ARCHIVED - Telecom Commission Letter - 8638-C12-200512964

File # : 8638-C12-200512964  

Ottawa, 26 August 2008

By facsimile/e-mail

(Recipient name)
(Title)
(Company)
(Street name and address)
(City, Province)
(Postal code)

Re : Follow-up to Decision 2005-61 - Obligations of local VoIP service providers with respect to 9-1-1 emergency service c ustomer notification requirements and registration as a reseller

It has come to the attention of Commission staff that your company may be providing local voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services and would therefore need to adhere to the requirements set out in this letter.

A. VoIP 9-1-1 emergency service c ustomer notifications

In Emergency service obligations for local VoIP service providers , Telecom Decision CRTC  2005-21, 4 April 2005 (Decision 2005-21), the Commission mandated that all service providers offering local voice communication service over Internet Protocol (VoIP service) must notify their customers, and potential customers, of any service limitations with respect to their 9-1-1 or Enhanced 9-1-1 (E9-1-1) service.

In Decision 2005-21 the Commission noted that if local VoIP service providers are permitted to provide services that offer limited or no 9-1-1/E9-1-1 service and customers are unaware of these service limitations, there would be a public safety risk.   To mitigate this risk, the Commission considered it appropriate to mandate a customer notification process.   The Commission considered that providing initial customer notification before service commencement would ensure that potential customers make an informed choice when opting for local VoIP services.

Accordingly, the Commission directed all Canadian carriers offering local VoIP services to provide initial customer notification, regarding any limitations that may exist with respect to 9-1-1/E9-1-1 service, before service commencement.   This information is to be made available through all of the following: marketing material used for television, radio and printed media, the terms and conditions of service, on-line material, customer service representatives, service contracts and starter kits.

The Commission further directed all Canadian carriers offering local VoIP service to provide on-going customer notification during service provision through all of the following: marketing material used for television, radio and printed media, the terms and conditions of service, on-line material, customer service representatives, warning stickers affixed to telephone sets and billing inserts.

In Follow-up to Emergency services obligations for local VoIP service providers, Decision 2005-21 - Customer notification requirements , Telecom Decision CRTC 2005-61, 20 October 2005 (Decision 2005-61), Canadian carriers offering local VoIP service were directed to submit to the Commission their proposed customer notification texts, prior to their use, for Commission review. The proposed texts must adhere to the minimum requirements as set out in the Emergency Services Working Group Consensus Report ESRE039D - Customer Notification Issues re: 9-1-1 Calls on VoIP, 21 July 2005, and paragraphs 11 to 13 of Decision 2005-61.

The Commission has also directed Canadian carriers to include in their service contracts or other arrangements with local VoIP service providers, the requirement to abide by the directions in Decision 2005-21 and Decision 2005-61 noted above.

Therefore, if your company is providing local VoIP services then it is required to submit the mandatory 9-1-1 emergency service customer notification text for Commission review by no later than two weeks from the date of this letter.   If your company is not providing local VoIP services, it is to confirm so in writing to the Commission and no action is required with respect to customer notification.

Commission staff has included, as an attachment to this letter, suggested wording for the required VoIP 9-1-1 emergency service customer notification text.   The suggested wording is provided as an example only and it must be amended where appropriate to match the specific service offerings of each local VoIP service provider.

B. Registration as a reseller

In Regulatory framework for voice communication services using Internet Protocol , Telecom Decision CRTC 2005-28 , 12 May 2005, the Commission directed that, as a condition of obtaining services from a local exchange carrier (LEC) or other telecommunications service provider, local VoIP service providers that were not operating as LECs were to register with the Commission as resellers.   Local VoIP service providers operating over their own facilities were required to register as competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs).

Therefore, if your company is providing local VoIP services, Commission staff requests that your company register with the Commission as a reseller by no later than two weeks from the date of this letter.   If your company is already registered, please confirm the company name under which it has registered as a reseller and the date of registration.

C. Filing requirements

The submissions noted below can be submitted electronically by accessing the Commission's website at ( www.crtc.gc.ca) under online services and selecting the option of « other » and submissions should be addressed to:

Robert A. Morin
Secretary General
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0N2

a) VoIP 9-1-1 customer notification text

The subject of the letter should be "Follow-up to Decision 2005-61 - Customer notification requirements for local VoIP service providers" and should reference the above noted file number.  

b) Registration as a reseller

Registration letters must indicate the name and address of the company, the services that are to be offered and in what locations, the name and title of a contact person, and as applicable, their telephone number, facsimile number, and e-mail address.

Sincerely,

[Original signed by]

John Macri
Director, Policy
Telecommunications

c.c.: A.E. Symons, Senior analyst, 819-997-4604

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