Telecom - Procedural Letter addressed to Robert Malcolmson (Bell Mobility Inc.) and Dennis Béland (Québecor Média inc.)

Ottawa, 8 July 2021

Our reference: 8660-B38-202103357

BY EMAIL

Mr. Robert Malcolmson
EVP & Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer
Bell Mobility Inc.
Floor 19, 160 Elgin St.
Ottawa, ON  K2P 2C4
bell.regulatory@bell.ca

Mr. Dennis Béland
VP, Regulatory Affairs, Telecommunications
Québecor Média Inc.
612 St. Jacques St., 15th Floor
Montreal, QC  H3C 4M8
regaffairs@quebecor.com

RE: Expedited Part 1 Application by Bell Mobility Inc. for a Commission Order further to Telecom Decision 2020-48 applying a new permanent roaming test applicable to Videotron’s use of Bell Mobility’s wholesale roaming service – Procedural Request

Dear Mr. Malcolmson and Mr. Béland:

In a letter dated 2 July 2021, Bell Mobility Inc. (Bell) requested that the Commission order Quebécor Média Inc. on behalf of Videotron (Videotron) to share with Bell the confidential version of its Answer to the above-referenced Application (which Videotron filed with the Commission on 28 June 2021), and thereby disclose to Bell the confidential information. In its letter, Bell also requested that—should the Commission agree to its request—the deadline for Bell to file its Reply Comments be extended, in order to provide it with sufficient time to review the confidential information.

In a letter dated 2 July 2021, Videotron informed the Commission that in response to Bell’s request, it sent to Bell that morning a copy of the confidential version of its Answer filed with the Commission. In its letter, Videotron also expressed the view that considering the rapidity with which it sent to Bell the confidential version of its Answer, it is not necessary for the Commission to provide Bell additional time for it to prepare its Reply Comments.

In a letter dated 7 July 2021, Bell requested that the deadline for filing its Reply Comments related to the above-referenced application be extended from 8 July 2021 to 12 July 2021. Bell cited the following reasons for its request:

  1. Since Videotron did not provide Bell with a copy of the confidential version of its Answer to the above application coincident with its 28 June 2021 filing of the document with the Commission and did not provide Bell with a copy of the document until 2 July 2021, Bell was denied the benefit of the complete 10-day period from the date of the filing of this document with the Commission in which to prepare its Reply Comments;
  2. Neither Videotron nor any other party would suffer any prejudice whatsoever were the Commission to extend Bell’s filing deadline in light of these circumstances. In contrast, the prejudice to Bell from maintaining the current deadline for the filing of its Reply Comments is significant.

Commission staff is of the view that granting Bell’s request would benefit the proceeding by enabling the Commission to gain a more fulsome record. As well, Commission staff considers that the length of Bell’s requested extension (4 days) is reasonable under the circumstances and that granting the extension request would be in the public interest.

The deadline for Bell to file its reply comments regarding the above-referenced Application is therefore extended to 12 July 2021.

A copy of this letter will be added to the public record of the proceeding.

Sincerely,

Original signed by

Michel Murray
Director, Dispute Resolution and Regulatory Implementation
Telecommunications Sector

c.c: Rudy Rab, CRTC, rudy.rab@crtc.gc.ca

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