|
|
Telecom Order CRTC 2007-462
|
|
|
Ottawa, 4 December 2007
|
|
|
TELUS Communications Company
|
|
|
Reference: Tariff Notice 270
|
|
|
Destandardization of 900 Service
|
|
|
Introduction
|
|
1.
|
The Commission received an application by TELUS Communications Company (TCC), dated 1 August 2007, proposing revisions to its General Tariff item 521 - 900 Service1 in order to destandardize this service. The company proposed2 to grandfather this service because of a lack of demand for new 900 services. TCC also cited its small customer base and declining associated revenues, and the growth of the Internet as the preferred avenue for customers who traditionally used the service as reasons for its proposal. As further support for its application, TCC submitted that, while existing and potential customers have migrated away from the company's 900 service, the costs and overhead needed to maintain the service have remained high.
|
|
2.
|
TCC requested approval of its proposed grandfathering effective 9 October 2007. As part of its application, TCC indicated that it was not proposing to withdraw 900 service at this time.
|
|
3.
|
In its application, TCC provided the information required by the Commission in Telecom Circular 2005-7, which established new procedures for the destandardization and/or withdrawal of tariffed services, with one exception. TCC submitted that written notice to its existing customers of 900 service, as stipulated in paragraph 15 of Telecom Circular 2005-7, was not required as its existing 900 service customers would not be affected by its proposal. Accordingly, the company did not provide written notice to its existing 900 service customers.
|
|
4.
|
TCC indicated that it had received only one new request for its 900 service in the past two years, and that it had experienced a significant decline in the number of customers subscribing to the service in the period between 30 June 2006 and 1 August 2007. Further, TCC noted that a significant proportion of its 900 service customers had shown no activity on their 900 service accounts for the last 20 months. TCC also noted that it offered 900 service outside of Alberta and British Columbia on a forborne basis, but that in such forborne markets it was not subject to the Commission's directives in Telecom Circular 2005-7 nor item 521 of its General Tariff.
|
|
5.
|
The Commission received comments from First Media Group (FMG) on 17 September 2007. The record of this proceeding closed with the receipt of TCC's reply comments dated 27 September 2007.
|
|
6.
|
FMG opposed TCC's application to destandardize and eventually withdraw 900 service because it was a unique medium for the delivery and subsequent billing and collection for telephony provided services. FMG noted that it had been informed by TCC that the company would not, in the near future, be providing 900 service to customers outside of the Alberta/British Columbia territory. Further, FMG noted that TCC had not informed its current 900 service customers about the proposed destandardization of this service, as required by the procedures set out in Telecom Circular 2005-7.
|
|
|
Commission's analysis and determinations
|
|
7.
|
The Commission notes that, under TCC's proposal, 900 service would no longer be offered to new customers; however, existing customers would still be able to request moves, additions, or changes to their service at the existing approved rates and conditions. As existing customers would not be affected, the Commission considers that TCC's proposal not to notify them is acceptable.
|
|
8.
|
The Commission notes that FMG's comments do not apply to this proceeding as they deal with 900 service terminated by TCC outside of the company's regulated territory to which item 521 does not apply.
|
|
9.
|
The Commission finds that TCC has fulfilled the requirements of Telecom Circular 2005-7. The Commission considers that TCC's proposal to destandardize this service is reasonable.
|
|
10.
|
In light of the above, the Commission approves TCC's application, effective immediately.
|
|
|
Secretary General
|
|
|
Related document
|
|
|
-
New procedures for disposition of applications dealing with the destandardization and/or withdrawal of tariffed services, Telecom Circular CRTC 2005-7, 30 May 2005
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
____________
Foontotes:
1 TCC's 900 service is a message toll service that allows end‑users to place calls to 900‑prefixed phone numbers assigned to customers of the service.
2 TCC also proposed minor housekeeping changes related to changing references in its General Tariff from "TCI" to "the Company."
|
Date Modified: 2007-12-04