ARCHIVED - Public Notice CRTC 2001-126

Public Notice CRTC 2001-126

Ottawa, 19 December 2001

Trunking arrangements for the interchange of traffic and the point of interconnection between local exchange carriers

Reference: 8643-C25-01/99, 8643-C12-07/01 and Bell Canada Tariff Notice 6597

1.

On 7 and 8 June 2000, Commission staff convened a workshop to solicit industry views regarding interconnection issues that needed to be addressed in order to facilitate competition. Subsequent to the meeting, participants submitted written comments regarding the issues, which in their view, needed to be addressed.

2.

The Commission staff's report on the workshop proceeding was issued on 7 December 2000. The report outlined the main issues to be addressed by the newly formed CRTC Interconnection Steering Committe Network of Networks Ad Hoc Working Group (NNAWG). The issues are:

a) trunk interconnection for local exchange carriers (LECs);

b) point of interconnection (POI) for LECs; and

c) POI for common channel signalling 7 (CCS7).

3.

The existing rules regarding trunking arrangements and POI are defined in Telecom Decision CRTC 97-8, Local competition, dated 1 May 1997, supplemented by determinations in Telecom Order CRTC 98-486, Transiting and points of interconnection, dated 19 May 1998. Since issuance of these decisions, the Commission has mandated changes in the contribution mechanism and in the rate for direct connection for interexchange carriers.

4.

Many of the NNAWG participants expressed the view that it would be advantageous to deliver on the bill-and-keep trunk group all the traffic to be terminated in the geographic area served from a POI. However, the group was unable to come to a consensus on appropriate changes to the existing rules for the trunking arrangements for the exchange of various types of traffic between LECs.

5.

In addition, there was no agreement regarding changes to the rules for the provision of POIs. However, incumbent carriers offered to propose a tariff for a multi-gateway POI service that would allow competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) to interconnect with a number of incumbent exchanges through one POI. The work of the NNAWG was summarized in a report issued on 30 April 2001.

6.

On 29 June 2001, Bell Canada filed an application under Tariff Notice 6597, proposing to introduce the multi-gateway POI service for CLECs that it had presented to the NNAWG. Microcell Telecommunications Inc. and Norigen Communications Inc. both submitted that insufficient data had been provided in the filing to allow them to comment. Both parties requested that a process be set out with Bell Canada directed to file a formal cost study, followed by an opportunity for parties to submit interrogatories.

7.

The Commission is of the view that the rules for trunking and POIs should be reviewed to see if more efficient and effective arrangements can be found to:

a) provide for more equitable distribution of the costs;

b) lower overall costs for interconnection; and

c) further the co-carrier relationship between CLECs and incumbent local exchange carriers espoused in Decision 97-8.

8.

Therefore, the Commission is initiating thisprocess in order to solicit suggestions and discussion regarding possible changes to the existing rules.

9.

The record associated with Bell Canada Tariff Notice 6597 is made part of this proceeding. The Commission expects to dispose of Tariff Notice 6597 in this proceeding.

10.

Participants are requested to address the following issues in their submissions:

a) Current interconnection rules require separate trunk groups be used for a variety of types of traffic:

i) provide your views regarding the desirability and feasibility of combining on one trunk group all the types of originating and terminating traffic that are exchanged by LECs in the area served by a POI.

ii) provide your views regarding alternative trunking arrangements that would permit reducing the number of trunk groups required.

b) In lieu of requiring one POI per exchange, it may be desirable to establish rules that would require fewer POIs. Provide alternatives (including supporting rationale) that could be considered.

c) For each POI alternative proposed, participants should address the question of:

i) whether all traffic should be exchanged on a bill-and-keep basis or should some other compensation scheme be used; and

ii) transition mechanisms to any new POI arrangement for companies that have already established POIs.

d) Participants are also invited to comment on any other issue pertaining to interconnection that, in their view, could improve on the current interconnection regime.

Procedure

11.

All LECs are made parties to this proceeding.

12.

Other persons wishing to participate fully in this proceeding must notify the Commission of their intention to do so by 10 January 2002. They should contact the Secretary General by mail at CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0N2, by fax at (819) 953-0795 or by email at procedure@crtc.gc.ca. They 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 addresses (including email addresses, if available), identifying those parties who wish to receive disk versions.

13.

Parties may file their submissions with the Commission, serving a copy on all other parties, by 21 January 2002.

14.

Any participant who wishes merely to file written comments, without receiving copies of the various submissions, may do so by writing to the Commission at the address noted in paragraph 12, by 21 January 2002.

15.

Parties may address interrogatories to parties that made submissions filing a copy with the Commission, by 4 February 2002.

16.

Responses to those interrogatories are to be filed with the Commission and served on all parties, by 14 February 2002.

17.

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 in each case the reasons for disclosure, must be filed with the Commission and served on the relevant parties, by 18 February 2002.

18.

The parties to whom requests are made pursuant to paragraph 17 above may file written responses to requests for further responses to interrogatories and requests for public disclosure, serving copies on all parties requesting further responses to interrogatories and public disclosure, by 22 February 2002.

19.

The requests for further information and for public disclosure will be disposed of as soon as possible. Any information to be provided must be filed with the Commission and served on all parties, by 7 March 2002.

20.

Parties may file comments on the submissions, serving a copy on all other parties, by 18 March 2002.

21.

Parties may file reply comments with the Commission, serving a copy on all other participants, by 27 March 2002.

22.

Submissions longer than five pages should include a summary. Parties wishing to file electronic versions of their comments can do so by email at the address shown above, or on diskette.

23.

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.

24.

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.

25.

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 to verify that the document has not been damaged during transmission.

26.

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.

27.

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

28.

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