Telecom - Staff Letter addressed to the Distribution List
Ottawa–Gatineau, 12 February 2025
Our references: 8740-E17-202304038, 8740-E17-202402311, 8740-C6-202304062, 8740-C6-202401149, 1011-NOC2023-0056
BY EMAIL
Distribution list
Subject: Telecom Notice of Consultation 2023-56 – Approval of Bragg Communications Incorporated, carrying on business as Eastlink (Eastlink) and Cogeco Communications Inc. (Cogeco) Requests for an Extension to Deadline to Requests for Information
As part of the proceeding initiated by Notice of hearing – Review of the wholesale high-speed access service framework, Telecom Notice of Consultation 2023-56 (NoC 2023-56), dated 8 March 2023, the Commission directed wholesale high-speed access (HSA) service providers to file proposed tariffs and associated cost studies using the Phase II costing methodology, with supporting rationale, for fibre-to-the-premises facilities over aggregated wholesale HSA services, and to file new Phase II cost studies to establish rates for aggregated wholesale HSA services.
The Commission received tariff applications, as well as supporting information, from the wholesale HSA service providers consistent with the Commission’s directions in NoC 2023-56.
On 22 January 2025, Commission staff requested additional information (RFIs) from Bragg Communications Incorporated, carrying on business as Eastlink (Eastlink) and Cogeco Communications Inc. (Cogeco) in relation to their proposed tariffs, associated cost studies, and supporting rationale. Responses to these RFIs are due 21 February 2025.
On 31 January 2025, Cogeco and Eastlink jointly requested to extend the deadline to reply to their RFIs to 23 March 2025. Cogeco and Eastlink stated that, given the significant volume and complexity of information requested through the RFIs and the constraints on time and resources due to multiple other ongoing Commission proceedings, 30 calendar days was not sufficient to respond adequately to the RFIs. Cogeco and Eastlink also submitted that Rogers Communications Canada Inc. and Québecor Média Inc. on behalf of its affiliate Videotron were granted a request for extension in 2024 for responding to RFIs that were identical in scope and complexity.
Commission staff acknowledges that it has requested an extensive volume of information, some of which is highly technical. Commission staff notes that a complete record including the original cost study submission and the responses to the RFIs is necessary for an efficient analysis, as it reduces the likelihood of requiring numerous rounds of RFI which would help in the finalization of the rates on a timely basis. Commission staff is of the view that an extension would allow Cogeco and Eastlink to provide the necessary high quality, comprehensive information required by the Commission in their responses to the RFIs without adding further delay to the Commission’s timelines.
Commission staff therefore approves Cogeco and Eastlink’s request to extend the due date for responses to 24 March 2025.
In addition, Commission staff is modifying the process related to disclosure by parties:
- Requests for disclosure to be filed and served by 3 April 2025.
- Replies to requests for disclosure to be filed and served by 14 April 2025.
Sincerely,
Original signed by
Chris Noonan
Director, Competitor Services and Costing Implementation
Telecommunications Sector
Distribution List
Company; Tariff Notice Number(s); Our Reference Number; Company Contact; Company Email
Cogeco; 0067, 0067/A; 8740-C6-202304062, 8740-C6-202401149; telecom.regulatory@cogeco.com;
Eastlink; 0046, 0046/A; 8740-E17-202304038, 8740-E17-202402311; regulatory.matters@corp.eastlink.ca;
Rogers Communications Canada Inc.; regulatory@rci.rogers.com
Shaw Communications; Regulatory@sjrb.ca
Videotron; regaffairs@quebecor.com
Bell Canada; bell.regulatory@bell.ca;
TELUS Communications Inc.; regulatory.affairs@telus.com, ;
Saskatchewan Telecommunications; W.N. (Bill) Beckman; document.control@sasktel.com;
CNOC, regulatory@cnoc.ca;
Community Fibre, ben@communityfibre.ca;
Comwave, legal@comwave.net;
Public Interest Advocacy Centre, jlawford@piac.ca;
TekSavvy, regulatory@teksavvy.ca;
Vaxination Informatique, jfmezei@vaxination.ca;
John Roman, johnphiliproman@gmail.com;
WaveDirect Telecommunications Limited, ryan@wavedirect.org;
Vaxxine Computer Systems Inc., president@vaxxine.com;
Truespeed Internet Services Inc., adam@truespeed.ca;
SkyChoice Communications, serge@skychoice.ca;
Securenet, info@securenet.net;
Secure by Design, kirk@secure-by-design.com;
OpenMedia, erin@openmedia.org;
Netrevolution inc., drouleau@gtvr.com;
National Capital FreeNet, execdir@ncf.ca;
IGS Hawkesbury Inc., jbogue@hawkmail.ca;
First Mile Connectivity Consortium, info@firstmile.ca;
Devtel Communications Inc., devin@devtelcommunications.ca;
CPC, campbell@campbellpatterson.com;
Canadian Anti-Monopoly Project (CAMP), keldon@antimonopoly.ca;
Beanfield, todd@beanfield.com;
Marc Nanni, mn_crtc@proton.me;
Competition Bureau, Conor.Parson@cb-bc.gc.ca;
Competition Bureau, crtc2023-56@cb-bc.gc.ca;
Coextro, skhandor@coextro.com;
Carry Telecom, frankw@carrytel.ca;
Execulink, regulatory@execulinktelecom.ca;
Frontier Networks, cgooey@frontiernetworks.ca;
Citywide, david@yourcitywide.com;
CIK Telecom, jordan.d@ciktel.com;
British Columbia Broadband Association (BCBA), admin@bcba.ca
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