Telecom - Commission Letter addressed to the distribution list

Ottawa, 20 August 2021

Our reference:  8740-S22-202104610, 8740-B38-202104628, 8740-B38-202104686, 8740-R28-202104636, 8740-T66-202104876, 8740-T66-202104884

BY EMAIL

Distribution list

Re:  Request for public consultation on template wholesale MVNO and roaming agreements

Commission staff is in receipt of a 9 August 2021 letter from Iristel Inc. (Iristel), on behalf of itself and its affiliate Ice Wireless Inc. Iristel requested that the Commission direct Bell Mobility Inc., Rogers Communications Canada Inc., TELUS Communications Inc. (collectively, the national wireless carriers) and Saskatchewan Telecommunications (SaskTel) to place, by 16 August 2021, their template agreements for wholesale mobile virtual network operators (MVNO) access and seamless roaming services on the record of Tariff notices 0372, 0005, 0006, 0072, 0563, and 0564 (the tariff proceedings) for comment by interested parties.

Iristel submitted that interveners should be provided an opportunity to assess whether those agreements contain any anti-competitive provisions or undermine the objectives set out in Telecom Regulatory Policy 2021-130, Review of mobile wireless services.

On 11, 12, and 17 August 2021 the national wireless carriers and SaskTel filed replies to Iristel’s request.

The national wireless carriers and SaskTel submitted that the Commission should deny the request. They submitted that the request is inconsistent with the procedure established by the Commission, is out of process, would introduce unnecessary complexity, would cause delay, and is unnecessary. In addition, they generally submitted that they have not yet prepared any such agreements, nor have they updated their wholesale roaming agreements since those agreements would depend on the outcome of the tariff proceedings.

Iristel’s procedural request is under consideration however a determination will not be made prior to Iristel’s requested timeline nor prior to the deadline for interventions in the tariff proceedings. Accordingly, the schedule of the tariff proceedings will be maintained: 7 September 2021 remains the deadline for interventions and applicants may file reply comments within 10 calendar days of the deadline for filing interventions. If further process is required, it will be determined at that time.

Sincerely,

Original signed by Peter Keriakos for

Philippe Kent
Director, Telecommunications Services Policy
Telecommunications Sector

c.c.:  Jeremy Lendvay, CRTC, Jeremy.Lendvay@crtc.gc.ca
Ethan Townsend, CRTC, Ethan.Townsend@crtc.gc.ca

Attach (1)

Distribution List

Bell Canada, Bell Mobility bell.regulatory@bell.ca;
BCBA bob.allen@abcinternet.ca; regulatory@bcba.ca;
Cogeco Leonard.Eichel@cogeco.com; telecom.regulatory@cogeco.com;
Eastlink Regulatory.Matters@corp.eastlink.ca;
Iristel regulatory@tacitlaw.com; regulatory@icewireless.ca;
RCCI rwi_gr@rci.rogers.com; Regulatory@rci.rogers.com;
SaskTel document.control@sasktel.com;
TCI Jessica.Robb@telus.com; regulatory.affairs@telus.com;
Videotron yanick.boily@quebecor.com; regaffairs@quebecor.com;
Xplornet Xplornet.Legal@corp.xplornet.com

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