ARCHIVED - Letter

Ottawa, 22 April 2014

Our reference: 8663-C12-201401041

BY EMAIL

Distribution List

RE: Appointment of an Inquiry Officer to review matters related to transport services provided by satellite

Dear Madam, Sir:

In Telecom Notice of Consultation 2014-44[1], the Commission announced that Commissioner Candice Molnar will conduct an inquiry with respect to the Canadian marketplace for satellite services that are used by telecommunications service providers (TSPs) to provide telecommunications services to Canadians.

The providers of satellite services identified in the distribution list below are to file responses to the requests for information set out in Appendix A. The purchasers of satellite services identified in the distribution list are to file responses to the requests for information set out in Appendix B.

Other providers or purchasers of satellite services (e.g. TSPs) that have information responsive to the questions set out in the appendices are also encouraged to provide responses to the Inquiry Officer.

All responses are to be filed with the Commission by 13 May 2014. These responses are to be received, and not merely sent, by this date.

Further details concerning the process for this inquiry, including additional requests for information and details regarding the submission of interventions, will be provided in May 2014. Parties and other interested persons are encouraged to monitor the record of this inquiry, available on the Commission’s website.

Yours sincerely,

Original signed by

Candice Molnar
Inquiry Officer
Commissioner, Manitoba and Saskatchewan

Distribution List

Providers of satellite services

109W Satellite Communications Inc., bolsen@sympatico.ca
Ciel Satellite Group, scott.gibson@cielsatellite.ca
Echostar Satellite Services, jennifer.manner@echostar.com
Eutelsat America, info@eutelsatamerica.com
Hispasat S.A., vrubio@hispasat.es
HughesNet, steve.doiron@hughes.com
Hunter Communications Canada, brent.perrott@huntercomm.net
Intelsat S.A., gonzalo.dedios@intelsat.com
JSAT International Inc., info@jsati.com
Omnispace LLC, jbravman@omni-sat.com
SES S.A., suzanne.malloy@ses.com
Telesat, iscott@telesat.com
Viasat Inc., daryl.hunter@viasat.com

Purchasers of satellite services

Bell Aliant, regulatory@bell.aliant.ca
Bell Mobility, bell.regulatory@bell.ca
Eeyou Communications Network, aloon@gcc.ca
Isuma Distribution International Ltd., zkunnuk@isuma.ca
Juch-Tech Inc., juchniewicz@juch-tech.com
Keewaytinook Okimakanak (K-Net), danpellerin@knet.ca
Lynx Mobility Inc., aahmed@lynxmobility.com
MTS Allstream, iworkstation@mtsallstream.com
Northern Indigenous Community Satellite Network, jdumoulin@krg.ca and sramchandar@gobcn.ca
Northwestel Inc., regulatoryaffairs@nwtel.ca
SSi Group of Companies, regulatory@ssimicro.com
TELUS Communications Company, regulatory.affairs@telus.com
Xplornet Communications Inc., cj.prudham@corp.xplornet.com
Iristel, regulatory@iristel.com
Ice Wireless, regulatory@icewireless.ca

Parties

Arctic Fibre Inc., doug@arcticfibre.com
Canadian Cable System Alliance Inc., cedwards@ccsa.cable.ca
Christopher Mitchelmore, cmitchelmore@gov.nl.ca
Government of the Northwest Territories, linda_maljan@gov.nt.ca
Government of Nunavut, regulatory.affairs@gov.nu.ca
Government of Yukon, benjamin.sanders@gov.yk.ca
Heather Hudson, heatherehudson@gmail.com
Nunavut Broadband Development Corporation, oana@nunavut-broadband.ca
Province of British Columbia, roman.mateyko@gov.bc.ca
Public Interest Advocacy Centre, piac@piac.ca
Rob McMahon, rob.mcmahon@unb.ca
Town of Roddickton-Bide Arm, roddickton@nf.aibn.com
Linda Randell, P.O. Box 375, Bide Arm NL, A0K 1J0
Marlene Randell, P.O. Box 371, Roddickton-Bide Arm NL, A0K 1J0

Appendix A

Requests for information addressed to providers of fixed-satellite services (FSS):

1.
a) Identify the satellite(s) you operate which provide coverage in Canada and are used to provide FSS to providers of telecommunications services (e.g. TSPs) in Canada;
b) For each satellite identified, provide:
i. the name of the satellite;
ii. the total amount of capacity used by Canadian service providers to deliver telecommunication services (e.g. voice, wireless, Internet, data), by band (C-band, Ku-band and Ka-band); and
iii. the total amount of additional capacity available to Canadian service providers, by band
c) For each satellite identified, provide satellite coverage maps displaying effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) and antenna gain-to-temperature (G/T) figure.

2.
a) Identify all the Canadian service providers that purchase your company’s FSS to provide telecommunications services in Canada;

b) For each service provider identified:
i. describe the FSS provided to the TSP;
ii. identify the current rates for those services, by band;
iii. describe in general terms, how rates have changed over time since the launch of the satellite.
3. If you provide FSS in Canada, provide a separate list of all the service providers that use your company’s FSS to provide telecommunications services in the United States.

4. For each service provider identified in questions 2) and 3), provide a copy of the agreement(s) your company has with each service provider for the provision of FSS which are used by the service provider to provide telecommunications services.

5. Provide a summary sheet for each service provider identified in questions 2) and 3), setting out, for each TSP, the following key information:

a) the name(s) of the satellite(s) from which the service provider obtains FSS;
b) the total amount of FSS capacity provided to the service provider, by band (C-Band, Ka-Band, Ku-Band, and any other relevant information) and by satellite. Express the total amount of FSS capacity provided to the service provider in terms of transponder(s) provided, megahertz (MHz) provided, and, if applicable, megabits per second (Mbps) provided;
c) the rate(s) that the service provider is charged for FSS, by band; and
d) any significant terms and conditions of the agreement with the service provider, such as contract length or minimum volume requirements.

6. How many ground stations do you own or operate that, in whole or in part, support FSS used to provide telecommunications services? For each ground station, identify:

a) the location of the ground stations (e.g. provide the community name, longitude, latitude, and any other relevant information);
b) the satellite(s) at which they are pointing;
c) the number of antennas (dishes); and
d) the total ground station capacity, and the ground station capacity that is used to provide telecommunications services.

Appendix B

Requests for information addressed to purchasers of fixed-satellite services (FSS):

1. Provide a list of all satellite operators from which you purchase FSS to provide telecommunications services (e.g. voice, wireless, Internet, data) in Canada.

2. For each satellite operator identified in question 1), provide a copy of the agreement your company has to purchase FSS.

3. For each satellite operator identified in question 1), provide a summary sheet setting out, for each satellite operator, the following key information:

a) the name(s) of the satellite(s) from which FSS is obtained;
b) the total amount of FSS capacity purchased, by band (C-Band, Ka-Band, Ku-Band, etc.) and by satellite. Express the total amount of FSS capacity purchased in terms of transponder(s) purchased, MHz purchased, and, if applicable, Mbps purchased;
c) the rate(s) that you are charged, by band;
d) identify how many Mbps you obtain from each MHz of FSS capacity you purchase. Provide the methodology and assumptions for converting MHz to Mbps; and
e) any significant terms and conditions of the agreement, such as contract length or minimum volume requirements.

4. How many ground stations do you own or operate that, in whole or in part, support FSS used in the provision of telecommunications services in Canada? For each ground station, identify:

a) the location of your ground stations (e.g. provide the community name, longitude, latitude, and any other relevant information);
b) the satellites at which they are pointing;
c) the number of antennas (dishes); and
d) the total ground station capacity, and the ground station capacity that is used to provide telecommunications services.

[1]Appointment of an Inquiry Officer to review matters related to transport services provided by satellite, Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2014-44, 6 February 2014

Date modified:

2014-04-22