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ARCHIVED - Telecom - Commission Letter - 8663-B2-200316101 - Bell Canada Part VII application re: Symmetric Regulatory Framework - Request for Amended Procedures

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Letter

Our File: 8663-B2-200316101

Ottawa, 1 December 2003

Ms. Theresa Griffin-Muir
Vice-President, Regulatory Affairs
Allstream Inc.
112 Kent Street, 14th floor
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 5P2

Mr. Robert F. Farmer
Vice-President, Regulatory Matters
Bell Canada
105 rue Hôtel-de-Ville
Gatineau, Québec
J8X 4H7

Re: Bell Canada Part VII application re: Symmetric Regulatory Framework - Request for Amended Procedures

Dear Sir/Madam:

The Commission has received a request from Allstream Inc. (Allstream), dated 20 November 2003, to amend the procedures associated with Bell Canada's application, dated 6 November 2003, to commence a public hearing into the appropriate regulatory framework to govern the offering of services by the next generation of communications companies. Allstream stated that it does not have the resources to respond to Bell Canada's application by 8 December 2003, because it is participating in numerous other on-going regulatory proceedings. Allstream also submitted that there is no evidence suggesting that technological or marketing trends have crossed some threshold that would justify Bell Canada's request for an immediate regulatory framework review. Allstream requested that the Commission extend the timelines associated with Bell Canada's application such that interested parties may file comments on 2 February 2004 and Bell Canada may file reply comments on 11 February 2004.

Call-Net Enterprises Inc. and Microcell Solutions Inc., in letters dated 25 November 2003 and 26 November 2003, respectively, supported Allstream's request. Saskatchewan Telecommunications, in a letter dated 10 November 2003, supported Bell Canada's request for an immediate review.

In a letter dated 25 November 2003, Bell Canada requested that the Commission deny Allstream's request to extend the timelines associated with Bell Canada's application. It stated that its application simply requested that the Commission immediately commence a public hearing to address issues regarding service bundles and the provision of voice over internet protocol. According to Bell Canada, whether or not a proceeding is necessary is fairly straightforward and a response regarding the issue should not require a lot of work.

Among other things, in light of the fact that Bell Canada's application was filed pursuant to the Broadcasting Act and the Telecommunications Act, the timelines associated with the application are extended as follows. Interested parties may by Friday, 9 January 2004, file with the Commission and serve on Bell Canada a single set of comments under either or both statutes in response to the application. Bell Canada may by Tuesday, 20 January 2004 file with the Commission and serve on all interested parties comments in reply thereto.

All documents must be received, and not merely sent, by the dates indicated.

Yours sincerely,

Original signed by

Shirley Soehn
Executive Director
Telecommunications

c.c. Mervin Grywacheski, CRTC, 819-997-4676
       Distribution List


Distribution List                                                                                                       Fax

M. Connors, Aliant Telecom Inc., Regulatory.Matters@Aliant.ca                           (709) 739-3122

R. Farmer, Bell Canada, bell.regulatory@bell.ca                                                  (819) 773-5629

R. Bruckshaw, MTS Communications Inc., reg.affairs@mts.mb.ca                        (204) 775-2560

B. Schurr, Saskatchewan Telecommunications, document.control@sasktel.com   (306) 565-6216

W. Grieve, TELUS Communications Inc., regulatory.affairs@telus.com                  (780) 493-6519

T. Griffin-Muir, Allstream Corp., iworkstation@allstream.com                                (613) 239-1879

J. Brazeau, Call-Net Communications Inc., jbrazeau@sprint-canada.com              (416) 718-6487

J. Thomson, Canadian Association of Internet Providers, jay@caip.ca                   (613) 236-9241

A. Townsend, Canadian Cable Systems Alliance Inc., atownsend@ccsa.cable.ca  (506) 849-1338

M. Hennessy, Canadian Cable Television Association, regulatory@ccta.com         (613) 232-2137

C. Jolivet, Cogeco Cable Canada Inc., cjolivet@cogeco.com                                 (514) 874-2625

N. MacDonald, Bragg Communications Inc. (EastLink),
       Natalie.macdonald@corp.eastlink.ca                                                           (902) 431-1180

J. Holmes, FCI Broadband, regulatory@corporate.fcibroadband.com                     (416) 976-4701

M. Janigan, Public Interest Advocacy Centre, piac@piac.ca                                 (613) 562-0007

N. Peacey, LondonConnect Inc., crtc-proceedings@gt.ca                                    (613) 482-3590

K. Engelhart, Rogers Communications Inc., ken.engelhart@rci.rogers.com           (416) 935-2523

D. Butler, Shaw Cablesystems GP, dale.butler@SJRB.CA                                  (403) 750-4796

E. Trépanier, Vidéotron ltée, etrepani@videotron.com                                          (514) 380-4664

Date Modified: 2003-12-01

Date modified: