ARCHIVED -  Letter

Ottawa, 17 April 2012

File No.: 8650-B54-201200469

BY EMAIL

To: Distribution List

RE: Part 1 Application – Request to grant flexibility to increase pay telephone rates – Further process

The Commission received an application from Bell Aliant Regional Communications, Limited Partnership, Bell Canada and Télébec, Limited Partnership (collectively, Bell Canada et al.), dated 17 January 2012, in which the companies requested the flexibility to increase their pay telephone (payphone) rates. In a letter dated 27 January 2012, the comment period for this application was extended to 30 March 2012, and Commission staff indicated that any further process would be determined following the close of the comment period.

The Commission received interventions opposing Bell Canada et al.’s application from the Public Interest Advocacy Centre and Canada Without Poverty (collectively, the Consumer Groups), l’Union des consommateurs (l’Union) and 45 members of the public.

As part of their intervention, the Consumer Groups requested (a) disclosure of certain information filed in confidence by Bell Canada et al. and (b) that further process be allowed for written interrogatories.  The Consumer Groups further requested that, at the close of this proceeding, the Commission schedule a public interest payphones proceeding. L’Union also requested that the Commission initiate a process by means of a Notice of Consultation to examine Bell Canada et al.’s application and other issues related to payphones.

In the circumstances, Commission staff considers that it would be in the public interest to allow for written interrogatories in this proceeding.  Commission staff further considers that the process set out below provides for a meaningful opportunity for all parties to participate in this proceeding.  Accordingly, the additional process is set out as follows:

• The Consumer Groups and l’Union are the only interveners that are to be served documents as part of this process.  If any other intervener wishes to receive the documents to be filed in this proceeding, the intervener is to advise the Commission, the Consumer Groups, l’Union and Bell Canada et al. no later than 1 May 2012.  Alternatively, interveners can access all documents to be filed on the public record of this proceeding on the Commission’s website.
• Bell Canada et al. are to file with the Commission their response to the Consumer Groups’ request for public disclosure of certain information, serving a copy on the Consumer Groups, by 26 April 2012.
• A determination will be issued regarding the Consumer Groups’ request for public disclosure as soon as possible. Any information to be provided pursuant to that determination is to be filed with the Commission and served on interveners by
  10 May 2012.
• The Commission and interveners may request information, in the form of interrogatories, from Bell Canada et al. on the issues raised in their application. Any such requests for information are to be filed with the Commission and served on Bell Canada et al. by 22 May 2012.
• Bell Canada et al. are to file responses to requests for information with the Commission, serving copies on interveners, by 12 June 2012.
• Requests by interveners for further responses to their interrogatories posed in their requests for information, specifying in each case why a further response is both relevant and necessary, and requests for public disclosure of information for which confidentiality has been claimed by Bell Canada et al. in their interrogatory responses, setting out in each case the reasons for disclosure, are to be filed with the Commission and served on Bell Canada et al. by 19 June 2012.
  Written responses to requests for further responses to interrogatories and for public disclosure of information filed in confidence in responses to interrogatories must be filed with the Commission and served on the intervener making the request by
  26 June 2012.
• A determination with respect to requests for further information and public disclosure will be issued as soon as possible. Any information to be provided pursuant to that determination is to be filed with the Commission and served on interveners by 10 July 2012.
• Interveners may file final comments on Bell Canada et al.’s application with the Commission, serving copies on Bell Canada et al., by 31 July 2012.
• Bell Canada et al. may file reply comments with the Commission, serving copies on interveners, by 14 August 2012.

Parties are reminded that, in accordance with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission Rules of Practice and Procedure, if a document is to be filed or served by a specific date, the document must be actually received, not merely sent, by that date. A document must be filed with the Commission by 5 p.m. Vancouver time (8 p.m. Ottawa time) on the date it is due.

It is expected that a decision on the issues raised in Bell Canada et al.’s application will be published within four months of the close of record.

Yours sincerely,

Original signed by

John Macri,
Director, Telecommunications Policy

c.c.: Adam Mills, CRTC, (819) 997-4574, adam.mills@crtc.gc.ca

Distribution List:

bell.regulatory@bell.ca
regulatory@bell.aliant.ca
union@consommateur.qc.ca
piac@piac.ca

Date modified:

2012-04-17