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ARCHIVED - Telecom Order CRTC 2008-214

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Telecom Order CRTC 2008-214

  Ottawa, 31 July 2008
 

Bell Aliant Regional Communications, Limited Partnership and MTS Allstream Inc. - Network Planning Information

Reference: Aliant Telecom Tariff Notice 58
                 MTS Allstream Tariff Notice 491

1.

In November 2002, the Commission received applications by Aliant Telecom Inc., now part of Bell Aliant Regional Communications, Limited Partnership (Bell Aliant), and MTS Communications Inc., now MTS Allstream Inc. (MTS Allstream), concerning the provision of network planning information to competitors.

2.

Specifically, Bell Aliant proposed to revise General Tariff item 100 - Definitions1 and to add item 604.2 - Network Planning Information (item 604.2). MTS Allstream proposed to revise Supplementary Tariff - Access Services for Interconnection with Carriers and Other Service Providers, items 10 - Definitions and 105.4.F - Remote Switching and DSLAM Information (item 105.4.F).

3.

Bell Aliant and MTS Allstream proposed that, in terms of classification, items 604.2 and 105.4.F be classified as Category II competitor services, and they proposed rates for these services based on their associated Phase II costs plus a 25 percent mark-up.

4.

These applications received interim approval by the Commission on 31 January 2003, as set out in Telecom Orders 2003-57 and 2003-58.

5.

The Commission received no comments regarding these applications.
 

Commission's analysis and determinations

6.

The Commission notes that in Telecom Decision 2002-66, it directed Bell Aliant, MTS Allstream, and Saskatchewan Telecommunications (SaskTel)2 to file a tariff modelled after the terms, conditions, and rate structure of Bell Canada's tariff relating to the provision of network planning information.

7.

The Commission notes that Bell Aliant's and MTS Allstream's applications included tariff items pertaining to definitions, Network Planning Information service, and Remote Switching and DSLAM Information service. Regarding the definitions, and the terms and conditions contained in the proposed tariff pages, the Commission is satisfied that these are consistent with the Commission's direction in Telecom Decision 2002-66.

8.

With respect to the rate structure, the Commission notes that in Telecom Orders 2003-57 and 2003-58, it stated that classification of network planning information services would be addressed in the follow-up to Telecom Decision 2002-34. However, the Commission notes that classification of these services was not addressed by the incumbent local exchange carriers and competitors in the follow-up proceeding to that Decision, nor was it addressed by the Commission in Telecom Decision 2003-11.

9.

The Commission notes that network information and remote switching and DSLAM information services were recently classified in Telecom Decision 2008-17 as conditional essential, with rates based on Phase II costs plus a 15 percent mark-up. The Commission therefore considers that Bell Aliant's item 604.2 and MTS Allstream's item 105.4.F should now fall under this classification.

10.

By letter dated 12 May 2008, the Commission requested that Bell Aliant and MTS Allstream provide rationale as to why these services should not be priced at Phase II costs plus a 15 percent mark-up. While MTS Allstream agreed that it would adopt rates at Phase II costs plus a 15 percent mark-up if directed to do so by the Commission, Bell Aliant indicated that it has not had any customers for its Network Planning Information service since it was introduced and submitted that its pricing should be something other than Phase II costs plus a 15 percent mark-up.

11.

The Commission considers that the fact that Bell Aliant does not have any customers subscribing to its Network Planning Information service should not have any bearing on the overall classification and rating principles for this service.

12.

In view of the fact that these services are now classified as conditional essential, the Commission considers that rates for Bell Aliant's and MTS Allstream's tariffed network planning information services should be set at company-specific Phase II costs plus a 15 percent mark-up.
 

Conclusion

13.

In light of the above, the Commission approves on a final basis Bell Aliant's and MTS Allstream's applications, with the following change:
 
  • amend their respective items 604.2 and 105.4.F to reflect rates for these services based on Phase II costs plus a 15 percent mark-up.

14.

The Commission directs Bell Aliant and MTS Allstream to issue revised tariff pages reflecting the change set out above within 10 days of the date of this Order.
  Secretary General
 

Related documents

 
  • Revised regulatory framework for wholesale services and definition of essential service, Telecom Decision CRTC 2008-17, 3 March 2008
 
  • Telecom Order CRTC 2007-318, 29 August 2007
 
  • Follow-up to Regulatory framework for second price cap period, Telecom Decision CRTC 2002-34 - Service basket assignment, Telecom Decision CRTC 2003-11, 18 March 2003, as amended by Telecom Decision CRTC 2003-11-1, 23 May 2003
 
  • Aliant Telecom Inc. - Resale and sharing, Telecom Order CRTC 2003-94, 28 February 2003
 
  • MTS Communications Inc. - Network Planning Information, Telecom Order CRTC 2003-58, 31 January 2003
 
  • Aliant Telecom Inc. - Network Planning Information, Telecom Order CRTC 2003-57, 31 January 2003
 
  • Coalition for Better Co-location - Part VII application for relief regarding the location of remote switching facilities, Telecom Decision CRTC 2002-66, 24 October 2002
 
  • Regulatory framework for second price cap period, Telecom Decision CRTC 2002-34, 30 May 2002, as amended by Telecom Decision CRTC 2002-34-1, 15 July 2002
  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
  Footnotes:

1 The Commission approved General Tariff item 100 in Telecom Order 2003-94 (see also Aliant Telecom Tariff Notice 64).

2 SaskTel filed an application under Tariff Notice 145, dated 27 July 2007, modifying the rates charged for Network Planning Information service to reflect rates based on Phase II costs plus a 15 percent mark‑up. The Commission approved SaskTel's application on a final basis in Telecom Order 2007-318.

Date Modified: 2008-07-31

Date modified: