Telecom - Staff Letter addressed to the Distribution List

Ottawa, 9 September 2024

Reference: 8740-A53-202401321

BY EMAIL

Distribution list

Subject:  Associated with Bell Aliant Tariff Notice (TN) 579 - Withdrawal of the Hospital Patient Telephone Service – Request to reopen the record

On 22 March 2024, the Commission received an application from Bell Aliant Regional Communications, Limited Partnership (Bell Aliant) proposing changes to its General Tariff CRTC 21491 to withdraw the Hospital Patient Telephone Service (HPTS). The record of the proceeding closed on 9 May 2024.

On 14 August 2024 and 29 August 2024, the Commission received letters from Horizon Health Network (HHN) and Nova Scotia Health (NSH), respectively, requesting that the record of TN 579 be reopened.

HHN submitted that Bell Aliant had yet to supply HHN with all of the information, notably the usage of data, needed to ensure that an effective solution would be in place to ensure continuous HPTS or an equivalent service. HHN added that it would expand on this matter with an intervention response if the record of TN 579 is reopened. Similarly, NHS indicated that it wished to reply to the responses provided by Bell Aliant in a request for information that was published after the deadline for interventions.

On 21 August 2024, Bell Aliant responded to the request from HHN, noting that it had had discussions with HHN in advance of filing its application, and that HHN has had 25 months’ notice of its intention to withdraw HPTS. Additionally, regarding the usage data with the level of detail requested by HHN, Bell Aliant submitted that it is not possible given the limitations of its systems. Accordingly, Bell Aliant submitted that there is no need to reopen the record of the proceeding.

Bell Aliant did not submit further comments following NHS’ request.

Commission staff considers that telecommunications services are important for hospital patients, who are often in a vulnerable situation. In making a determination on the application, the Commission must consider how its decision would promote consumer interests, in particular to what extend it would protect the rights of consumers in relationships with telecommunications services providers as well as whether there is any specific direct harm likely to result from the reopening of the proceeding and whether any such harm outweighs the public interest. Accordingly, Commission staff is of the view that HHN’s, NSH’s and other affected parties’ voices would be useful for the Commission’s deliberations.

Since Bell Aliant agreed to postpone the withdrawal of the HPTS from 30 September 2024 to 31 March 2025, Commission staff is of the view that reopening the record would not unduly affect the deadline of the HPTS withdrawal and that the public interest of having a more comprehensive record outweighs the harm that could be caused on the deadlines by reopening the record.

Given the above, Commission staff considers that it is appropriate to reopen the record of the proceeding.

Therefore, HHN, NSH and other interested parties are invited to submit their interventions and any supporting information by no later than 23 September 2024. On receipt of the interventions, Bell Aliant may file reply comments by 1 October 2024. Copies of the interventions and reply comments should be sent to the other parties and to christine.brock@crtc.gc.ca.

Where a document is to be filed or served by a specific date, the document must be actually received, not merely sent, by that date.

The Commission requires the response or other documents to be submitted electronically by using the secured service “My CRTC Account” (Partner Log In or GCKey) and filling the “Telecom Cover Page” located on this webpage.

A copy of this letter and all related correspondence will be added to the public record of the proceeding.

As set out in section 39 of the Telecommunications Act^Footnote1 and in IB 2010-961^Footnote2, persons may designate certain information as confidential. A person 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 person 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 Philippe Nadeau for

Michel Murray
Director, Dispute Resolution and Regulatory Implementation
Telecommunications Sector

c.c.: Christine Brock, CRTC, 873-353-5852, christine.brock@crtc.gc.ca

Distribution List

Date modified:

2024-09-09