FAQ – Mobile and paging 27X / 28X

Form 271 – Mobile and paging operating revenues, subscriptions and churn rates

What kinds of values and figures are to be included in “Retail”?

The Retail column in form 271 refers to both residential and business wireless services. Please provide the requested revenues, related subscribers, and monthly average retail churn rates details in Part A, B, and C respectively. Note that the churn rate is to be expressed as a percentage.

We provide a proprietary voice service which is similar to citizens band (CB) radio. Should that be counted as part of the mobile voice data reported on this form?

The form looks specifically at PSTN-connected mobile applications. To the extent that your branded application allows direct-dial PSTN call origination and termination, it should be included. To the extent that it doesn't, it should be omitted.

How should our roaming revenues be accounted for?

Roaming revenues should be accounted for under these two categories: “Roaming in (By foreign subscribers)” and “Roaming out (By own subscribers)”.

Roaming in (By foreign subscribers) – Roaming revenues are those received from other wireless service providers as a compensation for their customers roaming on your networks.

Roaming out (By own subscribers) – Roaming revenues are those received from your own customers for the time they spent roaming on other service provider’s networks.

Both types of roaming revenues are to be reported separately as “Roaming out” and “Roaming in” on lines 19 and 20 in Form 271 respectively.

What is "Mobile interconnection"?

Mobile interconnection, represents any revenues paid by other providers, whether wireline or wireless, for the express purpose of terminating communications onto your mobile network access devices. "Communications", here, includes voice calls going to mobile phones on your network, SMS, MMS messages going to mobile phones on your network, and so forth.

What is considered “Spectrum” revenues and who should report them?

Any entity who owns spectrum licence(s) and receives revenues from the transfer, lease, partial transfer, or any other type of an arrangement with one or more entities. This applies to both operating and non-operating, facilities based and non-facilities based service providers who own spectrum. Revenues are to be combined with Mobile Interconnection revenues and are to be entered on line 22 in Form 271.

Should Mobile “Terminal equipment” include both rental and sales revenue?

Yes. However provide gross sales and rentals revenues following your accepted accounting practice as two separate items on line 23 and 24 in Form 271 respectively.

How do I calculate the churn rate?

Please refer to the definition in the Telecommunications Glossary to assist you.

Form 273 – Mobile voice minutes

How are my roaming activities measured?

Roaming activities will be measured in minutes and should reflect the total minutes billed to the subscriber. These numbers will be captured in two categories, similarly to how roaming revenues are collected.

Form 275 (p) – Mobile and paging operating revenues and subscriptions by province and territory

Should my number of mobile subscribers include paging subscriber figures?

No. Do not include paging subscribers figures.

Form 277 – Mobile data revenues and traffic

How are messages “From mobile devices” and “To mobile devices” defined?

“From mobile devices” are originating (text, audio, video, and other) messages on mobile devices of your customers, regardless of the destination of these messages. Vice versa, “To mobile devices” are all terminating messages on the mobile devices of your customers, regardless of the origination of these messages.

What kind of data traffic should I report for mobile data services?

Mobile data traffic is to be reported in MB (megabytes); this figure will be a reflection of the various data services that you have provided to your mobile and mobile broadband subscribers; this includes all measured traffic to and from or downlink and uplink data traffic.

Form 279 – Mobile subscriptions by plan

What should I include in my submission of mobile broadband?

Mobile broadband should include Internet access via hubs/sticks/dongles/netbooks/laptops etc., but exclude handheld devices such as blackberries, iphones, and other smartphones.

Form 284 – M2M mobile communication services

What is M2M communications?

M2M relates to all SIMs that are integrated/imbedded in machines or devices that communicate with each other automatically without the need for direct and conscious human intervention.

Date modified:

2017-02-23