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Telecom Order CRTC 2024-306

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Reference: 2024-120

Ottawa, 29 November 2024

Public record: Tariff Notice 1216

Northwestel Inc. – Tariff Notice 1216 – Rate ratification for a tariff application

Summary

The Commission approves on a final basis Northwestel Inc.’s application to remove the digital subscriber line (DSL) surcharge, as per Telecom Decision 2024-99, and ratifies the elimination of this surcharge from 23 May 2024 to 31 May 2024, the date of interim approval of the application.

The proposed changes will ensure that Northwestel Inc. is compliant with the Commission’s determinations in that decision, which were intended to: i) help make DSL Internet services more affordable in the Far North; ii) improve consumer choice by providing customers with more flexibility when choosing home phone, cell phone, or other voice services; and iii) support consumer rights by making prices more transparent and by removing an additional fee that may have been confusing to customers.

Application

  1. On 17 May 2024, the Commission received an application from Northwestel Inc. (Northwestel), Tariff Notice 1216. The company proposed changes to its General Tariff, Item 1735 – Terrestrial Internet Services.
  2. Specifically, Northwestel proposed to remove the standalone digital subscriber line (DSL) surcharge from its Terrestrial Internet Services. The company noted that in Telecom Decision 2024-99, the Commission directed Northwestel to amend its tariff to reflect the removal of the DSL surcharge of $20.00 per month.
  3. Northwestel submitted that, since the Commission had intended for the company to cease charging the DSL surcharge as of 23 May 2024 (as per Telecom Decision 2024-99), Northwestel initiated steps to cease billing the surcharge effective 23 May 2024 and to notify its customers of the change.
  4. Northwestel requested that, in the event that the Commission is not able to issue approval by 23 May 2024, the Commission ratify the elimination of the DSL surcharge from 23 May 2024 to the date of approval of Northwestel’s application.
  5. In Telecom Order 2024-120, the Commission approved Northwestel’s application on an interim basis, with an effective date of 31 May 2024. The Commission stated that it would address the ratification request in a subsequent order.
  6. The Commission received no comments regarding Northwestel’s application.

Commission’s analysis

  1. Pursuant to subsection 25(4) of the Telecommunications Act, the Commission may ratify a rate charged by a Canadian carrier that is not in accordance with a tariff approved by the Commission if the Commission is satisfied that the rate was charged because of an error or other circumstance that warrants the ratification.
  2. In Telecom Decision 2024-99, the Commission indicated that the elimination of the DSL surcharge should come into effect 23 May 2024. However, due to the filing process, the Commission would have been unable to approve the tariff revisions by that date. As a result, Northwestel requested that the Commission ratify the elimination of the surcharge for the period of 23 May 2024 to the date of approval of Northwestel’s application.
  3. The Commission therefore finds Northwestel’s request for rate ratification to be warranted.

Conclusion

  1. The Commission approves Northwestel’s application on a final basis and, in light of the above, ratifies the elimination of the DSL surcharge from 23 May 2024 to 31 May 2024, the date of interim approval of the application.

Secretary General

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