ARCHIVED - Public Notice CRTC 2000-151

Public Notice CRTC 2000-151

Ottawa, 8 November 2000

Seeking public input on three-digit dialing for national agencies' information services

Reference: 8665-U7-01/00, 8665-C88-01/00 and 8665-C88-02/00

As part of its responsibilities for telephone number allocation, the CRTC invites public comment on:

a) formulating a policy for assigning the few remaining unused three-digit access codes: 211, 311, 811 and 511; and

b) two separate applications for a three-digit access code from a group spearheaded by the United Way and from the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB).

The United Way group proposes that the public should be able to use 211 to gain access to information and referral services relevant to community, government, health and social agencies.

The CNIB proposes to use a three-digit access code to provide access to its information services for certain blind and print-handicapped persons. The agency also suggests that all telephone users should pay a small monthly fee to maintain this service.

United Way group requests 211 dialing

United Way, InformCanada, United Way of Greater Toronto and Community Information Toronto (United Way et al. or the agencies) requested that an N11 code be assigned for non-commercial use across Canada for access to information and referrals for community, social, health and government services.

United Way et al. proposed that:

· the number assigned be 211;

· the right to use the number be given to organizations that meet certain criteria identified in the application; and

· the number be assigned only for information and referral services.

United Way et al. proposed that 211 for information and referral services be established incrementally across Canada based on community readiness of organizations providing those services to the general public.

United Way et al. submitted that a simple access number would avoid the confusion, frustration and delay associated with the public's search for the right agency, and provide for more effective use of services delivered by such agencies and governments.

United Way et al. stated that the service delivery functions would include a blend of information, referral and advocacy to link people to the appropriate service.

The agencies proposed that all local and long distance telecommunications service providers be required to route 211 calls to a seven- or 10-digit number, (which, in some cases, may be the existing number of the community information and referral service) and that 211 calling be enabled on payphones.

United Way et al. also proposed:

a) for wireline callers dialing 211 as a local call, there would be no separate charge. Callers using a wireless network would be charged their normal contract rate for air time;

b) for public phones the usual fee, currently 25 cents in most locations, would be levied to callers;

c) for callers served by a regional or provincial information and referral service resulting in long distance charges, the charges would be negotiated between the telecommunications carrier and the agency providing the service;

d) each telecommunications carrier would bear the re-programming switching costs to re-route the 211 number to a seven- or 10-digit number;

e) no additional charge would be levied to the call centre receiving the 211 call; and

f) for activities related to developing and maintaining the database and infrastructure, hiring and training 211 specialists, public awareness and marketing campaigns, the community information and referral provider and community partners would assume responsibility through joint funding plans.

United Way et al. propose that a CRTC Interconnection Steering Committee (CISC) sub-committee be formed to address technical issues regarding 211 access.

Canadian National Institute for the Blind requests three-digit code

The CNIB submitted two separate applications. In its application for N11 dialing, it requested:

· the allocation of a three-digit N11 dialing code for access to the CNIB's Information Centre for the Blind (ICB); and

· that the code be activated by all local exchange carriers (LECs) and wireless service providers with routing to a toll-free number specified by the CNIB.

CNIB's proposal for N11 dialing

The CNIB stated that the ICB consists of a nationally integrated network of parallel library and information services available in French and English to blind and print-handicapped Canadians.

The CNIB stated that the telephone access component of ICB - VISUNEWS - is currently a development pilot project which provides access to online newspapers and magazines, reference and
information services, and reader advisory services. ICB also serves to provide Internet information services to the visually impaired.

VISUNEWS is a menu-driven, interactive, voice response system that allows users to make choices by voice command or telephone keypad. The CNIB states that users are able to establish a personal profile to tailor the session to the individual. Sessions are limited to 35 minutes, and users can access the system in more than one session subject to a port being available.

The CNIB stated that registration is required to use the system and access requires a valid identification code and password.

The CNIB contends an abbreviated dialing code is essential to the success of telephone access to ICB. It said visually impaired individuals, especially those over the age of 70, are required to memorize numerous telephone numbers because they can't use conventional tools to look up these numbers with ease.

CNIB's proposal for cost recovery

In its application for cost recovery, the CNIB requested that the costs of the systems and telecommunications resources required for access to ICB be covered through a monthly telephone subscriber per-line charge, similar to charges which now support Message Relay Service (MRS) for the deaf.

The CNIB submitted that costs include the VISUNEWS platform in Toronto, the 1-800 long distance national access to it, and the cost of facilities to connect it to the public switched telephone network. The CNIB estimated that these costs amount to approximately $0.018 per local telephone line per month.

The CNIB requested that the Commission order all LECs to remit the equivalent of $0.02 per active telephone number to the CNIB on a monthly basis to recover the costs of ICB.

The CNIB proposed that LECs would then recover the cost through a subscriber line surcharge similar to the MRS surcharge. The agency suggested that the MRS and ICB surcharges could be blended into one surcharge.

Call for comments on proposals by United Way et al. and the CNIB

Comments on United Way et al.'s and the CNIB's applications have been received. These will form part of the record of this proceeding.

Three-digit dialing is currently in use for the provision of specific types of services available to the general public, such as MRS (711), emergency (911), directory assistance (411) and repair services (611).

The Commission notes that the supply of available three-digit dialing numbers is very limited and that criteria concerning their potential use have not been developed.

Among other things, the Commission seeks comments on:

a) whether criteria for the use of N11/211 numbers should be established and, if so, what those criteria should be, including appropriate criteria to help determine which type of organization, if any, may be assigned an N11 number;

b) the appropriateness of establishing a 211 dialing code for access to community, social, health and government information and referral services;

c) the appropriateness of establishing a separate N11 dialing code for access to CNIB's ICB;

d) the technical issues in the allocation of 211 dialing code for access to information and referral organizations and N11 for access to ICB;

e) costing and recovery of cost issues with respect to implementing: i) 211 for access to information and referral organizations; and ii) N11 for access to CNIB's Information Centre for the Blind; and

f) the appropriateness of United Way et al. and CNIB sharing a common three-digit access, including technical feasibility, operational and administrative factors.

While recognizing that the CNIB has proposed blending the MRS and ICB surcharges into one service surcharge, it is not the Commission's intention to conduct a review of the existing MRS service charge.

Procedure

All incumbent telephone companies and competitive local exchange carriers are made parties to this proceeding. Other parties wishing to participate in this proceeding must notify the Commission of their intention to do so by writing to the Secretary General, CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0N2, fax: (819) 953-0795, by 29 November 2000. Parties are to indicate in the notice their 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 address (including email address, if available), identifying those parties who wish to receive disk versions. The Commission email address is procedure@crtc.gc.ca. 

Parties may file their submissions with the Commission, on paper or electronically, serving a copy on all other parties, by 5 January 2001. Submissions longer than five pages should include a summary. Parties wishing to file electronic versions of their comments can do so by email or on diskette.

Any person who wishes merely to file written comments in this proceeding, without receiving copies of the various submissions, may do so by writing to the Commission at the address noted in paragraph 24 by 5 January 2001.

Parties may file reply comments with the Commission, serving a copy on all other parties, by 12 February 2001.

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.

The electronic version should be in the HTML format. As an alternative, those making submissions may use "Microsoft Word" for text and "Microsoft Excel" for spreadsheets.

Please number each paragraph of your submission. In addition, please enter the line ***End of document*** following the last paragraph. This will help the Commission verify that the document has not been damaged during transmission.

The Commission will make submissions filed in electronic form available on its web site at www.crtc.gc.ca in the official language and format in which they are submitted. This will make it easier for members of the public to consult the documents.

The Commission also encourages interested parties to monitor the record of this proceeding (and/or the Commission's web site) for additional information that they may find useful when preparing their submissions.

Location of CRTC offices

Submissions may be examined or will be made available promptly upon request at the Commission offices during normal business hours:

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
Fax: (819) 994-0218

Bank of Commerce Building
1809 Barrington Street
Suite 1007
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 3K8
Tel: (902) 426-7997 - TDD: 426-6997
Fax: (902) 426-2721

405 de Maisonneuve Blvd. East
2^nd Floor, Suite B2300
Montréal, Quebec H2L 4J5
Tel: (514) 283-6607 - TDD: 283-8316
Fax: (514) 283-3689

55 St. Clair Avenue East
Suite 624
Toronto, Ontario M4T 1M2
Tel: (416) 952-9096
Fax: (416) 954-6343

Kensington Building
275 Portage Avenue
Suite 1810
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2B3
Tel: (204) 983-6306 - TDD: 983-8274
Fax: (204) 983-6317

Cornwall Professional Building
2125 - 11^th Avenue
Room 103
Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 3X3
Tel: (306) 780-3422
Fax: (306) 780-3319

Suite 520 - 10405 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3N4
Tel: (780) 495-3224
Fax: (780) 495-3214

530-580 Hornby Street
Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 3B6
Tel: (604) 666-2111 - TDD: 666-0778
Fax: (604) 666-8322

Secretary General

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