Register as a Telecommunications provider - Exemptions

Exemptions

Exemptions from the registration obligation do exist.

As a reseller, a company that provides a telecommunications services, you may be exempted from the registration obligations if you meet at least one of the following criteria.

All the services offered are:

1. offered without specifically charging the customer for it; or
2. offered on a temporary basis, for less than 9 months, to customers on site; or
3. the service does not allow customers to engage in two-way voice telecommunications or to access the Web, such as an Alarm system provider

Note: being exempted from registration, does not exempt from any consumer protections and other obligations.

Examples

All the services offered are offered without specifically charging the customer for it

May be exempt

• Employers who provide mobile phones to their employees
• Commercial retail or public operations or residences that provide complementary WiFi

May not be exempt

• Any entity that explicitly charges for telecom services unless they meet criteria 2 or 3
  • Like third-party providers of telecom services to hospital patients

All the services offered are offered on a temporary basis, for less than 9 months, to customers on site

May be exempt

• Coffee shops
• Short stay hotels/motels
• Airports
• Shopping malls
• Libraries
• Landlord offering services for free to tenants

May not be exempt

• Landlords who charge tenants an explicit fee for telecom services. Either:
  • A separate fee is charges; or
  • There are 2 rental options for different fees:
    • Rent including telecom services
    • Rent without telecom services
• If the person is required to purchase a product or service to gain access to the WiFi (for example, must buy a coffee to get WiFi access)
• Provider offering bundled television and telecom services

The service does not allow customers to engage in two-way voice telecommunications or to access the Web, such as an Alarm system provider

May be exempt

• Alarm system providers, including systems with a dedicated voice link to a dispatch centre
• IoT and M2M without autonomous connectivity. For example: parking meters, GPS, vending machines

May not be exemptAdvanced in-car entertainment systems that permit Internet connectivity to navigate the web or allows unrestricted voice calls

What happens if you’re a reseller that is not exempt and does not register 

• Telecommunications providers could refuse to provide you with telecommunications services
• We could impose administrative monetary penalties (AMPs) on an non-exempt reseller who does not register
• Other telecommunications provider could be notified that your entity is not in compliance with our regulations
• We can impose general AMPs on companies that resell a service to a company that is not registered
• Your entity could be published on the Commission’s withdrawal list