must notify the Commission of their intent by writing to the Secretary General, CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0N2, Fax: (819) 953-0795, by 7 January 2000. Parties are to indicate in the notice their e-mail address, if available. If parties do not have access to e-mail, 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 e-mail addresses, if available), identifying those parties who wish to receive disk versions.
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10. Parties to this proceeding may file comments on the consultant's report and on any matter raised in this proceeding with the Commission, serving copies on all other parties, by 18 January 2000. In particular, parties' comments should address the advantages, disadvantages and implications associated with the three possible options outlined in the consultant's report, as well as address any other potential options that could be implemented to further streamline the approach used by the independents in their depreciation filings.
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11. Parties may file reply comments, serving copies on all parties, by 1 February 2000.
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12. As already noted, the consultant's report is available to the public as of today's date on the CRTC web site. The opinions expressed in the report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Commission. The report may be examined, or will be made available promptly upon request, at the CRTC offices at the following addresses:
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Central Building
Les Terrasses de la Chaudière
1 Promenade du Portage, Room G-5
Hull, Quebec K1A 0N2
Tel: (819) 997-2429 - TDD: 994-0423
Telecopier: (819) 994-0218
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405 de Maisonneuve Blvd. East
2nd Floor, Suite B2300
Montréal, Quebec
H2L 4J5
Tel: (514) 283-6607 – TDD: 283-8316
Telecopier: (514) 283-3689
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Kensington Building
275 Portage Avenue
Suite 1810
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2B3
Tel: (204) 983-6306 - TDD: 983-8274
Telecopier: (204) 983-6317
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530-580 Hornby Street
Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 3B6
Tel: (604) 666-2111 - TDD: 666-0778
Telecopier: (604) 666-8322
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CRTC Documentation Centre
55 St. Clair Avenue East
Suite 624
Toronto, Ontario
M4T 1M2
Telephone: (416) 952-9096
Telecopier: (416) 954-6343
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13. Where a document is to be filed or served by a specific date, the document must be actually received, not merely sent, by that date.
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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 e-mail 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.
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Secretary General
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This notice is available in alternative format upon request, and may also be viewed at the following Internet site: http://www.crtc.gc.ca
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