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Telecom Decision CRTC 2019-13

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Reference: 2018-233

Ottawa, 18 January 2019

Public record: 1011-NOC2018-0233

Relief for area codes 450 and 579 in Quebec

The Commission determines that relief for area codes 450 and 579 in Quebec is to be provided by implementing a distributed overlay of new area code 354, effective 24 October 2020. The Commission also approves the 450/579 relief planning committee’s report, including the proposed planning document and relief implementation plan.

Introduction

  1. On 1 March 2018, the Canadian Numbering Administrator (CNA)Footnote 1 advised the Commission that, based on the results of the latest numbering resource utilization forecast (NRUF),Footnote 2 area codes 450 and 579 were projected to exhaust by June 2021. These area codes cover an area surrounding Montréal, Quebec.
  2. The Commission subsequently issued Telecom Notice of Consultation 2018-233, 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 codes 450 and 579 (the 450/579 relief planning committee). The Commission directed the CNA to chair the committee.
  3. In July 2018, the CNA conducted a relief NRUF, the results of which indicated the projected exhaust date for area codes 450 and 579 has advanced to March 2021.

Report

  1. On 31 October 2018, the Commission received a consensus report (450_579RE01A) from the 450/579 relief planning committee. The report included a planning document and a relief implementation plan. These documents are available on the CNA’s website.
  2. In the planning document, the 450/579 relief planning committee recommended that
    • area code relief be provided by implementing a distributed overlay of a new area code on the area served by area codes 450 and 579;
    • area code 354 be used as the new area code; and
    • the relief date be 24 October 2020.
  3. In the relief implementation plan, the 450/579 relief planning committee proposed a public framework and time frame for implementing relief for the area served by area codes 450 and 579. The relief planning committee also addressed the activities, deliverables, and issues affecting more than one telecommunications service provider (TSP).
  4. The 450/579 relief planning committee requested that the Commission approve the report, including the planning document and the relief implementation plan.

Should the Commission approve the report?

Relief method

  1. In the planning document, the 450/579 relief planning committee evaluated six relief options: a distributed overlay, and five concentrated overlay options.
  2. The distributed overlay option would introduce a new area code as an overlay on all 129 exchanges in area codes 450 and 579. The concentrated overlays would each overlay a new area code over different geographical areas covering specific exchange areas.
  3. The Commission considers that implementing concentrated overlays would increase the number of separate relief planning areas in Quebec from four to five which would, in the future, cause additional work as the geographical areas would exhaust at different dates and would require separate relief plans.
  4. Accordingly, the Commission determines that the entire area served by area codes 450 and 579 is to be overlaid with a new area code.

Relief area code

  1. In Telecom Decision 2017-38, the Commission set aside area code 354 for future relief of the area served by area codes 450 and 579. The Commission therefore determines that area code 354 is to be used for the relief of area codes 450 and 579.

Implementation date

  1. The Commission considers that the proposed relief implementation date of 24 October 2020 will provide customers and TSPs with sufficient notification and time to implement relief before the projected exhaustion in March 2021. Accordingly, the Commission determines that relief will take effect on 24 October 2020.

Relief implementation plan

  1. The 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. The Commission considers that the relief implementation plan includes steps that are consistent with the steps identified in the Commission-approved Canadian NPAFootnote 4 Relief Planning Guidelines and sets out implementation timelines that TSPs can follow to meet the relief implementation date. Accordingly, the Commission finds that the relief implementation plan is appropriate.

Conclusion

  1. In light of all the above, the Commission approves the 450/579 relief planning committee’s report, including the proposed planning document and relief implementation plan, and determines that
    • the region served by area codes 450 and 579 is to be overlaid with a new area code, effective 24 October 2020; and
    • area code 354 is to be used for area code relief.

Secretary General

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