ARCHIVED - Telecom Decision CRTC 2003-32

Telecom Decision CRTC 2003-32

Ottawa, 26 May 2003

Part VII application by Canadian LNP Consortium Inc.

Reference: 8621-C39-200305450

The Commission approves an ex parte Part VII application by Canadian LNP Consortium Inc.

1.

On 15 April 2003, the Commission received an ex parte application filed pursuant to Part VII of the Telecommunications Rules of Procedure by the Canadian LNP Consortium Inc. ("the Consortium") seeking Commission approval of two changes to fees paid by the Canadian telecommunications industry with regard to Local Number Portability (LNP), namely:

a) a reduction in the per port charges; and

b) the elimination of the annual downloading charge.

Background

2.

In Telecom Order CRTC 97-1243, 5 September 1997 (Order 97-1243), the Commission addressed matters relating to, among other things, the funding of, the establishment of and the operation of the Number Portability Administration Centre/Service Management System (NPAC/SMS) and concluded that the transaction charge to upload a ported telephone number into the NPAC/SMS should be set at $5.

3.

The Commission also directed the CRTC Interconnection Steering Committee (CISC) LNP working group to examine whether or not there should be a transaction charge for the downloading of information from the NPAC/SMS, and if so, what the charge ought to be.

4.

In a letter dated 25 April 1998, the CISC LNP working group recommended that, among other things, the transaction charge for the downloading of information from the NPAC/SMS should be a flat fee of $25,000 per calendar year, payable by all users of the NPAC/SMS system.

5.

The Commission approved the recommendation of the CISC LNP working group in a Letter Decision dated 24 July 1998.

The Application

6.

In its application, the Consortium requested that the Commission approve a reduction to the per port charges established in Order 97-1243, as well as eliminate the annual downloading fees established in the Commission's letter of 24 July 1998. The Consortium also requested that it not be required to seek Commission approval of certain other changes that might occur as a result of its negotiations for an NPAC/SMS services contract.

7.

The Consortium noted that these proposed changes resulted from recent negotiations by the Consortium for certain LNP related services and were unanimously approved by the shareholders of the Consortium on 28 March 2003.

8.

The Consortium requested that its application be kept confidential and that the details relating to its negotiations remain confidential following the Commission's decision.

Commission analysis and determinations

9.

The Commission notes that all of the parties who will be affected by the proposed changes are shareholders of the Consortium. All of these parties have been consulted and have unanimously agreed to the new fee structure. In light of this, the Commission is of the view that no further public process is warranted at this time.

10.

The Commission has also considered the Consortium's request for confidentiality with respect to the details of its application. In the Commission's view, in this case, the potential harm which could result from disclosure is greater than any public benefit of full disclosure. The Commission therefore approves the Consortium's request that the details of its application be kept confidential. However, the Commission directs the Consortium to file an abridged version of its application on the public record, within 5 working days of this decision.

11.

The Commission approves the changes to the LNP related fees proposed by the Consortium in its application. With regard to the need to seeking approval for certain other changes that may occur, the Commission approves the Consortium's request, however directs the Consortium to inform the Commission, within 60 days, of any such changes.

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