ARCHIVED - Telecom Commission Letter addressed to the Distribution list

ABRIDGED

Ottawa, 11 June 2019

Our references: 8663-J64-201806019, 8663-T66-201805722

BY EMAIL

Distribution list

RE: Iris Technologies Inc. and TELUS Communications Inc. – Applications for relief regarding the termination of traffic to certain 867 numbering plan area telephone numbers

Dear Sirs,

Commission staff acknowledges receipt of requests for information filed on 4 June 2019 by Iris Technologies Inc. (Iristel), on behalf of itself and its affiliate Ice Wireless Inc., Rogers Communications Canada Inc. (Rogers) and TELUS Communications Inc. (TCI), pursuant to the process established by Commission staff in its 12 April 2019 letter.

Commission staff has reviewed the questions filed on 4 June 2019. Iristel, Rogers and TCI are required to respond to each questions directed to them by 26 June 2019.

In light of the submissions received to date and the questions filed on 4 June 2019 by Iristel, Rogers and TCI, Commission staff is issuing a further request for information.

Responses to the attached request for information are to be filed by 26 June 2019.

Any document filed with the Commission must be served on all parties. Where a document is to be filed or served by a specific date, the document must be received, not merely sent, by that date.

A copy of this letter and all related correspondence will be publicly accessible through the Commission’s website. Persons that wish to designate information contained in their submissions as confidential must do so in accordance with the Telecommunications Act ^Footnote1 and with the CRTC Rules of Practice and Procedure. ^Footnote2 This requires that:

• A person wishing to designate information as confidential must provide a detailed explanation regarding:
  • why the information falls into a category that may be designated as confidential; and
  • why disclosure would not be in the public interest, including the specific direct harm that would be likely to result from the disclosure and why this would outweigh the public interest in disclosure.
• A person designating information as confidential must either file an abridged version of the document, omitting only the information designated as confidential, or provide reasons why an abridged version cannot be filed.

Sincerely,

Original signed by

Michel Murray
Director, Dispute Resolution and Regulatory Implementation
Telecommunications Sector

c.c.: Jill Schatz, Canadian Network Operators Consortium Inc., regulatory@cnoc.ca
John Lawford, Public Interest Advocacy Centre, jlawford@piac.ca
Marc Lange, marc8lange@gmail.com
Martin Brazeau, CRTC, martin.brazeau@crtc.gc.ca

Attach. (2)

Distribution list

Free Conference Call Global, ##
Iris Technologies Inc., Jean-Francois Dumoulin, regulatory@iristel.com
Rogers Communications Canada Inc., Howard Slawner, rwi_gr@rci.rogers.com
TELUS Communications Inc., Stephen Schmidt, regulatory.affairs@telus.com
ZenoRadio, Baruch Herzfeld, bh@zenoradio.com
Iristel costumer #1,##
Iristel costumer #2,##
Iristel costumer #3,##
Iristel costumer #4,##
Iristel costumer #5,##

Request for information

A. Questions to Iristel costumer #1, #2, #3, #4, and #5

1. Provide a description of the services that are being provided to the end users involving DID 867 NPA numbers you use from Iristel (for example: transmission of radio programming, conference call bridge, etc.)
2. Explain what is your motivation to order and use direct inward dialing (DID) numbers located in the 867 NPA.
3. Explain why 867 NPA is being used as opposed to any other DID numbers available in Canada or the United States.
4. Provide a network diagram showing network components and parties involved in the provisioning of the services that are being offered to end users involving the use of Iristel’s DID 867 NPA numbers you order. The diagram should demonstrate the flow of traffic from its origination to its delivery to end users and include the location of each network elements and any parties involved and for which functions.
5. Indicate whether you share or benefit from the sharing of any revenues generated from the routing of communications involving the use of 867 NPA numbers, or are compensated or paid in any way based on the number or volume of calls or minutes of use involving 867 NPA numbers. If yes, provide details along with the name of the parties involved and a copy of the associated agreement.
6. In paragraph 37 of Telecom Decision 2017-11, the Commission determined that all non-carriers with existing service contracts or other arrangements with Canadian carriers or other non-carriers have to register with the Commission prior to receiving telecommunications services for resale.
   Indicate whether you are registered with the CRTC. If not, explain why not.

B. Questions to Free Conference Call Global

7. Confirm that none of the 867 NPA numbers you or any of your affiliates may be assigned as a result of any agreement or arrangement with Iristel are being used in any manner by AudioNow or ZenoRadio.
8. Indicate whether you or any of your affiliates order 867 NPA DID numbers from carriers other than Iristel. If yes, indicate whether any of those numbers are being used in any manner by AudioNow or ZenoRadio.

C. Questions to Iristel

9. In Telecom Decision 2017-456, the Commission imposed a condition under section 24 of the Telecommunications Act and directed Iristel and any of its affiliates to terminate any agreement that assigns FCCG any 867 NPA numbers that are ultimately used by AudioNow, and not re-enter into provisions of such an agreement with FCCG or any of its affiliates.
   1. Indicate whether Iristel has any agreement or arrangement, written or otherwise, which assigns FCCG or any of its affiliates 867 NPA numbers;
   2. If yes, explain what measures Iristel employs to make sure that none of the numbers in question are being used in any manner by AudioNow or ZenoRadio.
10. On 10 September 2018, Rogers filed comments in which it indicated that, following Iristel’s implementation of Telecom Decision 2017-456, it experienced a drop in its traffic destined to Iristel’s 867 NPA numbers down to 5% of the level reached just prior to that decision taking effect on 20 January 2018.
    Explain to what extent this drop in traffic was due to the termination of any agreement that assigns FCCG or any of its affiliates any 867 NPA numbers that were being used by AudioNow. Explain in details how the termination of such agreement(s) has resulted in reduced traffic.
11. Attachment 1 of Iristel’s response to Iristel(CRTC)29Jan19-1c indicates that The Schedule is subject to the parties Master Service Agreement (“MSA”) dated April 4th 2014]. Provide a copy of the Master Service Agreement in question.

D. Question to TELUS

12. Confirm whether the traffic from the bilateral agreement with Iristel has been moved to a Feature Group D trunk arrangement. If yes, explain what is the resulting impact on call termination volumes.

E. Questions to ZenoRadio

13. On its Zeno Media website, ZenoRadio provides the following information to explain how its call-to-listen service works:

    “Each broadcaster we partner with has a dedicated access number, and listeners calling in connect immediately to the broadcaster’s live or on-demand programming. Call-to-listen use mobile minutes with no additional charges, so the service does not require a smartphone, data plan or even an internet connection which benefits geographically diverse audiences.
    With Call-to-listen, our broadcasters increase their footprint worldwide and enjoy an incremental and highly effective monetization platform through our global carrier deals.”

    1. Provide a network diagram showing network components and parties involved in the provisioning and use of your call-to-listen service to an end-user listening to a broadcaster’s programming that is accessed through an 867 NPA number. The diagram should demonstrate the flow of traffic from its origination to its delivery to end users and include the location of each network elements and any parties involved and for which functions;
    2. On its Zeno Media website, ZenoRadio indicates that it offers the use of custom mobile apps which serve features such as Call-to-listen integration. Explain how the Call-to-listen integration feature connects end users to radio station programming and indicate whether it is using mobile minutes or internet data, or both;
    3. Indicate whether broadcasters generate revenue for the time people spend listening to their radio station via your call-to-listen service. If yes, explain that process. Your explanation should include, among other things, the source and nature of those revenues.
14. Confirm whether AudioNow or ZenoRadio currently use 867 NPA numbers. If yes, provide the following information:
    • for which purposes you use the numbers;
    • the number of 867 NPA numbers that are in use;
    • from whom the company obtains such numbers; and
    • a copy of any associated agreement.

Date modified:

2019-06-11