Telecom - Commission Letter addressed to the Distribution list
Ottawa, 20 May 2021
Our reference: 1011-NOC2017-0405
BY EMAIL
Distribution List
Re: Compliance and Enforcement and Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2018-484 – Implementation of universal network-level blocking of calls with blatantly illegitimate caller identification – Monitoring of the effectiveness of universal network-level call blocking.
As you know, in Compliance and Enforcement and Telecom Regulatory Policy 2018-484 (CETRP 2018-484), the Commission required Canadian carriers and other telecommunications service providers (TSPs) that provide voice telecommunications services to implement universal network-level blocking of calls purporting to originate from telephone numbers that do not conform to the established numbering plans, effective 19 December 2019. An exemption from this requirement was provided for Canadian carriers and other TSPs that provide call filtering services in line with Commission determinations.
To monitor the effectiveness of the universal call blocking requirement, the Commission directed Canadian carriers and TSPs to track the number of customer complaints concerning nuisance calls they receive and to supply this information to the Commission, upon request. The Commission considered that, as a proxy to measuring actual blocked calls, this data would serve as a general indication as to whether the universal call blocking is reducing the number of nuisance calls received by customers.
Commission staff requests that all Canadian carriers and other TSPs providing universal network-level call blocking as set out above, file with the Commission the number of customer complaints concerning nuisance calls received each month during the period of 19 December 2019 to 19 March 2021. If possible, indicate the number of concerning nuisance calls that involve originating numbers that should have been blocked by UCB.
While the Commission did not request TSPs to track the number of calls blocked by network-level call blocking, TSPs that did track this data are requested to file the monthly data with the Commission, as well as any other information or data relevant to an evaluation of the effectiveness of universal network-level call blocking in reducing the amount of nuisance calls on the Canadian voice telecommunications network.
In CETRP 2018-484 the Commission also directed Canadian carriers and other TSPs providing voice telecommunications services to establish an internal redress process that is easily available to their customers and that is able to unblock numbers, if necessary, after verification of the request. Canadian carriers and other TSPs are requested to provide the number of requests they have received to unblock numbers, and the results of those requests, to the extent they track this information.
Finally, for those carriers exempt from implementing UCB, the Commission requests the following:
- indicate whether changes were made to their call filtering service since the last time they provided a description to the Commission; and
- provide a brief description of these changes if any.
The information requested in this letter should be filed by the Commission by July 8, 2021, either through GCkey or by sending it to Jean-Francois.Harbour@crtc.gc.ca.
Yours sincerely
Alain Garneau
Director, Telecommunications Enforcement
Compliance and Enforcement Sector
cc. All Canadian Telecommunication Service Providers
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