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Telecom Decision CRTC 2018-333

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Reference: 2016-205

Ottawa, 30 August 2018

Public record: 1011-NOC2016-0205

Revised relief implementation plan for area code 709 in Newfoundland and Labrador

The Commission approves the revised relief implementation plan for area code 709 in Newfoundland and Labrador, with an implementation date of 20 May 2022. Customers in that province will be transitioned to 10-digit local dialing, beginning 11 February 2022, as part of the implementation of the distributed overlay of new area code 879.

Introduction

  1. On 22 April 2016, the Canadian Numbering Administrator (CNA)Footnote 1 advised the Commission that, based on the results of the most recent jeopardy numbering resource utilization forecast (J-NRUF), area code 709 was projected to exhaust by March 2019.Footnote 2 Area code 709 covers the whole province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
  2. The Commission subsequently issued Telecom Notice of Consultation 2016-205, in which it established a CRTC Interconnection Steering Committee (CISC)Footnote 3 ad hoc relief planning committee to examine options and make recommendations for providing additional numbering resources in the area served by area code 709 (the 709 relief planning committee). The Commission directed the CNA to chair the committee.

Relief implementation plan

  1. The relief planning committee developed a relief implementation plan based on the projected exhaust date of March 2019 for area code 709 and submitted the plan, dated 11 October 2016, to the Commission. The plan is available on the CNA’s website. In Telecom Decision 2017-35, the Commission approved the committee’s recommendations, including the use of area code 879 as the new area code, effective 24 November 2018 (the relief implementation date), and a transition from 7- to 10-digit dialing beginning 17 August 2018. The relief implementation plan also included communications tasks to be undertaken by telecommunications service providers (TSPs) to inform the public about the introduction of the new area code and 10-digit local dialing.
  2. Subsequently, on 5 September 2017, the CNA suspended the jeopardy condition in numbering plan area (NPA) 709, based on the results of the July 2017 J-NRUF report. The revised projected exhaust date was forecast to be in the first quarter of 2024, almost five years beyond the date it was initially expected.
  3. On 6 October 2017, Bell Canada requested that the relief implementation date for area code 709 be deferred from 24 November 2018 to 20 May 2022. In a letter dated 30 October 2017, Rogers Communications Canada Inc. opposed Bell Canada’s request and proposed that the relief planning committee maintain the approved relief implementation date, among other things. Pursuant to the CISC Administrative Guidelines, the dispute was forwarded to the Commission for decision.
  4. In Telecom Decision 2018-59, the Commission determined, among other things, that the relief implementation date should be deferred. It also requested that the relief planning committee recommend an appropriate revised relief implementation date, taking into consideration the results of upcoming semi-annual area code 709 relief numbering resource utilization forecasts (NRUFs).
  5. On 16 May 2018, the relief planning committee submitted to the Commission a revised relief implementation plan, including a revised implementation schedule. In its plan, the relief planning committee noted that, based on the January 2018 area code 709 relief NRUF results, area code 709 is now projected to exhaust in April 2023. The relief planning committee therefore proposed that
    • the revised relief implementation date should be 20 May 2022;
    • all TSPs must have modified their network infrastructure to permit 10-digit local dialing by 12 November 2021;
    • a 7- to 10-digit local dialing transition period, also known as permissive dialing, should be implemented beginning 11 February 2022, with network announcements on calls dialed using 7 digits phased in over one week (11-18 February 2022);Footnote 4
    • mandatory 10-digit local dialing should be implemented beginning 6 May 2022, with network announcements on calls dialed using 7 digits phased in over one week (6-13 May 2022);Footnote 5 and
    • standard network announcements should be implemented beginning 22 August 2022 and completed within one month (by 22 September 2022).Footnote 6
  6. In the revised relief implementation plan, the relief planning committee proposed a public framework and time frame for implementing relief for area code 709. The plan also addressed the activities, deliverables, and issues impacting more than one individual TSP. It did not cover activities internal to each TSP, nor areas for which there is already an established process for coordination between TSPs to establish service.

Should the Commission approve the revised relief implementation plan?

  1. The Commission notes that the proposed relief implementation date of 20 May 2022 reflects the results of the latest NRUF for area code 709 and will provide TSPs and customers with advance notification and sufficient lead time to implement relief. The Commission therefore considers that date appropriate.
  2. With regard to the transition to 10-digit dialing, the Commission notes that the relief planning committee’s recommendation uses established methods and a three-month permissive dialing period. The revised relief implementation plan also includes a requirement for TSPs to inform their customers of dialing plan changes, as outlined in paragraph 7 above, consistent with the Commission’s determinations in Telecom Decision 2006-26 and Telecom Regulatory Policy 2009-156.
  3. In addition, the revised relief implementation plan includes a schedule for relief implementation as well as the network and consumer communications activities that would need to be completed as part of the relief implementation process. In this regard, the Commission considers that the plan is consistent with the steps identified in the Canadian NPA Relief Planning Guidelines and sets out implementation timelines that a TSP can follow to meet the proposed relief implementation date.
  4. In light of all the above, the Commission approves the 709 relief planning committee’s revised relief implementation plan and determines that the revised relief implementation date is to be 20 May 2022.
  5. Consequently, the Commission directs all TSPs to
    • modify their network infrastructure to permit 10-digit local dialing by 12 November 2021;
    • implement a 7- to 10-digit local dialing transition period beginning 11 February 2022, with network announcements on calls dialed using 7 digits phased in over one week (11-18 February 2022);
    • implement mandatory 10-digit local dialing beginning 6 May 2022, with network announcements on calls dialed using 7 digits phased in over one week (6-13 May 2022); and
    • implement standard network announcements beginning 22 August 2022, to be completed within one month (by 22 September 2022).

Secretary General

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