Telecom - Secretary General Letter addressed to Mélanie Cardin (Québecor Média inc.)
Ottawa, 13 March 2024
Our reference: 1011-NOC2023-0092
BY EMAIL
Mélanie Cardin
Director, Regulatory Affairs
Telecommunications
Québecor Média inc.
612, Saint-Jacques Street, 15th floor
Montréal QC H3C 4M8
melanie.cardin@quebecor.com
Subject: Central Office codes request by Québecor Média inc. on behalf of its subsidiaries Freedom Mobile Inc. and Vidéotron ltée.
We are following up on your requests dated 26 January, 5 February, 6 February, and 16 February 2024, for the approval of additional central office (CO) codes to be assigned to Freedom Mobile Inc. and Vidéotron ltée, subsidiaries of Quebecor Media inc. (QMI). You have made this request on the basis that the numbers are required to support the expansion of QMI’s service offerings as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO).
We are writing to inform you of the Commission’s decision in this matter.
On 30 October 2023, the Commission imposed an interim measure requiring the Canadian Numbering Administrator (CNA) to limit the assignment of geographic CO codes. This measure is designed to conserve and maximize the use of available telephone numbers. Canadian carriers who require additional CO codes beyond planned levels must apply to both the CNA and the Commission, justifying their need for additional resources.
Having considered QMI’s request against factors outlined in the Commission’s 30 October 2023 letter, the Commission is satisfied that QMI has adequately justified its request for additional numbering resources.
Specifically:
- QMI intends to employ the requested CO codes to support its mobile wireless service expansion, which the Commission determined will help promote access to affordable telecommunications services for Canadians;
- QMI demonstrated that it is not in possession of unused numbering resources from previous assignments which can be used instead; and
- QMI’s request will not have a significant impact on advancing phone number exhaust.
Based on the above, the Commission grants QMI access to the quantity of additional CO codes requested by QMI in its letters dated 26 January 2024, 5 February 2024, 6 February 2024, and 16 February 2024.
If you have any further questions regarding this issue, please do not hesitate to contact us at infotelecom@crtc.gc.ca or at 1-877-793-8444.
Yours sincerely,
Original signed by
Marc Morin
Secretary General
c. c. Kelly T. Walsh, CNA Program Manager, kelly.walsh@cnac.ca
Michel Murray, CRTC, michel.murray@crtc.gc.ca
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