ARCHIVED - Telecom - Commission letter addressed to Mr. Aaron Hokanson (Switch Incorporated)
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Ottawa, 25 November 2019
Our reference: 1011-NOC2017-0033
BY EMAIL
Mr. Aaron Hokanson
Switch Incorporated
9040 22nd Ave. SW
Edmonton, AB T6X 1Z6
aaron.hokanson@switch.ca
Subject: Request for information – Obligations with respect to Message Relay Services
Dear Mr. Hokanson:
As noted in Telecom Regulatory Policy (TRP) CRTC 2018-466 titled Review of the regulatory framework for text-based message relay services, various categories of telecommunications service providers, including voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service providers, are required to provide message relay services (i.e. both TTY relay services and IP relay services) to their retail customers, and may meet this obligation by:
- providing the services themselves;
- purchasing the services on a wholesale basis from an incumbent local exchange carrier; or
- hiring a third-party call centre to provide the services.
Commission staff notes that Switch Incorporated (Switch) is currently registered with the Commission as a reseller of telecommunications services, and that Switch’s website indicates the company offers VoIP phone service.
In light of the importance of message relay services to the Canadian public, the Commission is working to ensure that VoIP service providers are adhering to regulatory obligations set out in TRP 2018-466.
Accordingly, Commission staff requests a response to this letter by 9 December 2019 using the secured service “My CRTC Account” (Partner Log In or GCKey).
In your response, indicate whether Switch:
- is currently providing both TTY relay services and IP relay services to its retail customers. If this obligation is not being met, explain why and indicate when Switch will come into compliance; and
- will, by 14 December 2019, meet the minimum requirements for message relay services, as described in paragraphs 153 and 156 of TRP 2018-466.
If you have any questions, please contact Bradley Gaudet at bradley.gaudet@crtc.gc.ca.
Yours sincerely,
Nanao Kachi
Director, Social and Consumer Policy
Consumer, Research and Communications
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