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Our Ref. No.: 8665-C12-200807943
BY E-MAIL
Mr. Michel Pilon
Information Services Manager
CityWest Telephone Corporation
248 3 Avenue West
Prince Rupert, British Columbia
V8G 1L1
mike.pilon@cwct.ca
Re: Implementation of Internet Protocol relay services – request for extension
Dear Sir:
The Commission has received CityWest’s request, dated 4 May 2011, for a 60-day extension to the deadline for implementing its Internet Protocol (IP) relay service.
CityWest stated that due to a change in staff, it had only recently become aware of the requirement to provide IP relay service and, therefore, was not yet providing this service. The company confirmed that it will implement IP relay service; however, it requested a 60-day extension, until 4 July 2011. CityWest submitted that this would allow it to reach an agreement with an underlying IP relay service provider and begin offering the service to its customers.
Commission staff notes that in Telecom Regulatory Policy 2009-430, the Commission required all local exchange carriers (LECs), including CityWest, to provide their customers with IP relay service by 21 July 2010. Due to exceptional circumstances, the Commission has granted LECs several extensions to the deadline to meet this requirement. In a letter dated 11 January 2011, Commission staff stated that it was expected that LECs would provide high quality IP relay service as soon as possible and by no later than 30 April 2011 where not otherwise specified. In a letter dated 5 April 2011, Commission staff reminded CityWest of this deadline.
Given that the original obligation date was in July 2010, Commission staff considers it surprising that CityWest had not initiated discussions regarding the provision of this service before the beginning of May 2011.
Commission staff reiterates the Commission’s view that “it is important that high quality relay services be made available to Canadians as quickly as possible.”
Commission staff considers that, given the roll-out of IP relay service to other service providers of similar size, it may not take a full 60 days for CityWest to be able to provide its customers with access to this service. Commission staff expects CityWest to provide IP relay service as quickly as possible, and no later than 5 July 2011.
Commission staff notes that in its 11 January 2011 letter it reiterated that the Commission, among other things, “...(c) required all LECs to report to the Commission via letter once they are providing access to IP relay services to their retail customers. Commission staff notes that these requirements continue to apply.” Commission staff expects that CityWest will report to the Commission via letter, no later than 11 July 2011, to confirm that it is providing access to IP relay services to its retail customers.
Sincerely,
‘Original signed by S. Bédard’
Suzanne Bédard
Senior Manager, Tariffs
Telecommunications
cc: Laurie Ventura, CRTC, (819) 997-4589, laurie.ventura@crtc.gc.ca
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