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Telecom - Commission Letter addressed to Carl MacQuarrie (Xplornet Communications Inc.)

Ottawa, 9 September 2022

Our reference: 8000-N1-202204923

BY EMAIL

Carl MacQuarrie
Regulatory Counsel
Xplornet Communications Inc. (Xplornet)
625 Cochrane Drive, Suite 1000
Markham, Ontario – L3R 9R9
xplornet.legal@corp.xplornet.com

RE:      Request for Information - Telesat Anik F2 Matters

Carl MacQuarrie:

This letter sets out requests for information (RFIs) directed towards Xplornet with respect to certain of its services. At this time, these questions are being asked for the general purpose of administration of the Telecommunications Act. A copy of this letter and any subsequent correspondence will be added to the public record: TEL 8000-C12-202204923.

This letter and any subsequent correspondence may also be added to the public record of other proceedings in the future should it be determined that the information is relevant to the Commission’s determinations. If that occurs, parties to any relevant proceeding would be notified of the addition and given the opportunity to comment on the responses.

Your responses to the questions in this letter are due by 23 September 2022.

Confidential information

As set out in section 39 of the Telecommunications Act and in Broadcasting and Telecom Information Bulletin CRTC 2010-961, Procedures for filing confidential information and requesting its disclosure in Commission proceedings, parties may designate certain information as confidential. A party designating information as confidential must provide a detailed explanation on why the designated information is confidential and why its disclosure would not be in the public interest, including why the specific direct harm that would be likely to result from the disclosure would outweigh the public interest in disclosure. Furthermore, a party designating information as confidential must either file an abridged version of the document omitting only the information designated as confidential or provide reasons why an abridged version cannot be filed.
Sincerely,

Original signed by Ian Baggley for

Fiona Gilfillan
Executive Director, Telecommunications Sector

c.c.: Michèle Beck, Telesat, mbeck@telesat.com

 

APPENDIX 1

Text indicated by # text # is confidential.

#

Context

Telesat informed Commission staff of issues with its Anik F2 satellite.

Telesat confirmed to Commission staff that it has also informed Xplornet of these issues.

Questions for Xplornet

Telesat informed Commission staff that Xplornet’s service – direct-to-home broadband – that currently uses the Anik F2 satellite as transport may be “adversely impacted” as early as February 2023.

Impact on Xplornet’s services and customers

Identifying who is at risk of adverse impacts

  1. List the communities that you serve using the Anik F2 satellite, and identify those that are at risk of being adversely impacted by the degradation of the Anik F2 satellite. Provide the following information for each community:

Identifying services or customers more at risk of adverse impacts

  1. Are certain of the public safety or emergency services that you provide more at risk of
  1. Are certain of the telecom services that you provide more at risk of.
Risk mitigation
  1. Describe any technical challenges that Xplornet may face in adapting its network, including, but not limited to its satellite ground stations, to ensure continued connectivity for retail telecom customers. 
  2. Provide an overview of Xplornet’s risk mitigation strategy to ensure continued connectivity for customers (retail and enterprise) that it serves in affected regions. Specifically address the following, along with any other information Xplornet deems relevant:
  1. Explain how your new risk mitigation strategy is different from previous plans to ensure network resiliency. If applicable, provide an overview of your previous plans to ensure continued connectivity.

End of questions

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