ARCHIVED - Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2010-815

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Ottawa, 3 November 2010

Establishment of a CISC ad hoc committee for relief planning for area codes 250, 604, and 778 in British Columbia

File number: 8698-C12-201016304

With this notice, the Commission announces the establishment of a CRTC Interconnection Steering Committee ad hoc relief planning committee (RPC) to examine options for providing numbering relief to the areas served by area codes 250, 604, and 778 in British Columbia. The Commission invites members of the public and telecommunications service providers to participate in the RPC's activities.

Introduction

1.         On 14 September 2010, the Canadian Numbering Administrator (CNA) advised the Commission that based on the results of the latest numbering resource utilization forecasts,[1] area codes 250, 604, and 778 are now projected to exhaust by August 2016, which is within the prescribed time frame[2] for beginning relief planning activities.

2.        The Commission-approved Canadian Numbering Plan Area (NPA) Relief Planning Guidelines (the Guidelines) provide the framework for addressing area code exhaust in Canada. The Guidelines establish a step-by-step process to be followed by the CNA and relief planning committees (RPCs). The Guidelines require relief planning activities to begin if area code exhaust is projected to occur within the next 72 months.

3.        The telecommunications industry conducts area code relief planning in a public manner through an ad hoc RPC under the CRTC Interconnection Steering Committee (CISC). Part of the role of an RPC is to encourage public awareness and participation. The Commission notes that the 250, 604, and 778 RPC may contemplate relief measures that would require some customers to change their telephone numbers. The Commission therefore encourages members of the public to participate in the activities of the 250, 604, and 778 RPC.

RPC for area codes 250, 604, and 778

4.        Since area codes 250, 604, and 778 are projected to exhaust within 72 months, the Commission determines that there is a need to begin the area code relief planning process. With this notice, the Commission therefore establishes the ad hoc RPC for area codes 250, 604, and 778 (the 250, 604, and 778 RPC) under CISC and directs the CNA to chair this committee.

5.        The scope of the 250, 604, and 778 RPC’s relief planning activities is limited to the consideration of solutions for introducing new numbering resources within the areas currently served by area codes 250, 604, and 778. Since area code relief planning does not affect local and long distance calling patterns or rates, these issues are outside the scope of the 250, 604, and 778 RPC’s relief planning activities.

6.        All relief options contemplated by the 250, 604, and 778 RPC, as well as its recommendations, will be considered by the Commission in rendering its decision on the relief measures to be adopted.

7.        In developing its recommendations, the 250, 604, and 778 RPC is directed to set aside, at a minimum, seven central office codes for initial code assignments from area code 778 for carriers already providing service in the areas served by area codes 250, 604, and 778, and 10 central office codes from area code 778 for initial code assignments exclusively for new entrants.

Procedure

8.        The CNA will announce the location and time of the 250, 604, and 778 RPC’s meetings and will make all related documentation available on its website at www.cnac.ca. Members of the public may also reach the CNA by telephone at 613-563-7242.

9.        Parties interested in participating in the activities of the 250, 604, and 778 RPC (including receiving copies of all submissions) must notify the Commission of their intention to do so by filling out the online form or by writing to the Secretary General (by mail: CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0N2; by fax: 819-994-0218) by 3 December 2010 (the registration date). Parties are to provide their email addresses, where available. If parties do not have access to the Internet, they are to indicate in their notice whether they wish to receive disk versions of hard-copy filings.

10.    As soon as possible after the registration date, the Commission will post on its website a complete list of interested parties, their mailing addresses, and, if available, their email addresses, identifying those parties who wish to receive disk versions.

Important notice

11.    Note that all information that parties provide as part of this public process, except information granted confidentiality, whether sent by postal mail, facsimile, email, or through the Commission's website at www.crtc.gc.ca, becomes part of a publicly accessible file and will be posted on the Commission's website. This includes personal information, such as full names, email addresses, postal/street addresses, telephone and facsimile numbers, and any other personal information parties provide.

12.    The personal information that parties provide will be used and may be disclosed for the purpose for which the information was obtained or compiled by the Commission, or for a use consistent with that purpose.

13.    Documents received electronically or otherwise will be posted on the Commission's website in their entirety exactly as received, including any personal information contained therein, in the official language and format in which they are received. Documents not received electronically will be available in PDF format.

14.    Please note that the information that parties provide to the Commission as part of this public process is entered into an unsearchable database dedicated to this specific public process. This database is accessible only from the web page of this particular public process. As a result, a general search of the Commission's website with the help of either its search engine or a third-party search engine will not link directly to the information that was provided as part of this public process.

Location of CRTC offices

15.    Submissions may be examined or will be made available promptly upon request at Commission offices during normal business hours.

Toll-free telephone: 1-877-249-2782
Toll-free TDD: 1-877-909-2782

Central Building
Les Terrasses de la Chaudière
1 Promenade du Portage, Room 206
Gatineau, Quebec  J8X 4B1
Tel.: 819-997-2429
Fax: 819-994-0218

858 Beatty Street, Suite 290
Vancouver, British Columbia  V6B 1C1
Tel.: 604-666-2111
Fax: 604-666-8322

Secretary General

Date modified:

2010-11-03