Telecom - Commission Letter addressed to the Distribution List
Ottawa, 14 January 2022
Our reference: 8740-S22-202104610, 8740-B38-202104628, 8740-B38-202104686, 8740-R28-202104636, 8740-T66-202104876, 8740-T66-202104884
BY EMAIL
To: Distribution List
Subject: Wholesale MVNO access and wholesale roaming tariff proceedings – Iristel request for an extension to respond to requests for information
On 16 December 2021, Commission staff issued a number of requests for information (RFIs) to parties to build the record of the tariff proceedings arising out of Telecom Regulatory Policy 2021-130 (TRP 2021-130). Parties were given a deadline of 27 January 2022 to file their responses, a period of six weeks.
On 21 December 2021, Iristel Inc. (Iristel) filed a letter requesting a three week extension to the RFI response deadline. It argued that many of the RFIs require parties to provide detailed company data, technical explanations, or detailed policy analysis, and that even under ideal circumstances it would be unable to meet a deadline of 27 January 2022 for providing fulsome and complete responses to the extensive and detailed RFIs posed. Iristel also indicated that many of the key personnel that it requires to answer the questions would be unavailable as a result of the holiday period, and that January was a busy time with other ongoing proceedings. Iristel submitted that no party would be prejudiced by an extension, as it would apply to all parties.
The Independent Telecommunications Providers Association and TELUS Communications Inc. supported the extension request for similar reasons including the complexity of the information being sought.
Cogeco Communications Inc., Quebecor Media, and Xplornet Communications Inc. and Xplore Mobile Inc. (together, Xplornet) opposed the extension request. These parties argued that the allotted time of 42 days to respond to the RFIs is more than sufficient and takes into account the holiday period. They generally submitted that the timely completion of these tariff proceedings is of critical importance to furthering competition in the mobile wireless market and that an extension to the RFI response deadline would prejudice both consumers and wireless carriers seeking to use wholesale MVNO access and wholesale roaming.
As parties have indicated, the subject matter associated with the tariffs and the RFIs that were posed to parties are complex and cover a significant number of issues. The RFIs are necessary to build a fulsome record in order for the Commission to make informed determinations on the many issues before it. However, the Commission is also sensitive to concerns over unnecessary regulatory delays that would prolong the implementation of wholesale MVNO access.
In this case, the Commission considers that an extension is not appropriate. While the RFIs are numerous and of some complexity, the deadline established took into account the volume and complexity of the RFIs, as well as the holiday period. As such, the Commission considers that six weeks provided is a sufficient amount of time for parties to prepare and file responses.
In light of the above, the Commission denies Iristel’s extension request. Parties are to file responses to the RFIs no later than 27 January 2022.
Yours sincerely,
Original signed by
Claude Doucet
Secretary General
Distribution List
Parties to the tariff proceedings
telecom.regulatory@cogeco.com;
Regulatory.Matters@corp.EastLink.ca;
regulatory@iristel.com;
jonathan.holmes@itpa.ca;
kadil@legalaid.mb.ca;
chkla@legalaid.mb.ca;
regaffairs@quebecor.com;
richard.biron@sogetel.com;
scott.gibson@terrestar.ca;
Xplornet.Legal@corp.xplornet.com;
jfmezei@vaxination.ca;
bell.regulatory@bell.ca;
Regulatory@rci.rogers.com;
document.control@sasktel.com;
regulatory.affairs@telus.com;
regulatory@corp.fibernetics.ca
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