ARCHIVED - Telecom Commission Letter Adressed to Tom Woo (TELUS Communications Company)

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Ottawa, 21 September 2016

Our reference:  8740-T66-201610139

BY EMAIL

Mr. Tom Woo
Senior Regulatory Advisor
Telecom Policy and Regulatory Affairs
TELUS Communications Company
Floor 8, 218 Slater Street
Ottawa, ON  K1P 0A6
tom.woo@telus.com

RE:  Tariff Notice 514 – Withdrawal of Business Value Bundle

Dear Sir:

On 9 September 2016, the Commission received an application from TELUS Communications Company (TELUS), under Tariff Notice 514 (TN 514), in which the company proposed to withdraw Item 304 – Business Value Bundle, found in General Tariff CRTC 21461.

Paragraph 28(1)(a) of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission Rules of Practice and Procedure provides that the Commission may request parties to file information or documents where needed.

TELUS is requested to provide comprehensive answers, including rationale and any supporting information, to the attached questions by 5 October 2016.

Since Commission staff is continuing its analysis of TN 514, this application, along with any associated subsequent revisions, will not be approved on an interim basis on the 15th calendar day following receipt. However, the Commission intends to dispose of this application, along with any associated subsequent revisions, within 45 business days of receipt of the filing.

Sincerely,

Original signed by

Michel Murray
Director, Dispute Resolution and Regulatory Implementation
Telecommunications sector
c.c: Rudy Rab, CRTC, 819-994-3416, rudy.rab@crtc.gc.ca

Attach. (1)


Request for information

According to Approval processes for tariff applications and intercarrier agreements, Telecom Information Bulletin CRTC 2010-455-1, an applicant must provide a notice to each customer affected by its application to destandardize and/or withdraw a particular service” (emphasis added).  

In the application to withdraw Item 304, Business Value Bundle, TELUS states: “An existing equivalent tariffed service bundle CRTC 21461 Item 321, Business Local Access Bundle (“Item 321”) includes the above mentioned Exchange Rate Bands.  Furthermore, rates currently approved in Item 304 are within the rate ranges for Band B in Item 321, therefore there is no impact to the customers.”

The application further states: “...there is no impact to the affected customers subscribing to the bundled service as TELUS does not distinctly separate which customers are subscribed to each tariffed bundle.  As a result, no notice to these customers is required.”

Given the fact that customers would be moved from one bundle to another, it appears that customers are affected by TELUS’ application to withdraw Item 304 and therefore notification to each affected customer is required.

Please explain:

  1. Why notification to affected customers should not apply for this withdrawal request given the Commission’s requirements in Telecom Information Bulletin CRTC 2010-455-1, and given that TELUS has notified affected customers of previous proposals to withdraw tariffed service bundles (e.g., TELUS Tariff Notice 286 – Withdrawal of Residence Smarter and Smartest Packages).
  2. Why TELUS considers that there would be no impact to the customers currently receiving the tariffed service bundle under Item 304, given that rate increases within the rate range approved for Item 321 could be applied once these customers were transitioned to Item 321 if Item 304 were withdrawn.
  3. Given that TELUS does not distinguish between customers of its Business Value Bundle (Item 304) and its Business Local Access Bundle (Item 321), what alternative approach for notifying affected customers of the proposed withdrawal of the Business Value Bundle could be used (e.g., notifying all customers who subscribe to either bundle).
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