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Ottawa, 17 August 2012

Our Reference: 8663-C12-201015470

BY E-MAIL

Ms. Annabelle Hyest
CEO
TextMe, Inc.
50 California St., Suite 3200437 Bay Street
San Francisco, CA
94111

USA
regulatory@go-text.me

Dear Ms. Hyest:

RE:     Obligations of local VoIP service providers with respect to 9-1-1 emergency service and registration as resellers

Thank you for your letter dated 7 May 2012 indicating that TextMe, Inc. (TextMe) will conform to the Canadian 9-1-1 emergency service obligations and for having attached a letter from your CLEC partner about fulfilling those obligations.

However, on 27 June 2012, the Commission received a complaint from a customer in Ontario that your company may not be providing VoIP 9-1-1 service.  The customer indicated that he downloaded the TextMe application for the iPhone, which provides a Canadian phone number and free VoIP calling.  The customer added that he e-mailed your company with an inquiry.  Information on the complaint is attached.

To enable the Commission to complete its review of TextMe’s provision of 9-1-1 emergency services, TextMe is requested to provide the following information, by 31 August 2012:

  1. Comment on the complaint and confirm when VoIP 9-1-1 service actually became available to your company’s customers in Canada.  If 9-1-1 service is not yet available, please specify when it will be.
  2. Indicate how many customers your company has in Canada.1

Once again, Commission staff appreciates your company’s efforts to conform to the Canadian 9-1-1 emergency service obligations.

Yours sincerely,

‘Original signed by M. Murray’

Michel Murray
Director, Regulatory Implementation
Telecommunications

c.c.:       Dem Magmanlac, CRTC, (819) 953-6638, dem.magmanlac@crtc.gc.ca

Attach.

Attachment

Correspondence Profile

Client Info

 

Name: confidential

Email Address: confidential

Company Name:

Postal Address:

City:

Province: Ontario

Postal Code:

Phone: Fax:

Date Registered: 27/06/2012 10:23:34 AM

Date Arrived: 27/06/2012

Message:

I've downloaded the TextMe app for the iPhone which provides a Canadian phone number and free VoIP calling (http://go-text.me/).

I use this as my primary and sole method for mobile calling.

As indicated in the app and on their site, they aren't willing to provide 911 which seems to contravene Canadian law.

I've written them to inquire, and they've ignored my emails.

This seems dangerous and wrong.


[1] The company may file certain information in confidence if the information falls into a category listed in subsection 39(1) of the Telecommunications Act.  Essentially, the company can file two versions of its reply: one containing the confidential information and the word “Confidential” clearly marked on the letter; and another for the public record, in which the confidential information is omitted and replaced by a “#” sign. In general, confidential information is not released on the public record to protect proprietary information, and only the non-confidential version is posted on the Commission’s website.  For more information on the process for filing information in confidence with the Commission, see Broadcasting and Telecom Information Bulletin CRTC 2010-961, available on the Commission’s website at http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2010/2010-961.htm.

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