Telecom - Staff Letter addressed to Peggy Tabet (Quebecor Media Inc.) and Stephen Schmidt (TELUS)
Ottawa, 2 February 2024
Our reference: 8622-V3-202306381
BY EMAIL
Peggy Tabet
Vice President, Regulatory and Environmental Affairs
Quebecor Media Inc.
612 Saint-Jacques Street
Montréal, Québec
H3C 4M8
Stephen Schmidt
Vice-President - Telecom Policy & Chief Regulatory Legal Counsel
Telecom Policy & Regulatory Affairs
TELUS
Floor 5, 215 Slater St.
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada K1P 0A6
Subject: Request for final offer arbitration regarding mobile virtual network operator access rates
Dear Peggy Tabet and Stephen Schmidt,
Commission staff has considered the procedural requests made by both TELUS Communications Inc. (TELUS) and Québecor Media Inc. (QMI) in letters dated 30 January 2024.
TELUS requested that it be permitted to include an appendix to its final offer, as provided in paragraph 25 of Practices and procedures for dispute resolution, Information Bulletin CRTC 2019-184. TELUS submitted that such an appendix could be up to 20 pages.
QMI also requested that it be permitted to include an appendix to its final offer and stated that it does not oppose TELUS’ request.
With respect to the inclusion of an appendix, Commission staff is satisfied that, in this case, the inclusion of an appendix would contribute to a robust evidentiary record and assist the Commission in making its decision. Accordingly, Commission staff hereby approves the inclusion of an appendix for each party, but limits its length to a maximum of 20 pages.
Commission staff reminds the parties that such an appendix must contain information that exists solely to support the record of this arbitration and cannot include any new arguments in support of the corresponding offer.
Parties may file certain information in confidence. The Commission is of the view that it is of particular importance for the attainment of the objectives set out in Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2021-130, as well as in the public interest, that all carriers that provide or access wholesale MVNO services be provided with sufficient information to understand the Commission’s rationale and decisions. As such, the Commission will aim to release as much information and rationale as possible to the public in its decisions on FOA proceedings on MVNO access rates. Releasing as much information as possible would also assist other carriers involved in the conclusion of a MVNO access agreement.
In keeping with this objective, the parties should prepare their various submissions as part of this process with the view to disclose information on the public record to the maximum extent possible, which will also assist the Commission to release FOA decisions as expeditiously as possible.
Any documents filed with the Commission should be filed via the secure service “My CRTC Account” (GCKey or Partner Log In) using the Telecom Cover Page and using the application number 8622-V3-202306381.
Yours sincerely,
Original signed by
Michel Murray
Director, Dispute Resolution and Regulatory Implementation
Telecommunications
c.c. Philippe Nadeau, CRTC, philippe.nadeau@crtc.gc.ca
Joël Beaupré, CRTC, joel.beaupre@crtc.gc.ca
Yanick Boily, QMI, yanick.boily@quebecor.com
Melanie Cardin, QMI, melanie.Cardin@quebecor.com
Kim Miller, TELUS, kim.miller@telus.com
Eric Edora, TELUS, eric.edora@telus.com
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