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Telecom Decision CRTC 2019-130

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Reference: 2018-234

Ottawa, 3 May 2019

Public record: 1011-NOC2018-0234

Relief for area codes 403, 587, 780, and 825 in Alberta

The Commission determines that relief for area codes 403, 587, 780, and 825 in Alberta is to be provided by implementing a distributed overlay of new area code 368, effective 15 May 2021. In addition, the Commission approves the 403/587/780/825 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 403, 587, 780, and 825 were projected to exhaust by September 2022. These area codes cover the province of Alberta.
  2. The Commission subsequently issued Telecom Notice of Consultation 2018-234, 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 areas served by area codes 403, 587, 780, and 825 (the 403/587/780/825 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 that the projected exhaust date for area codes 403, 587, 780, and 825 had advanced to March 2022.

Report

  1. On 20 February 2019, the Commission received a consensus report (403_587_780_825RE01A) from the 403/587/780/825 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 403/587/780/825 relief planning committee recommended that
    • area code relief be provided by implementing a distributed overlay of a new area code on the areas served by area codes 403, 587, 780, and 825;
    • area code 368 be used as the new area code; and
    • the relief date be 15 May 2021.
  3. In the relief implementation plan, the 403/587/780/825 relief planning committee proposed a public framework and time frame for implementing relief for the areas served by area codes 403, 587, 780, and 825. The committee also addressed the activities, deliverables, and issues affecting more than one telecommunications service provider (TSP).
  4. The 403/587/780/825 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 403/587/780/825 relief planning committee evaluated six relief options: a distributed overlay and five concentrated overlay options. The committee noted that it did not examine a boundary extension overlay option in detail because this would create a boundary that crosses provincial and territorial borders.
  2. The distributed overlay option would introduce a new area code as an overlay on all 337 exchanges in area codes 403, 587, 780, and 825, and would exhaust in 2030. The concentrated overlays would each overlay a new area code on 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 Alberta from one to two, which would, in the future, cause additional work since the geographical areas would exhaust at different dates and would require separate relief plans.
  4. Accordingly, the Commission determines that the areas served by area codes 403, 587, 780, and 825 are to be overlaid with a new area code.

Relief area code

  1. In Telecom Decision 2013-574, the Commission set aside area code 368 for future relief of the areas served by area codes 403, 587, 780, and 825. The Commission therefore determines that area code 368 is to be used for the relief of area codes 403, 587, 780, and 825.

Implementation date

  1. The Commission considers that the proposed relief implementation date of 15 May 2021 will provide customers and TSPs with sufficient notification and time to implement relief before the projected exhaustion in March 2022. Accordingly, the Commission determines that relief will take effect on 15 May 2021.

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 403/587/780/825 relief planning committee’s report, including the proposed planning document and relief implementation plan, and determines that
    • the regions served by area codes 403, 587, 780, and 825 are to be overlaid with a new area code, effective 15 May 2021; and
    • area code 368 is to be used for area code relief.

Secretary General

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