Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2016-207

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Ottawa, 31 May 2016

File number: 1011-NOC2016-0207

Establishment of a CISC ad hoc committee for relief planning for area codes 418 and 581 in eastern Quebec

The Commission announces the establishment of a CRTC Interconnection Steering Committee ad hoc relief planning committee (RPC) to examine options and make recommendations for providing numbering relief to area codes 418 and 581 in eastern Quebec. The Commission invites members of the public and telecommunications service providers to participate in the RPC's activities.

Due to the jeopardy condition in area codes 418 and 581, the Commission is also introducing additional central office (CO) code application requirements and requesting that the RPC develop CO code conservation measures to ensure that the projected exhaust date coincides with or falls after the scheduled relief implementation date.

Introduction

1. On 22 April 2016, the Canadian Numbering Administrator (CNA) advised the Commission that, based on the results of a special numbering resource utilization forecast (S-NRUF),^{Footnote 1} area codes 418 and 581 are projected to exhaust by March 2019. Area codes 418 and 581 cover the eastern part of Quebec. You can consult the area code map on the CNA website.
2. The Commission-approved Canadian NPA [Numbering Plan Area] Relief Planning Guideline (the Guideline)^{Footnote 2} provides the framework for addressing area code exhaust in Canada. The Guideline establishes a step-by-step process to be followed by the CNA and relief planning committees (RPCs). The Guideline requires relief planning activities to begin if an area code is projected to exhaust within the next 72 months.
3. The telecommunications industry conducts area code relief planning in a public manner through an ad hoc RPC under the CRTC Interconnection Steering Committee (CISC). Part of the role of an RPC is to encourage public awareness and participation in the RPC's activities.

RPC for area codes 418 and 581

4. With this notice, the Commission establishes the ad hoc RPC for area codes 418 and 581 (the 418/581 RPC) under CISC and directs the CNA to chair this committee.
5. The scope of the 418/581 RPC's relief planning activities is limited to the consideration of solutions for introducing new numbering resources within the area currently served by area codes 418 and 581. Since area code relief planning does not affect local or long distance calling patterns or rates, these issues are outside the scope of the 418/581 RPC's relief planning activities.
6. In rendering its decision on the relief measures to be adopted, the Commission will consider all relief options identified and recommendations made by the 418/581 RPC.
7. The Commission directs the 418/581 RPC, in developing its recommendations, to set aside ten central office (CO) codes for initial code assignments for carriers already providing service in the area served by area codes 418 and 581. The Commission also directs the 418/581 RPC to set aside three CO codes from area codes 418 and 581 to be made available for new entrants,^{Footnote 3} and to ensure that those CO codes remain unassigned, other than to new entrants, for a period of two years after the introduction of the new area code in eastern Quebec or until the pool is depleted, whichever comes first. Each new entrant may only request one CO code from the available pool.
8. The Commission notes that the 418/581 RPC may contemplate relief measures that would require some customers to change their telephone numbers. The Commission therefore encourages members of the public to participate in the 418/581 RPC's activities.

Jeopardy condition

9. The Commission notes that the creation of the CO code pools mentioned above will advance the exhaust date for area codes 418 and 581, which is now estimated to be in March 2019. As a result, area codes 418 and 581 are now in a jeopardy condition.^{Footnote 4} Accordingly, the Commission considers that there is an urgent need for relief planning to commence immediately.
10. With the declared jeopardy condition, the Commission considers that code conservation measures, specified in Appendix F of the Guideline, are necessary to ensure that numbering resources are not exhausted before relief measures can be implemented. Further, the Commission directs that, while the area codes 418 and 581 jeopardy condition is in effect, the number of CO code assignments per carrier shall not exceed that submitted by each carrier to the CNA for the April 2016 S-NRUF for area codes 418 and 581.
11. The Commission will require that any CO code application to the CNA be accompanied by a letter, on company letterhead and signed by a company officer, justifying the request and certifying that the requested CO code will be in service within four months of the date of that application.
12. The Commission will also require applicants that request additional CO codes for growth to file a Telephone Number Utilization Report Form for the applicable switching entity. This form is to be signed by both a company officer and the company's authorized representative.

Procedure

13. The CNA is to announce the location and time of the 418/581 RPC's meetings and is to make all related documentation available on its website at www.cnac.ca. Members of the public who wish to participate in the 418/581 RPC's activities may also reach the CNA by telephone at 613-563-7242.

Important notice

14. All information that parties provide as part of this public process, except information designated confidential, whether sent by postal mail, facsimile, email, or through the Commission's website at www.crtc.gc.ca, becomes part of a publicly accessible file and will be posted on the Commission's website. This includes all personal information, such as full names, email addresses, postal/street addresses, and telephone and facsimile numbers.
15. The personal information provided will be used and may be disclosed for the purpose for which the information was obtained or compiled by the Commission, or for a use consistent with that purpose.
16. Documents received electronically or otherwise will be posted on the Commission's website in their entirety exactly as received, including any personal information contained therein, in the official language and format in which they are received. Documents not received electronically will be available in PDF format.
17. The information provided to the Commission as part of this public process is entered into an unsearchable database dedicated to this specific public process. This database is accessible only from the web page of this particular public process. As a result, a general search of the Commission's website with the help of either its search engine or a third-party search engine will not provide access to the information that was provided as part of this public process.

Commission offices

18. Documents are also available from the following Commission offices, upon request, during normal business hours.

    Toll-free telephone: 1-877-249-2782
    Toll-free TDD: 1-877-909-2782

    Les Terrasses de la Chaudière
    Central Building
    1 Promenade du Portage, Room 206
    Gatineau, Quebec  J8X 4B1
    Tel.: 819-997-2429
    Fax: 819-994-0218

    505 De Maisonneuve Boulevard West, Suite 205
    Montréal, Quebec  H3A 3C2
    Tel.: 514-283-6607

Secretary General

Related document

• CISC Canadian Steering Committee on Numbering – Consensus report CNRE106A, Telecom Decision CRTC 2014-603, 20 November 2014

Date modified:

2016-05-31