ARCHIVED - Telecom Commission Letter addressed to Stan Thompson (Northwestel)

Ottawa, November 15 2019

Our reference:  8740-N1-201910711

BY EMAIL

Stan Thompson
Officer& Vice-President
Northwestel Inc.
3rd Floor
301 Lambert Street
Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 4Y4
regulatoryaffairs@nwtel.ca

Re:  Northwestel Inc. Tariff Notice 1060, Basic 9-1-1 service

On 21 October 2019, the Commission received an application by Northwestel requesting approval for proposed changes to Northwestel's Special Services Tariff CRTC 3010 to introduce Item 723 – Basic 9-1-1 Service for Northwest Territories (Basic 9-1-1 Service).

Commission staff requests that Northwestel respond to the attached request for information by 10 December 2019.

Where a document is to be filed or served by a specific date, the document must be actually received, not merely sent, by that date.

The Commission requires the response or other documents to be submitted electronically by using the secured service “My CRTC Account” (Partner Log In or GCKey) and filling the “Broadcasting and Telecom Cover page” or the “Broadcasting Cover Page” located on this web page. Also on this web page, you will find information on the submission of applications to the Commission “Filing Broadcasting and Canadian Program Certification documents with the CRTC: Privacy and Security”.

A copy of this letter and all related correspondence will be added to the public record of the proceeding.

As set out in section 39 of the Telecommunications Act and in Broadcasting and Telecom Information Bulletin CRTC 2010-961, Procedures for filing confidential information and requesting its disclosure in Commission proceedings, persons may designate certain information as confidential. A person designating information as confidential must provide a detailed explanation on why the designated information is confidential and why its disclosure would not be in the public interest, including why the specific direct harm that would be likely to result from the disclosure would outweigh the public interest in disclosure. Furthermore, 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.

Copies of the document should be also be sent to nat.natraj@crtc.gc.ca.
Sincerely,

Original signed by

Lyne Renaud
Director, Competitor Service & Costing Implementation
Telecommunications Sector

cc: B. Natraj (Nat Natraj), CRTC, 819-953-5081, nat.natraj@crtc.gc.ca
Chris Noonan, CRTC, 873-354-0359, Chris.Noonan@crtc.gc.ca

Attach. (1)

Northwestel Tariff Notice 1060 - Basic 9-1-1 service for Northwest Territories

Refer to the company’s 21 October 2019 submission

1. Refer to “Attachment 1, Report on the Economic Evaluation for the introduction of Basic 9-1-1 Service for the Northwest Territories”. In paragraph 27 under the heading Capital causal to service, it is indicated that Hardware includes cost for new or replacement payphone sets. Explain, with supporting rationale, the following:
   1. Why Basic 9-1-1 service should recover the cost of new payphones to replace non-working payphones.
   2. Why Basic 9-1-1 service should recover the cost of new payphones that replace legacy payphones that do not support 9-1-1. The response should further address why the legacy payphones do not support 9-1-1.
2. Refer to “Attachment 1 Appendix 1, Table 3, Year-End Demand Estimates for Basic 9-1-1 Service for Northwest Territories”.
   1. Confirm that wireless NAS are included in demand forecast for both company demand and competitor demand. If yes, provide the wireless NAS (companies, competitors and all carrier wireless demand) in the format of Table 3.
   2. Further, explain why wireless subscriber growth of 3.1%^Footnote1 is appropriate for a study period covering 2019 to 2024. Assume an annual growth rate of wireless subscribers of 5.0% in the study period and provide a revised Table 3. Further, provide the Present Worth within Study Period (PWAC) and “$ per Unit per month in the study” with this new growth rate. The response should also identify the PWAC and $ per Unit per month in the study for each of the items identified in question 3 parts a i and a ii below.
3. Refer to “Attachment 1- Appendix1,Table 5, Price Floor Test for Basic 9-1-1 Service for Northwest Territories” and provide the following
   1. The Present Worth within Study Period  (PWAC) and “$ per Unit per month in the study” associated with :
      1. new payphones that replace non-working payphones
      2. new payphones that replace legacy payphones that do not support 9-1-1
4. Refer to “Attachment 1- Appendix  2, Table 6a - Expenses, Item B - Expense based on Labour Unit”
   1. For Expense Item Number 1, “Ongoing Product Management”, provide a break-down of labour hours into major activities, including descriptions of the activities. Further explain, with supporting rationale, why the forecasted level of Ongoing Product Management support is required in each of the years in the study period.
   2. For Expense Item Number 2, “Ongoing Operational Support”, provide a break-down of labour hours into major activities, including descriptions of the activities. Further explain, with supporting rationale, why the forecasted level of Ongoing Operational Support is required in each year of the study period.
5. Refer to “Attachment 1- Appendix 2, Table 6b - Capital Equipment, Item D - Capitalised Labour based on Labour Unit Cost”
   1. For each of capital items numbered 1 through 4, provide a breakdown of labour hours into major activity, including descriptions of activities.
   2. Further, provide explanations, including detailed activity descriptions, as to how the Project Management activity labour hours included in Year 1 differ from the Ongoing Product Management included in Year 1 contained in Table 6a Expenses.

Date modified:

2019-11-15