ARCHIVED - Telecom - Commission Letter - 8638-C12-46/01 - Letter addressed toVarious Government Departments relating to the BMT promotion campaign
This page has been archived on the Web
Information identified as archived on the Web is for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. Archived Decisions, Notices and Orders (DNOs) remain in effect except to the extent they are amended or reversed by the Commission, a court, or the government. The text of archived information has not been altered or updated after the date of archiving. Changes to DNOs are published as “dashes” to the original DNO number. Web pages that are archived on the Web are not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards. As per the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, you can request alternate formats by contacting us.
LetterOttawa, 4 October 2002 Our file: 8638-C12-46/01 Dear Sir / Madam, The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has established the Bill Management Tools and Access to Telephone Service Committee (the Committee) to address a number of consumer issues relating to telephone service. It is composed of CRTC staff, delegates from telephone companies and consumer associations. A primary objective of the Committee is to explore ways to transmit information about measures designed to help obtain and maintain local telephone service for low-income Canadians. In particular, the CRTC wants to inform low-income Canadians about Bill Management Tools (BMTs). A description of what BMTs are is attached in an appendix to this letter. We write to you today to explore how your department and the CRTC might work together to inform low-income Canadians about BMTs, perhaps through direct mail-outs, dissemination of information through front-line workers, or through some other means you might be able to suggest. It would be appreciated if you would inform us of any relevant policies your department or organization has with respect to inserts and/or inclusion of information in mail-outs. We would also welcome your comments on the communication methods proposed above, and any other relevant considerations. While the Committee has not yet reached a final conclusion on the specific information to be included in the BMT mail-outs, our immediate objective is to obtain information and establish contacts in order to ensure that a distribution network will be in place at the appropriate time. We will use the information gathered to decide on the best means of publicising the information about BMTs. At the moment, we consider that the promotion could be done through an insert in a mail-out or an announcement or brief article in a brochure or publication produced by your department for wide circulation. It could also be adapted to suit another method of communication. Please note that all information sent will be under the CRTC's name, signature and logo. With the exception of Saskatchewan Telecommunications Inc., the information sent, whatever the format used, will not include the brand of the telephone companies. We appreciate your interest and any help you can provide. Please don't hesitate to contact Philippe Tousignant, Chair of the BMT Committee, at 819-997-1334 (or via e-mail at philippe.tousignant@crtc.gc.ca) for more information. Yours truly, Original signed
Brenda Jolicoeur Att: (list of recipients)
Appendix BMTs are meant to help consumers who have difficulty paying for local telephone service. They were implemented in 1996 to solve problems experienced by low-income households that had been identified in important public proceeding on affordability, conducted by the CRTC. At that time, the CRTC found that the major obstacles to obtaining telephone service for low-income Canadians were (1) the payment of up-front charges (i.e. connection charges) and (2) security deposits. The CRTC also concluded that the predominant reason for subscribers dropping off the telephone network was their inability to pay outstanding long distance bills. At the present time, telephone companies are required to offer two BMTs: (1) A toll-restrict option (allowing customers, without charge, to block outbound long distance calls and inbound collect calls), and (2) An instalment payment plan (that allows a customer to spread connection service charges over a period of up to six months). The challenge Since 1996, the CRTC and the telephone companies have put in place various measures to promote BMTs and to raise consumer awareness of their existence. A considerable challenge is directly reaching low-income households, especially those that do not have local telephone service, with a public interest message. The Committee is currently considering two methods for addressing this challenge: a) direct mail-outs of information to Canadian households that receive some form of income support; and b) transmission of information to front-line social service agency workers, who can pass it on to individuals in need. It is our belief that using these methods will increase the low-income population's awareness of BMTs, especially among households that do not have telephone service. List of recipients
Federal Gouvernment
Gerry Godsoe, Senior Policy Analyst
Robert Shotton, Senior Policy Analyst
Director
Manitoba
Ontario
Cliodhna McMullen
Debbie Moretta
Québec
Alberta
B.C.
Nova Scotia
Prince Edward Island
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador |
- Date modified: