ARCHIVED - Order CRTC 2001-552

Order CRTC 2001-552

Ottawa, 9 July 2001

CRTC approves amalgamated Terms of Service for TELUS Communications Inc.

Reference: Tariff notice 2

Following the merger of several companies into the TCI Communications Inc. (TCI), which was effective at the beginning of this year, the Commission received a tariff notice from TCI to begin the process of integrating tariffs of the merged companies. The Commission considered the comments of a Toronto resident and TCI's response to those comments. With this order, the Commission approves TCI's tariff notice.

TELUS Communications Inc. (the former TCI), TELUS Communications (B.C.) Inc. (TCBC) along with TELUS Mobility Cellular Inc. (which includes BC Mobility but excludes the operating division known as TELUS Integrated Communications) amalgamated to form TELUS Communications Inc. (TCI) effective 1 January 2001.

On 9 March 2001, TCI submitted tariff notice 2 that proposed to introduce a number of tariff items to amalgamate the general Terms of Service of the merged companies.

TCI submitted that the former TCI Terms of Service tariffs were used as the basis of the proposed amalgamated tariffs since they received more recent Commission scrutiny and approval and are in "plain language". Changes to the former TCI Terms of Service tariffs were proposed where, according to TCI, there was a need to address marketing and operational requirements, or where wording clarifications were necessary.

The Commission received a letter of comment from Mr. Nigel David Allen, a resident of Toronto, Ontario. TCI filed comments in reply.

Among Mr. Allen's comments were suggestions concerning item 22.2 which specifies a time limit on the referral of calls after a customer cancels a service at one location in Alberta and begins receiving service at another location in Alberta.

Mr. Allen suggested that the limitation that the customer remains with TCI when he or she begins receiving service in another location in the same province is unnecessary. Mr. Allen also suggested there be a minimum period of six months for referral of residential numbers.

The Commission has carefully considered Mr. Allen's comments as well as TCI's reply comments.

The Commission finds the Terms of Service submitted by TCI to be consistent with those previously approved for the former TCI. The Commission also notes that TN 2 does not significantly change the currently approved Terms of Service of TCBC.

The Commission finds that the provision of one month for the referral of residential numbers when the customer begins receiving service in another location in the same province remains appropriate.

In the Commission's view, the provision of one month of call referrals recognizes both the needs of the customer and the limitations on the supply of telephone numbers.

With respect to providing call-referral service when the customer moves outside Alberta or British Columbia, the Commission does not consider it appropriate for TCI to keep a telephone number open, free of charge, when a customer moves outside TCI's operating territory. The Commission notes that, under such circumstances, referral service is available at approved tariff rates.

Accordingly, the Commission approves the tariff revisions submitted by TCI under TN 2.

Secretary General

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