ARCHIVED - Telecom Order CRTC 2015-497

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Ottawa, 9 November 2015

File number: Tariff Notice 316

Saskatchewan Telecommunications - Withdrawal of Auto Call Back and Group Speed Dial features from the Basic Package of the Integrated Business Communications Service

Application

1. The Commission received an application from Saskatchewan Telecommunications (SaskTel), dated 23 July 2015, in which the company proposed to withdraw the Auto Call Back and Group Speed Dial components from its Basic Package under item 200.07 - SaskTel Integrated Business Communications Service of its General Tariff - Basic Services. The company also proposed to remove language related to forborne services from this tariff item. SaskTel requested an effective date of 28 September 2015.
2. SaskTel indicated that its Integrated Business Communications (IBC) Service, which combines Internet Protocol voice, telephony, and collaboration features, is available in four packages: IBC Basic, IBC Standard, IBC Enhanced, and IBC Premium. 
3. The company stated that it had inadvertently included the Auto Call Back and Group Speed Dial features in its Basic Package, but it had intended to make these features available only in its higher-level packages. SaskTel submitted that these two features would not normally be used by customers who subscribe to the Basic Package,^{Footnote 1} and that the removal of these features should have a minimal impact on customers.
4. SaskTel stated that a small number of customers would be affected by the proposed withdrawal, and that it sent a notice of the proposed withdrawal to these customers on 21 July 2015. SaskTel indicated that it considered alternatives to withdrawing the two features, but it concluded that creating a unique package for a small number of customers would result in confusion and support issues.
5. The Commission received no interventions regarding SaskTel’s application. The public record of this proceeding, which closed on 25 September 2015, is available on the Commission’s website at www.crtc.gc.ca or by using the file number provided above.

Commission’s analysis and determinations

6. SaskTel’s proposal to remove language related to forborne services from the IBC Service tariff item is appropriate given that the Commission forbore from regulating SaskTel’s toll and toll-free services in Decision 2000-150, and that the Commission forbore, conditionally and in part, from regulating the retail voice mail services provided by incumbent local exchange carriers in Telecom Regulatory Policy 2010-777.
7. SaskTel’s withdrawal request is reasonable given that the company indicated that the two features would not normally be used by customers who subscribe to the Basic Package, and that these features would still be available in other IBC packages. As well, no customers objected to the proposed withdrawal.
8. SaskTel’s application meets the requirements set out in Telecom Information Bulletin 2010-455, in which the Commission set out its procedures for dealing with applications to destandardize and/or withdraw tariffed services.^{Footnote 2} In particular, SaskTel has informed affected customers of the proposed withdrawal, including how they may file comments with the Commission.
9. In light of the above, the Commission approves SaskTel’s application, effective the date of this order. Revised tariff pages^{Footnote 3} are to be issued within 10 days of the date of this order.

Secretary General

Related documents

• Forbearance from the regulation of retail voice mail services provided by the incumbent local exchange carriers, Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2010-777, 20 October 2010
• Approval processes for tariff applications and intercarrier agreements, Telecom Information Bulletin CRTC 2010-455, 5 July 2010
• Mandatory customer contract renewal notification and requirements for service destandardization/withdrawal, Telecom Decision CRTC 2008-22, 6 March 2008
• SaskTel - Transition to federal regulation, Decision CRTC 2000-150, 9 May 2000

Date modified:

2015-11-09