ARCHIVED - Telecom Order CRTC 2010-657

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Ottawa, 2 September 2010

Bell Aliant Regional Communications, Limited Partnership and Bell Canada – Proposed insurance plan for Gateway Access Service

File numbers:   Bell Aliant Tariff Notice 325
                       Bell Canada Tariff Notice 7264

 Introduction

1.      In Bell Aliant Regional Communications, Limited Partnership and Bell Canada – Applications to introduce usage-based billing and other changes to Gateway Access Services, 6 May 2010 (Telecom Decision 2010-255), the Commission directed Bell Aliant Regional Communications, Limited Partnership and Bell Canada (collectively, the Bell companies) to file, for approval, an insurance plan for Gateway Access Service (GAS) that is equivalent to their insurance plan for retail Internet service.[1] The Commission also determined that the implementation date for the Bell companies’ usage-based billing (UBB) for GAS would be either the date that all its retail customers are charged UBB rates or six months from the date of Telecom Decision 2010-255, whichever is later, provided that on that date an approved insurance plan is available to Internet service providers that use the Bell companies’ GAS.[2]

2.      The Commission received applications from the Bell companies, dated 21 June 2010, proposing changes to item 5410 of their General Tariffs – Gateway Access Service. Specifically, the Bell companies proposed to amend their GAS tariff to include a charge for an insurance plan[3] for Residence GAS.

3.      The Commission received comments from TekSavvy Solutions Inc. (TekSavvy). The public record of this proceeding, which closed on 3 August 2010, is available on the Commission’s website at www.crtc.gc.ca under “Public Proceedings” or by using the file numbers provided above.

Should the Commission approve the Bell companies’ proposal?

4.      Teksavvy requested that (i) the Commission require the Bell companies to demonstrate that the proposed insurance plan for GAS corresponds precisely to the terms and conditions under which the Bell companies are currently providing their insurance plan to retail Internet customers, (ii) an additional note be inserted in the proposed tariff pages, requiring the Bell companies to maintain this equivalence at all times, and (iii) the Commission only grant approval if and when it allows the implementation of UBB for GAS.

5.      The Bell companies replied that their proposed insurance plan complies with Telecom Decision 2010-255 and corresponds precisely to the terms and conditions set out in the insurance plan for its retail Internet customers. Further, they indicated that the Commission could establish in the final order a formal process requiring the Bell companies to maintain the equivalence between their retail Internet insurance plan and their proposed GAS insurance plan. The Bell companies acknowledged TekSavvy’s support for its request of an effective date coincident with the implementation of UBB for GAS.

6.      The Commission notes that TekSavvy provided no evidence to suggest that the Bell companies’ proposed insurance plan for GAS is not equivalent to their insurance plan for retail Internet customers. The Commission also notes that the Bell companies confirmed the equivalent wording between the two plans.

7.      As such, the Commission approves the Bell companies’ applications, effective the date that they implement UBB for GAS.

8.      Should the Bell companies make changes at any time to the insurance plan provided to their retail Internet customers, the Commission directs the Bell companies, coincident with the implementation of these changes, to file proposed revised tariff pages to make their insurance plan for GAS equivalent to their retail Internet insurance plan.

Secretary General

Date modified:

2010-09-02