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Telecom Order CRTC 2005-145
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Ottawa, 15 April 2005
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Prince Rupert City Telephones
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Reference: Tariff Notice 88
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Emergency Reporting and Alerting Services, 9-1-1 Public Emergency Reporting Service and Local Government Authority Call Answer Levy
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1.
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The Commission received an application by Prince Rupert City Telephones (CityTel), dated 3 March 2005, to revise its General Tariff under section 8 in order to:
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- move the terms and conditions in item 1, Centralized Emergency Report Service (9-1-1) to item 11;
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- introduce item 11, Emergency Reporting and Alerting Services, 9-1-1 Public Emergency Reporting Service; and
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- introduce item 12, Local Government Authority Call Answer Levy.
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2.
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In addition, CityTel requested approval of its 9-1-1 Public Service Reporting Agreement and Agreement to Provide the Collection of Call Answer Levy for 9-1-1 Service.
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3.
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CityTel proposed the following monthly rates for:
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9-1-1 Public emergency reporting service
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- each primary exchange service equipped for outward local calling
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$0.21
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- Centrex, each public service telephone network (PSTN) connection
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$0.21
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- wireless access services, each working telephone number equipped for outward local calling
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$0.105
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Local government authority call answer levy
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- rate per each PSTN access
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$0.07
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- rate per each wireless telephone number
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$0.07
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4.
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CityTel noted that its proposed rate for 9-1-1 Public emergency reporting service associated with primary exchange service and Centrex were $0.01 higher than the rates approved for Dryden Municipal Telephone System (Dryden MTS) in Telecom Order CRTC 2005-44, 3 February 2005 (Order 2005-44), and $0.03 lower than the rate approved for Thunder Bay Telephone (now known as TBayTel) in Telecom Order CRTC 2004-443, 23 December 2004 (Order 2004-443).
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5.
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In support of the proposed local government authority call answer levy, CityTel stated that the same rate was approved for TELUS Communications Inc. (TCI) in Telecom Order CRTC 2004-49, 18 February 2004.
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6.
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The Commission received no comments on this application.
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Commission's analysis and determinations
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7.
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In Regulatory framework for the small incumbent telephone companies, Decision CRTC 2001-756, 14 December 2001 (Decision 2001-756), the Commission assigned 9-1-1 service to the third basket. The Commission determined that rates for services in this basket were to be frozen at existing tariffed rates. The Commission further determined that for a small incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) whose 9-1-1 service was provided by a large ILEC, the Commission would give expedited treatment to tariff filings submitted by the small ILEC to reflect any rate change for this service approved by the Commission for the large ILEC.
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8.
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The Commission notes that the rates proposed by CityTel for its 9-1-1 public emergency reporting service are within the range of rates approved for Dryden MTS in Order 2005-44 and TBayTelin Order 2004-443 and, therefore, meet the requirements set out in Decision 2001-756. The Commission further notes that the proposed terms and conditions for the 9-1-1 service are similar to the terms and conditions approved for other telephone companies. The Commission, therefore, finds the company's proposed rate for 9-1-1 public emergency reporting service is appropriate.
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9.
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The Commission notes that proposed local government authority call answer levy is an optional service, which would permit the company to act as a billing agent for the local government authority in order to bill and collect monthly user fees. CityTel proposed to apply this charge to local subscribers per PSTN access and to wireless service providers (WSPs) per working wireless telephone number. The company submitted that these were the same rates that were contained in TCI's tariff for the same service.
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10.
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The Commission notes that, pursuant to Decision 2001-756, the proposed local government authority call answer levy would be assigned to the fourth basket of services. The Commission also notes that rates for services in the fourth basket are generally permitted to increase up to an already approved rate for the same service, but for rate increases that go beyond this, an economic study must be submitted with the application.
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11.
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The Commission notes that for TCI, the local government authority call answer levy charge applies to local subscribers per PSTN access. The Commission further notes that TCI does not apply this charge to WSPs for each working wireless telephone number equipped for outward calling, but rather applies this charge per PSTN access, which would include trunk lines used by WSPs to interconnect to the PSTN.
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12.
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The Commission considers that CityTel's proposal to collect $0.07 per working wireless telephone number equipped for outward calling from WSPs is not equivalent to TCI's service. Further, the Commission is of the view that the company's proposal is not appropriate, given that the WSP will be responsible for remitting the municipal levy for its end-customers. The Commission considers, therefore, that the company's proposal is contrary to the determinations in Decision 2001-756. Accordingly, the Commission finds that CityTel should only apply the $0.07 charge for the billing and collection of the local government authority call answer levy charge per month per PSTN access.
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13.
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In light of the above, the Commission approves:
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- CityTel's proposed tariff revisions with the following amendment: in item 12, the company is to delete sub-item a) "Rates", along with the associate terms and conditions; and
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- CityTel's proposed 9-1-1- Public Service Reporting Agreement and Agreement to Provide the Collection of Call Answer Levy for 9-1-1 Service.
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14.
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The revisions take effect as of the date of this Order. CityTel is to issue revised pages forthwith to reflect the changes.
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Secretary General
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This document is available in alternative format upon request, and may also be examined in PDF format or in HTML at the following Internet site: www.crtc.gc.ca
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Date Modified: 2005-04-15