ARCHIVED - Telecom Commission Letter addressed to Distribution list
This page has been archived on the Web
Information identified as archived on the Web is for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. Archived Decisions, Notices and Orders (DNOs) remain in effect except to the extent they are amended or reversed by the Commission, a court, or the government. The text of archived information has not been altered or updated after the date of archiving. Changes to DNOs are published as “dashes” to the original DNO number. Web pages that are archived on the Web are not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards. As per the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, you can request alternate formats by contacting us.
Ottawa, 28 September 2015
Our reference: 8661-P8-201510199
Other reference: 8622-V42-201510735
BY EMAIL
Distribution
Re: Part I Applications regarding Videotron’s practices related to its mobile wireless Unlimited Music service
Dear Madam, Sir:
On 1 September 2015, the Commission received an application pursuant to Part I of the CRTC Rules of Practice and Procedure (“Part 1 application”) from the Consumers’ Association of Canada, the Council of Senior Citizens’ Organizations of British Columbia, and the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (collectively the Consumer Groups) regarding the billing practices of Quebecor Media and its wholly owned subsidiary Vidéotron (collectively Vidéotron) with respect to Vidéotron’s Unlimited Music service.Footnote 1 The Consumer Groups claimed that Vidéotron’s billing practices in respect of its Unlimited Music service are in violation of subsection 27(2) of the Telecommunications Act.
On 4 September 2015, the Commission received a Part 1 application from Vaxination Informatique (Vaxination) also making similar allegations regarding Vidéotron’s billing practices in respect of its Unlimited Music service.
In a letter dated 8 September 2015, Benjamin Klass requested that given the similarities in subject matter, the two applications be examined in a single proceeding in order to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort by the Commission and by interested parties. The following procedural amendments were also requested:
- Issue requests for information in the form of interrogatories to Vidéotron concerning the details of the service including the terms on which it is offered to retail customers, the affiliation agreements Vidéotron enters into with third-party streaming providers, and the technical treatment of Unlimited Music traffic on Vidéotron’s network;
- Make certain notable online audio streaming providers party to the proceeding, including both of those which are affiliated with Vidéotron and those which are not; and
- Expand the process to allow interveners to file comments during the reply phase.
In a letter dated 11 September 2015, Commission staff sought comments from parties on the above-noted procedural requests. The Commission received comments from Vidéotron, Vaxination and the Consumer Groups. In a letter dated 17 September 2015, the Commission received additional comments from Benjamin Klass and Vaxination, to which the Consumer Group’s objected by letter dated 17 September 2015.
The Commission considers that it is neither necessary nor appropriate to strike Vaxination’s application as requested by the Consumer Groups. The Commission considers that Vaxination’s application is neither frivolous nor vexatious. Further, the similarity of issues of both applications, and the potential for duplicative effort by parties, is best addressed by merging the processes as requested by Klass.
Accordingly, the Commission will consider these applications in a single proceeding and they will be placed under the file name PIAC and Vaxination for ease of reference.
The Commission will address requests for information to Vidéotron to ensure that the Commission has all the information it requires to rule on the applications. These requests for information will be sent following the filing of Vidéotron’s answer and interested parties’ interventions.
In addition, the Commission considers that given the nature of the issues in this proceeding, it would be beneficial for all parties to have an opportunity to file final submissions.
Finally, the Commission considers that it is not necessary to make certain online audio streaming providers, as requested by Klass, party to the proceeding at this time.
In light of the above, the regular Part I process will be amended to include:
- Commission requests for information in the form of interrogatories; and
- An opportunity for all parties to file final submissions.
Vidéotron’s answer and interventions by interested parties must be filed by 5 October 2015. These submissions should reference file number 8661-P8-201510199.
The deadlines for each of the remaining phases of this process will be set out at a later date.
Sincerely,
Original signed by Luc Bégin
for
John Traversy
Secretary General
Distribution List
Benjamin Klass, benjiklass@hotmail.com
Vaxination Informatique, jfmezei@vaxination.ca
Consumers’ Association of Canada, the Council of Senior Citizens’ Organization of British Columbia, and the Public Advocacy Centre, gwhite@piac.ca and jlawford@piac.ca
Bell Canada bell.regulatory@bell.ca
Bell Aliant, regulatory@bell.aliant.ca
Rogers, rci.regulatory@rci.rogers.com
TELUS regulatory.affairs@telus.com
SaskTel, document.control@sasktel.com
MTS Allstream, iworkstation@mtsallstream.com
Eastlink, regulatory.matters@corp.eastlink.ca
Tbaytel, rob.olenick@tbaytel.com
Independent Telephone Providers Association, jonathan.holmes@itpa.ca
Vidéotron, dennis.beland@quebecor.com and yanick.boily@quebecor.com and regaffairs@quebecor.com
Globalive Wireless Management Corp., eantecol@windmobile.ca
Data & Audio Visual Enterprises Wireless Inc., gary.wong@mobilicity.ca
Canadian Network Operators Consortium, regulatory@cnoc.ca
Canadian Cable Systems Alliance, cedwards@ccsa.cable.ca
Cogeco Cable, telecom.regulatory@cogeco.com
Shaw Cable, Regulatory@sjrb.ca
Fenwick McKelvey, Concordia University, fenwick.mckelvey@concordia.ca
Steven James May, Ryerson University, steven.may@ryerson.ca
Samuelson‐Glushko Canadian Internet Policy & Public Interest Clinic, tisrael@cippic.ca and cippic@uottawa.ca
David Ellis, david@davidellis.ca
Teresa Murphy, resa1983@hotmail.com
Footnotes
- Footnote 1
-
Vidéotron’s Unlimited Music service allows certain of Vidéotron’s wireless customers to access certain audio streaming services and content from their smartphones without incurring data charges.
- Date modified: