Telecom Commission Letter addressed to the Distribution List
Ottawa, 26 May 2020
Our reference: 1011-NOC2016-0115
BY EMAIL
Distribution List
RE: Implementation of Wireless Public Alerting
Dear Madam or Sir:
By way of this letter, Commission staff is reminding wireless service providers (WSPs) of their regulatory obligations detailed in the following:
- Telecom Regulatory Policy (TRP) 2017-91 (Implementation of the National Public Alerting System by wireless service providers to protect Canadians).
- Telecom Decision 2018-85 (CRTC Interconnection Steering Committee – Consensus report on a proposed wireless public alerting awareness and education campaign)
- Telecom Decision 2018-108 (CRTC Interconnection Steering Committee – Consensus reports on a proposed wireless public alerting test alert schedule and methodology)
- Telecom Decision 2019-239 (Senior Officials Responsible for Emergency Management – Application to modify the wireless public alerting visible test schedule)
To allow Commission staff to assess the implementation of the Wireless Public Alerting (WPA) regulatory framework, WSPs are being directed to provide the requested information set out in Exhibits 1 and 2.
Furthermore, Commission staff seeks information summaries from WSPs regarding the ongoing financial costs attributable to the NPAS system in the last fiscal year, as well as the complaints, comments, concerns, or queries received in response to distributed alerts. Moreover, staff seeks information regarding details on any issues experienced during the distribution of actual or test alerts in the past year. WSPs are being directed to provide the requested information set out in Exhibits 3, 4, and 5.
If you have further information you wish to file, you may do so under a separate cover.
The required information is to be submitted to the Commission no later than 19 June 2020 by using the secured service “My CRTC Account” (Partner Log In or GCKey).
Should you have any questions regarding this letter, please contact Michael Crupi by email at michael.crupi@crtc.gc.ca or Paul Richer at paul.richer@crtc.gc.ca.
Sincerely,
Originally signed by Scott Hutton
Scott Hutton
Chief, Consumer, Research and Communications
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Distribution List
A.B.C. Allen Business Communications Ltd
rey.sonico@abccomm.com
Airtel Wireless LTD
merle.isaacson@connectmobility.ca
Bell Canada
bell.regulatory@bell.ca
Bell Mobility Inc.
bell.regulatory@bell.ca
Blue Canada Wireless Inc.
bgelfand@goforblue.com
Bragg Communications Incorporated
regulatory.Matters@corp.eastlink.ca
Brooke Telecom Co-operative Ltd.
geoff@brooketel.coop
CityWest Mobility Corp.
serina.repole@cwct.ca
Cogeco Connexion Inc.
simon.desrochers@cogeco.com
Ecotel inc.
accounting@ambra.co
Execulink Telecom Inc.
martha.facey@execulink.com
Fibernetics Corporation
regulatory@corp.fibernetics.ca
Fido Solutions Inc.
rwi_gr@rci.rogers.com
Freedom Mobile Inc.
Regulatory@sjrb.ca
Globalstar Canada Satellite Co.
jmandala@globalstar.ca
Gogo Connectivity Ltd.
mkoch@goodmans.ca
Hay Communications Co-operative Limited
a.lawrence@hay.net
Huron Telecommunications Co-Operative Limited
regulatory@hurontel.on.ca
Ice Wireless Inc.
regulatory@iristel.com
Inukshuk Wireless Partnership / Société Inukshuk Sans Fil
don.falle@inukshuk.ca
Iristel Inc.
regulatory@iristel.com
Mornington Communications Co-operative Limited
lhallahan@mornington.ca
Naskapi Imuun Inc.
chuquang@atmacinta.com
Nexicom Mobility Inc.
czekelman@nexicomgroup.net
Quadro Communications Co-operative Inc.
regulatory@quadro.net
Rogers Communications Canada Inc.
rwi_gr@rci.rogers.com
Saskatchewan Telecommunications
document.control@sasktel.com
Seaside Wireless Communications Inc.
shane@seaside.ns.ca
Shaw Telecom Inc.
Regulatory@sjrb.ca
Sogetel Mobilité inc.
reglementaire@sogetel.com
SSI Micro Ltd.
regulatory@ssimicro.com
TBayTel
stephen.scofich@tbaytel.com
TELUS Communications Inc.
regulatory.affairs@telus.com
TerreStar Solutions Inc.
JANSKORA@ROGERS.COM
TNW WIRELESS INC.
Lawry.trevor@tnwcorp.com
Vidéotron ltée
regaffairs@quebecor.com
Wightman Telecom Ltd.
regulatory@wightman.ca
Xplornet Communications Inc.
Xplornet.Legal@corp.xplornet.com
Exhibit 1a – TRP 2017-91 – Implementation Targets
To receive WPA messages, mobile devices need to conform to the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) standard. In TRP 2017-91, while it recognised that the number of compliant handsets could be low at first, the Commission stated that it expects that WPA-compatible device penetration should increase rapidly as more compatible devices become available, and some existing devices are made compatible via software updates. In order to expedite WPA-compatible device penetration and WPA implementation as a nation-wide service, the Commission set targets for the availability of such devices for sale to subscribers. The following Exhibit 1a is to be completed in order for Commission staff to assess whether established targets are being met.
| Target | Have you met this target? | Briefly explain how you meet this target. If you have not met the target, explain why. |
|---|---|---|
| Within 24 months of the date of the decision*, 100% of devices for sale will need to be WPA-compatible, including at least one handset for $0 and at least one accessible handset. (*6 April 2019) |
Exhibit 1b – TRP 2017-91 – Implementation Requirements
In TRP 2017-91, it states that in the Commission’s view, the best approach to monitoring and ensuring compliance is by setting reporting requirements on WSPs for the implementation of WPA, and where necessary, employing the appropriate regulatory measures to address non-compliance. The Commission directs each WSP to file, by 21 May 2018, and annually thereafter for a period of three years, a report confirming network implementation of alert distribution capability and interoperability with the NAAD System. The report must also contain the results of at least one successful CB test, which must be invisible to end-users, and information on the following:
- LTE network coverage and gaps
- WPA-compatible device penetration; and
- The number of WPA compatible devices for sale
| Requirement | Have you complied with this requirement? | Briefly explain how you meet this requirement. If you have not met the requirement, explain why. |
|---|---|---|
| Confirm network implementation of alert distribution capability and interoperability with the NAAD System. | ||
| Did you conduct at least one successful Cell Broadcast (CB) test, which was invisible to end-users, and provide the results of the CB test. |
Additional Questions:
- What is your LTE network coverage and what are the gaps? Provide a map to illustrate as appropriate.
- What percentage of devices on your network are WPA-compatible?
Exhibit 2 – Telecom Decision 2018-108 requirements
For each instance that you had to ‘’“wave off” a test alert delivery under the circumstances described in CRTC Industry Steering Committee Network Services Working Group report NTRE059, the following Exhibit 2 is to be completed in order for Commission staff to assess compliance in regards to the use of the wave-off mechanism.
| Requirement | Have you complied with this requirement? | Briefly explain how you meet this requirement. If you have not met the requirement, explain why. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Commission directs the affected WSPs to notify their affected end-users of |
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| The Commission directs the affected WSPs to immediately inform the Commission and the NAAD System operator upon becoming aware that the WSPs will be unable to participate in any of the scheduled visible or invisible test alerts, in a particular area or in their entire coverage area. | |||
In addition, WSPs must submit an incident report to the Commission within seven days of becoming aware or within seven days after the scheduled test, whichever is sooner. This incident report is to include:
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| The Commission directs the affected WSPs, once any network operational emergency or other extraordinary situation has been resolved, to conduct internal tests to ensure their operational readiness to distribute test alerts and to promptly confirm this with the Commission, the NAAD System operator, and other WPA stakeholders. | |||
Exhibit 3 – Financial Costs Attributable to the NPAS System
Provide details in response to the following queries regarding the costs attributable to the NPAS:
| Query | Response | Further explanation of the answer provided |
|---|---|---|
What are your direct capital costs in the last fiscal year attributable to NPAS? Include only costs directly attributable to purchasing, replacing or upgrading equipment and services attributable to complying with NPAS rules and regulations |
(Costs in $) | |
What are your ongoing costs, including salaries, directly attributable to participation in NPAS in the last fiscal year? Include only direct costs that otherwise would have not been required except to participate in NPAS for the operation, maintenance and management of the system; do not include any capital costs identified in the previous question |
(Costs in $) |
Exhibit 4 – Complaints, Comments, Concerns, or Queries Received in Response to Distributed Alerts
Provide details in response to the following queries regarding complaints, comments, concerns, or queries that you have received in response to Emergency Alerts you have distributed to the public:
| Query | Response | Further explanation of the answer provided |
|---|---|---|
How many complaints, comments and queries were received in the previous year regarding alerts sent by your entity? If no log of complaints, comments, concerns or queries is maintained, please provide an estimate |
Additional Questions:
- What was the nature of the complaints, comments and queries received? Provide a general description of input received.
Exhibit 5 – Issues with the Distribution of Actual or Test Alerts
Provide details in response to the following queries regarding any issues with the distribution of actual or test alert messages in the past year:
- Have there been any issues with the distribution of actual or test alert messages in the previous year?
- If yes, what was the nature of the problem and how were these addressed?
- Date modified: