ARCHIVED - Telecom Commission Letter - 8669-M16-01/01

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Letter

Ottawa, 9 April 2008

File No.:   8669-M16-01/01

By email

To:    Distribution list (see attached)

Re:    Follow-up to Decision 2003-53 - Conditions of service for wireless competitive local exchange carriers and for emergency services offered by wireless service providers

This correspondence is in response to a letter to the Commission from the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) dated 2 April 2008.   The letter requests the postponement of the CISC Emergency Services Working Group (ESWG)'s investigation and submission of a report into the technical and operational requirements for the implementation of wireless Phase II E9-1-1 service.

Commission staff is also in receipt of a letter from the Toronto Police Service dated 4 April 2008, indicating that it is ready and willing to present its findings on the wireless Phase II E9-1-1 trial and that it considers the postponement to the initiation of discussions at the ESWG, as requested by the CWTA, as unwarranted and unacceptable.

Commission staff notes that the implementation of wireless Phase II E9-1-1 service requires the investigation into the technical and operational requirements of not just Wire less Service Providers (WSPs), but also those of the Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) and the Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (ILECs) who act as 9-1-1 service providers.

Commission staff also notes that various public authorities have indicated in the ESWG and elsewhere the importance and urgency of an investigation into the implementation of wireless Phase II E9-1-1 service.

Commission staff is also mindful of the concerns raised by the CWTA of personnel and resources constraints of WSPs due to their participation in the 2008 Advanced Wireless Services spectrum auction which commences on 27 May 2008.

Commission staff considers that the participation of WSPs in this investigation is crucial, and considers that in order for them to participate in the investigation an extension to the filing of the requested Report to 29 August 2008 would be acceptable.

However, despite the constraints in the participation of WSPs, Commission staff considers that it remains possible for the ESWG to continue to investigate other aspects of the implementation of wireless Phase II E9-1-1 service that do not need the active involvement of WSPs. For instance, the investigation of the technical and operational requirements of the PSAPs and the ILECs can be undertaken without the direct involvement of WSPs.

Therefore, Commission staff requests that the ESWG continue with the scheduled 11 April 2008 meeting in order to initiate the investigation, as well as to schedule the various tasks required, while taking into consideration the timing concerns raised by WSPs. Commission staff also requests WSPs to take part in this meeting and in the scheduling of the tasks in order for the ESWG to take their concerns into account.

As well, Commission staff considers that it is still necessary, as part of the investigation, for Bell Mobility/Bell Canada and the City of Toronto to file, as soon as possible, contributions to the ESWG providing any information that could be shared with the industry on the wireless Phase II E9-1-1 trial and the technical and operational issues that should be considered with respect to the provision of wireless Phase II E9-1-1 service throughout Canada.

Yours sincerely,

Original signed by

Paul Godin
Director General
Competition, Costing and Tariffs
Telecommunications

c.c: James Ndirangu, CRTC (819) 997-3670

Distribution list:  

CWTA
ESWG Members
MT&T Mobility Inc. smacdonald@mtt.ca
Bell Mobility Inc. ( Bell ) donald.woodford@bell.ca
Nexicom Mobility Inc. pdowns@nexicom.net ;
Télébec, Société en commandite Télébec,  reglementa@telebec.com ;
Northwestel Mobility Inc.  drew.gordon@bell.ca
Globalstar Canada Satellite Co. sdrew@globalstar.ca ;
TELUS Communications Company  regulatory.affairs@telus.com
Ice Wireless Inc. intervention@newnorth.ca
Sogetel Mobilité inc. alain.duhaime@sogetel.com
TBayTel stephen.scofich@tbaytel.net
Fido Solutions Inc. Tiffany.schell@rci.rogers.com
KMTS Mobility dreynard@kmts.biz
Rogers Wireless Inc. Tiffany.schell@rci.rogers.com
Bell Aliant Regional Communications regulatory@bell.aliant.ca ;
Quadro Communications Co-Operative Inc.  tim.deweerd@quadro.net ;
Huron Telecommunications Co-Operative Ltd. grubb@hurontel.on.ca ;
Mornington Communications Co-Operative Limited rbanks@mornington.ca ;
Hay Communications Co-Operative Ltd. a.schneider@hay.net ;
NorthernTel Limited Partnership regmat@ntl.nt.net ;
Brooke Telecom Co-operative Limited manny@brooketel.ca ;

Date Modified: 2008-04-09
Date modified: